heterospilus and panamensis

[mr cichlid]

Has anyone ever kept these species successfully together? What are your thoughts on tank size and set up. Would it be crazy trying roberstoni also? I know the panamensis can be little aggressive but is that towards themselves or everyone. Thx, any input valued

 

[newworld]

Both are mild mannered so are Robertsoni, if a big tank is avail why wouldn’t it?

 

[mr cichlid]

Kinda my thoughts. Robertsoni pretend they are tough with each other but soft with other spices. I have only once owned panamensis and had a pair with larger cichlids so not truly educated on typical behavior and never had heterospilus. Always wanted but see them in videos with mollys and plattys (maybe exaggerating) but I don't have any mellow tanks. What I wonder if panamensis pair up with they go bananas like salvini or meeki? Let's say I started with juveniles in a 180gal and didn't want to add or subtract. Maybe couple loaches and a bristle nose what ratio panamensis vs Robertsoni vs heterospilis? Who gets the biggest? Robertsoni after loooong time? Would you add one angry fish to keep everyone in check OR what schooling fish could be added? Roseline shark?

 

[duanes]

I kept Panamensis twice, late 90s, and again around 2015.
They spawned each time and although they were good parents, they did not rampage.
The second time I kept them with swordtails, even thru the free swimming fry stage, although, when the swordtails went after the fry, they took their live-in their hands, even though the panamense pair were small.




Here in Panama in the river Parti, they share waters with a similar cichlid (Vieja shape/type), Isthmoheros tuyrense so combining them with heterospila might work, and they also share waters with a cichlid similar to Robertsoni, Darienheros calobrensis, so again it may work, depending on tank size. I wouldn't attempt it with anything less than a 6 footer as adults.

 

[mr cichlid]

6 and 6 and 6? Or more?

 

[Toiletcar]

I agree w/ the others, should work fine. Especially in a 180g. I would do 6 of each. Maybe add some dithers.
Robertsoni and heterospila should be close in size-8”-10”, maybe slightly bigger if kept a really long time. I had a female robertsoni get 11”. Can’t say if the others are fast growers, but robertsoni are extremely slow growing. Have a group growing out now. I may add heterospilus myself one day.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I bred panamensis in a 5' tank with a few extra panamensis and a larger hericthys tamasopoensis female. The panamensis staked out one half of the tank, and the Tamasopo took the other half (she would lay eggs solo).
They chased the other fish around, not any more or less than I would expect of breeding pair of convicts or their relatives. Eventually when I put them in a 4' 90g without other cichlids, the male killed the female.
I think in a 180, the panamensis would be fine with the vieja and probably also the robertsoni. Just keep an eye on them when they start breeding. May be smart to give the vieja a bit of a head-start in size, as they grow a bit slow.

 

[mr cichlid]

This feedback is great. I know max cichlids has real nice Roberson but wetspot have all 3 that I'm looking for. Has anyone got robertsoni from wetspot? How'd they turn out? Lots of blues?

 

[Gourami Swami]

I did not get any robertsoni from the wet spot, but my panamensis came form them and were very good stock.

 

[RAB60]

Could you have Rhytisma instead of the Robertsoni ? These fish you mention are the type I want to keep when (or if ) I get a new tank set up.