Info needed on Australoheros sp 'red ceibal'

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M

Mythic Figment

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 27, 2012
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Florida
So I got 3 red ceibals a few days ago from a local fish farm. I researched them a bit before going to get them, but I seemed to have missed a piece of info. I have come across some debates as to whether or not this species REQUIRES a cool down period like many gymnogeophagus species. So I am fishing for any and all information about keeping red ceibals, especially information about cool down periods (if necessary, duration, temps, etc) and good tankmates.

Thanks!


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I have a breeding pair of Red Ceibals. I have them in a 40 breeder that will be unheated over the winter - in my basement, it should get down to about 55-60F. I have them with a school of Buenos Aires Tetras and Corydoras Paleatus, both of which are also subtropical.

My pair will not tolerate any other cichlids in the tank. That said, I know others who have successfully housed them with the feistier gymnogeophagus species.

Very cool fish - lots of personality


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They're great fish (as are most chanchitos), although they get pretty large 7" or so for males and can be tough on each other.

They're sub-tropical fish from Eastern Uruguay and it gets cold in the winter there. You could easily keep them outside in Florida in the winter (or all year long).

Don't over think the cool down period: Just keep them without a heater and in a room that gets down to the low 60s. Of course, that means that you can't (or shouldn't) keep them with tropical fish year round...

Matt
 
tomahawk said:
I have a breeding pair of Red Ceibals. I have them in a 40 breeder that will be unheated over the winter - in my basement, it should get down to about 55-60F. I have them with a school of Buenos Aires Tetras and Corydoras Paleatus, both of which are also subtropical.

My pair will not tolerate any other cichlids in the tank. That said, I know others who have successfully housed them with the feistier gymnogeophagus species.

Very cool fish - lots of personality


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Click to expand...

I have a trio of 1 male (4") and 2 females (2.5-3" each) in a 40. They are currently in a tank with a heckelii (4") and an electric blue acara (3") in a tank maintained at 80 degrees. I am in the process of setting up a larger tank, which I will place the heckelii and acara into to free up the entire tank for the ceibals. Once the tank is all theirs, I will remove the heater.

They are already beating on each other a little. Nothing serious, but one of the females already has a split fin, which could honestly have been from the acara since he is turning out to be a giant prick for his species.

I want to get them something to keep their minds off beating the snot out of each other. Should I just add another female ceibal for dither/targets and add some BA tetras?


dogofwar said:
They're great fish (as are most chanchitos), although they get pretty large 7" or so for males and can be tough on each other.

They're sub-tropical fish from Eastern Uruguay and it gets cold in the winter there. You could easily keep them outside in Florida in the winter (or all year long).

Don't over think the cool down period: Just keep them without a heater and in a room that gets down to the low 60s. Of course, that means that you can't (or shouldn't) keep them with tropical fish year round...

Matt
Click to expand...

I don't heat my house because it's too expensive (and honestly I have to pay to get it inspected if I want to use it since it hasn't been used in over 3 years). Not sure what the temp drops to in the house, but it gets a bit chilly. I wouldn't think much lower than 60-65 at the very coldest. Will that be okay? And if the temp doesn't drop that much, will they be okay with only a small/light cool down period?

I have read that many gymnogeophagus "fade away" and die without a good cool down period. Is it the same with these guys?

And on that note, are gymnos a good tankmate if I ever decided to upgrade their tank to a 75+ gallon size?


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Ceibals are fine down to the 40s... I've collected them in the stream from which they hail...and it's chilly. Even at the end of the summer. As an aside, I also bathed in the same stream (where we were staying didn't have running water) ...and it was cold!

A 40B will be too small for the spare female when they settle down and breed. The chanchitos will kill anything else in there.

Chanchitos like Gymnogeos will fade away without the cool down.

I often wonder what has happened to the literally thousands of Gymnogeos and Red Ceibal chanchitos farmed out of Florida and sold through LFS.

Keep them right and they'll live for years...

Matt
 
These are pictures of my red ceibals. :)

First picture is the only decent photo my male would give me.

Second and third photos are of the same female. She is very photogenic while the other lady is not. LOL I love the red and yellow mixed eye color.


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