Has anyone kept Ivanacara adoketa?

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ceeej31

ceeej31

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Feb 13, 2008
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New England
Because I'm going off to college soon I've been looking at smaller fish that I could maybe keep in a tank small enough to fit in a dorm room. Yesterday I saw these on aquabid and I've always liked the way they looked. I did some research online but I still have some questions.

How sensitive are they to water quality/chemistry?
How would they do with small tetras like cardinals or rummynoses?
How big do they get?

Other than those questions I guess I am just looking for personal experiences keeping them.
 
I have a breeding pair - they've bred twice...got to free swimmers the first time and they ate the eggs the second.

My experience is that they're not at all particular about water, food, etc. Mine live and breed in local tap water (7.4; medium hard), about 78 degrees. They eat pellets, flake and red wiggler worms. Hungry little guys...

My male is pushing 3.5-4"...female about 2.5". I've never seen bigger ones but I hear that they get bigger. My pair get along well (not to jinx myselfz) but I've heard reports of males killing females.

They're pretty outgoing and hang with Guianacara and Krobia an inch or so bigger. I've also kept them with Australoheros oblongums. No experience with them and tetras.

I fenced off part of the tank with eggcrate to give them a quiet spot un-reachable by the other fish for spawning. They spawn on the inside of a flowerpot.

Matt
 
Thanks for all the info, unfortunately judging by what you said I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a pair in a 20g. They definitely sound fun to keep though so i will probably end up getting some down the road.
 
I was going to bid on a pair of these once but the seller told me via email that they were really sensitive to water quality and needed soft, acidic water. I really wish I would have just gone with my gut and purchased them anyway. They are really interesting looking, especially in their breeding dress!
 
I think it was a good call Ryan, except for dogofwar, every other forum post I've seen with them has only had success when they were kept them in blackwater tanks so soft and acidic that they make heckel discus tanks look like Lake Malawi. Most of these were wild caught fish though, but they are acaras ... I'd imagine after only a generation or two it may not matter anymore.

dogofwar - Do you know if yours were wild caught or not?
 
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