My Experience with the Nandopsis haitiensis (ODE, Black Nasty)

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troublesum

Aimara
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2007
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Astoria, NY
My back story i have been keeping large American cichlids for about 20 years been a member here about 15 years. I have raised and bred most f the Amps, Parachromas, and even had breeding Oscars.
Now my story with my Nasties. I purchased 7 1-1.5 fry from TUIC beautiful healthy little babies that was March 28th 2021, i dropped them is a 5' 120 they had fun swimming together hiding together eating together, then after bout 3 month 1 guy doubled in size over all the others then 2 months later a female came out and the tank got a little rowdy because of the female then a month later there came a smaller female. Thats when HELL started the 2 females flared and charged each other non stop i even had to feed on different sides of the tank. But when the females weren't bickering they would chase and harrass the other 4 fish slowly 1 by 1 the 2 females killed 4 other males that were igger then they was.
So fast forward to now i have 1 6in male a 5in female and a 4in female both females have laid eggs twice each after a water change, But the male seems to have no interest in the females he does tail slap and sometimes lip locks the bigger female breeding signs. but he usually spends most of his time on the other side with the smaller female. He seems like a Big Dope not interested in breeding, Fighting, nothing seems like the 2 females run the tank. i've read every article here on the nasties everything is bad....LOL but never seen or heard of a male nasty that has no interest in killing everyone.
Help advice what can i do to make him not a Big Dope
 
When the male is a few inches bigger than the female things will change. Right now give him some time he’ll get it right.
 
Got my first haitiensus around 2005, put the 1" fry in a 150 gal tank to grow out, those dozen fry all soon died. Either by killing each other, or because I kept the water temp too cool (high 70s).
Some research later showed from collection point data that the waters they come from in Haiti usually are quite warm (mid to upper 80s F., even into the 90s) (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...le.php?id=55&usg=AOvVaw1gHjkqFa47nJyuGFDeKtkF)
My next group was half dozen slightly older fry, kept at warmer temps, a pair formed and killed all others, they then unsuccessfully spawned at around 3"-4", and the female killed the male
Soon after I was able to hook up with a 10" male.
My female took to him immediately, they spawned many times, over the next years.
The male eventually hit about 15" over the next 5 years, female about 10"
Normal/average aquarium temps seem to make them lethargic and sickly.
After spawning if not enough meals are provided, the fry with begin to cannabalize the parents, my male didn't put up resistance, and had to be removed to save his life.
In the shot below they are obviously picking at his skin.
After about 5 years, the female died in a 3 day power outage during a Milwaukee winter, so the male was traded away..
Many of the fry grew to maturity, and in the end I saturated the Milwaukee Chicago area, enough to have had a hard time giving them away
 
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UPDATE!!!
the male hooked up with the smaller female and they both killed the bigger female then the smaller female laid eggs the male killed her then ate the eggs so now i have 1 male nasty in a 125 by himself.. Crazy fish, I was more worried about water quality and diet. But to wrap it up pretty much i agree with everyone's experience i started out with 7 1.5 in fish and now only have 1 8in male.
 
Think they call that careful what you wish for! Haha
 
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