Looking for information on exCICHLASOMA ORNATUM
- Thread starter infamous
- Start date
I have 12 juvie 
12 to 15 max size! Aggression of that of Festaes!
Some confusion as to if they are Gephyrum or Ornatum.
One of the most beautiful American Cichlids IMO
12 to 15 max size! Aggression of that of Festaes!
Some confusion as to if they are Gephyrum or Ornatum.
One of the most beautiful American Cichlids IMO
I received a bag of 1" juvie ornatum/gephyrum back in Feb 2013.
Did some research on the rivers they come from and found low to mid 70sF are average temps.
Put them in a 55 gal to grow out, where they almost immediately were very aggressive with each other. Added some 1" tetras as dithers, aggression continued.
Afraid the aggression would become lethal, I added half dozen 2" Guianacara, and the aggression subsided.
They grew slowly but steadily, and the largest hit about 7" at the end of 2014.
I find them to be very susceptible to bacterial infections if water is not pristine.
The moment I let nitrate rise to or above 10ppm, by neglecting my "minimum" twice weekly water changes, I would notice a deterioration in health.
I never found them to be overly aggressive with any other species, and kept them with the Guianacara the entire time, moving both species to a 150 gal tank once they hit about 3".
Did some research on the rivers they come from and found low to mid 70sF are average temps.
Put them in a 55 gal to grow out, where they almost immediately were very aggressive with each other. Added some 1" tetras as dithers, aggression continued.
Afraid the aggression would become lethal, I added half dozen 2" Guianacara, and the aggression subsided.
They grew slowly but steadily, and the largest hit about 7" at the end of 2014.
I find them to be very susceptible to bacterial infections if water is not pristine.
The moment I let nitrate rise to or above 10ppm, by neglecting my "minimum" twice weekly water changes, I would notice a deterioration in health.
I never found them to be overly aggressive with any other species, and kept them with the Guianacara the entire time, moving both species to a 150 gal tank once they hit about 3".
Duanes my Dozen are in a 30g right now and there is very minimum aggression. Maybe this is because of the of the number of them and small tank along with alot of decor?
They do eat like pigs and a friend told me that because of the slow growth and how they eat so much it is easy to get them welll over wieght then they should be. This could also maybe contribute to illness?
They do eat like pigs and a friend told me that because of the slow growth and how they eat so much it is easy to get them welll over wieght then they should be. This could also maybe contribute to illness?
Got a group of 4 in a 65 largest 6.5", smallest 4". Great cichlids
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I agree that crowding them a bit is probably good for controlling aggression (as done with Africans). I had only 6 ornatum in the 55, so by adding the larger Guianacara, it eliminated any territoriality boundaries the ornatum would try to set up.
Out of the 12 I just noticed today that 2 are missing one I pulled out as he was swimming upside down and one just laying in the bottom. The 8 that are thriving have been like that since day one and I noticed from the start the other 4 were not as strong and hungry as the rest.
I checked the temp and it was at 83! Just lowered it. Like you said Duane seems they don't do well at high temps!
I checked the temp and it was at 83! Just lowered it. Like you said Duane seems they don't do well at high temps!