Keyhole Cichlid aggression

[Ravynn]

I can't edit my post but I was going to add that I guess if I keep the subordinate male I could try out a bolivan ram out with him?

 

[neutrino]

I can't edit my post but I was going to add that I guess if I keep the subordinate male I could try out a bolivan ram out with him?

Yes, that's my theory. Under normal circumstances I'd figure the two females would be okay together, not quite as sure immediately after the one has had fry-- after some time probably, don't know so soon, though. Of the males, the less aggressive male would be my choice to try with a ram, doesn't have protective breeding hormones fired up to the same degree, so I'd expect reasonably favorable odds. My only reservation would be if it didn't work and you had a similar dilemma of what to do with them.

Imo it breaks down this way:
You already know the pair gets along. You know a single male or female would work, the non-paired male would more likely tolerate tankmates initially. The single male and some non-cichlid community fish should be fine, especially with some schooling tetras or something similar, with other options also, catfish, rainbowfish, a small to medium pleco, etc.

Two females often work, maybe not immediately in this scenario, but normally you could also put other fish in the tank with them.

I'd normally expect a single male keyhole and a ram to work and for them to either get along or find niches in different parts of the tank-- which, sure, your tank is smaller than their wild habitat, but in a tank with structure at the ends, whether caves, driftwood, plants, etc., they can each have their own bit of territory, which is typical ime with smaller, reasonably peaceful species. One strategy would be to put them in the tank at the same time, keyhole, ram, and some schooling fish to initialize a new community. You could add final pieces either right away or later at your convenience. That way, everyone is new, on equal footing, and can find their niche in their new surroundings. My only reservation would be if it meant you had the same dilemma of what to do with the ram if it didn't work.

Imo there are other options also, an angelfish, small group of smaller growing geos (though these species tend to be less commonly available), one of the smaller loaches-- some of these are entertaining fish ime, a small to medium fancy pleco-- some, like L200 plecos, are showy, L200 I've had are reasonably visible when they get comfortable in a tank.

 

[Ravynn]

Yes, that's my theory. Under normal circumstances I'd figure the two females would be okay together, not quite as sure immediately after the one has had fry-- after some time probably, don't know so soon, though. Of the males, the less aggressive male would be my choice to try with a ram, doesn't have protective breeding hormones fired up to the same degree, so I'd expect reasonably favorable odds. My only reservation would be if it didn't work and you had a similar dilemma of what to do with them.

Imo it breaks down this way:
You already know the pair gets along. You know a single male or female would work, the non-paired male would more likely tolerate tankmates initially. The single male and some non-cichlid community fish should be fine, especially with some schooling tetras or something similar, with other options also, catfish, rainbowfish, a small to medium pleco, etc.

Two females often work, maybe not immediately in this scenario, but normally you could also put other fish in the tank with them.

I'd normally expect a single male keyhole and a ram to work and for them to either get along or find niches in different parts of the tank-- which, sure, your tank is smaller than their wild habitat, but in a tank with structure at the ends, whether caves, driftwood, plants, etc., they can each have their own bit of territory, which is typical ime with smaller, reasonably peaceful species. One strategy would be to put them in the tank at the same time, keyhole, ram, and some schooling fish to initialize a new community. You could add final pieces either right away or later at your convenience. That way, everyone is new, on equal footing, and can find their niche in their new surroundings. My only reservation would be if it meant you had the same dilemma of what to do with the ram if it didn't work.

Imo there are other options also, an angelfish, small group of smaller growing geos (though these species tend to be less commonly available), one of the smaller loaches-- some of these are entertaining fish ime, a small to medium fancy pleco-- some, like L200 plecos, are showy, L200 I've had are reasonably visible when they get comfortable in a tank.

If I even decide to add a ram, that would be after I quarantine tetras, rasboras, and corydoras so won't be for months yet. By then, I may not even be interested in trying another cichlid with him. Who knows.

Once I do get schooling fish (i'm thinking harlequin rasboras first), i'm quarantining those for 3 weeks to treat for internal parasites and make sure they don't have ich. Just something I personally like to do. Unfortunately adding them all in at once wouldn't be practical as I don't trust my local store to have healthy fish and I don't want to infect the already healthy keyhole.

I was planning on doing a water change today so I can move them around today if you think keeping the non-paired male is my best bet? He's gotten big and pretty since I first got them. Maybe nicer than the male in the pair.

 

[neutrino]

I was planning on doing a water change today so I can move them around today if you think keeping the non-paired male is my best bet? He's gotten big and pretty since I first got them. Maybe nicer than the male in the pair.

Sounds like we have a winner.

 

[Ravynn]

Sounds like we have a winner.

I'll be moving them around in a little bit! Hopefully it all works out. Thanks again!

 

[Ravynn]

Sounds like we have a winner.

I wanted to update you. I decided to get some bronze cories today so he wouldn't be in there too long without other tank mates. He is loving watching the cories and swims with them up and down the glass. Success!

 

[neutrino]

Finally-- going in the direction you wanted!

 

[Ravynn]

Ages ago. Kept them with a variety of tankmates, discus, angelfish, rams, Apistogramma, Mesonauta, to name a few, also various characins, including emperor tetras, large schools of cardinal tetras, even chalceus. Mine were quite peaceful in such settings. Don't know how well your pair of keyholes would put up with Laetacara in their tank, a little too similar looking I suspect. Even in a juvenile discus tank, my curviceps were innocuous and retiring.

There's some discussion on whether or how often curviceps are actually curviceps and not dorsigera-- having had mine a good while, observed them in all moods, etc., mine weren't dorsigera.

Sorry to come back to an older post but I was wondering if you would still have this opinion on the curviceps with a single Keyhole?

 

[neutrino]

Tank is 4ft? (don't remember if you stated, appears to be from the photos). Wasn't a combination I did personally, but I've seen them together and it seems to typically work in a big enough tank, community setting, with multiples of one or both species. Or I've seen people do a pair of each in a 55, one pair took one side of the tank and the other pair took the other. A little unpredictable in your circumstance, they could ignore each other, dislike each other, or even become buddies, which I've seen happen on occasion with one each of different cichlid species in a tank.

Personally, I'd be willing to try it if I knew I had an option for something to do if it didn't work. With the comments about curviceps vs. dorsigera and possibly aggressive dorsigera, I took a little time to find a video... your results might vary.

 

[Ravynn]

Tank is 4ft? (don't remember if you stated, appears to be from the photos). Wasn't a combination I did personally, but I've seen them together and it seems to typically work in a big enough tank, community setting, with multiples of one or both species. Or I've seen people do a pair of each in a 55, one pair took one side of the tank and the other pair took the other. A little unpredictable in your circumstance, they could ignore each other, dislike each other, or even become buddies, which I've seen happen on occasion with one each of different cichlid species in a tank.

Personally, I'd be willing to try it if I knew I had an option for something to do if it didn't work. With the comments about curviceps vs. dorsigera and possibly aggressive dorsigera, I took a little time to find a video... your results might vary.

It's a 36x18. I have a very heavily planted 20 long with kuhli loaches and 1 honey gourami atm, so i'm assuming moving one to that tank wouldn't be a problem if I had to. That's a super nice tank in the video.