I've all but locked one up, need some info on Acaronia Nassa. Anybody keep them? I'm mainly concerned about water temps, I run a non-heated tank (approximately 70-72 degrees, maybe a shade warmer). Also, behaviors with larger cichlids? aggression? They look like a fun little acara, I like the coloring in some I've seen...some have dark spots with outlines near the lower jaw...any idea if this is a trait of a specific strain?
need bigeye cichlid info
- Thread starter RWaltman
- Start date
There are two species of true basketmouths, Acaronia: A. nassa and A. vultuosa. A. nassa has a gold-ringed blotch or spot under the eye while vultuosa has a thin black stripe that runs from the eye to the bottom of the gill.
My nassa are fairly easy-going. There is some conspecific aggression once they hit about 5". They did really well as a group of juveniles but they tend to become loners once they get larger. They do chase and nip each other in a large tank but so far I haven't seen more than split fins. Being gape-and-suck predators with large mouths, they will definitely try to eat smaller tankmates. I keep them with similarly sized cichlids (Heros notatus and Krobia guianensis at the moment) and don't see many issues. I have four of them in a 150 gallon and they all have their own spot. They only interact at feeding time.
70 degrees sounds a bit on the cool side. I keep mine anywhere between 78 - 82. I've never tried keeping them lower than that, so I don't know how they would handle it for extended periods of time.
As for the color, it ranges from a silvery grey to a muted gold color. They don't show the black markings all the time; their colors change with their mood like any cichlid. The gold color is unusual -- they may look bland in pictures or videos, but in person (and with the right lighting) it's actually very reflective and bright, almost like platinum/gold plating on jewelry. Their fins are also pretty impressive. Overall they're a handsome little fish, even if they're not the most active cichlid you'll keep. I wouldn't put them into a tank with a ton of hiding spots if you want to see them. They tend to be reclusive if they have a place to tuck away.
My nassa are fairly easy-going. There is some conspecific aggression once they hit about 5". They did really well as a group of juveniles but they tend to become loners once they get larger. They do chase and nip each other in a large tank but so far I haven't seen more than split fins. Being gape-and-suck predators with large mouths, they will definitely try to eat smaller tankmates. I keep them with similarly sized cichlids (Heros notatus and Krobia guianensis at the moment) and don't see many issues. I have four of them in a 150 gallon and they all have their own spot. They only interact at feeding time.
70 degrees sounds a bit on the cool side. I keep mine anywhere between 78 - 82. I've never tried keeping them lower than that, so I don't know how they would handle it for extended periods of time.
As for the color, it ranges from a silvery grey to a muted gold color. They don't show the black markings all the time; their colors change with their mood like any cichlid. The gold color is unusual -- they may look bland in pictures or videos, but in person (and with the right lighting) it's actually very reflective and bright, almost like platinum/gold plating on jewelry. Their fins are also pretty impressive. Overall they're a handsome little fish, even if they're not the most active cichlid you'll keep. I wouldn't put them into a tank with a ton of hiding spots if you want to see them. They tend to be reclusive if they have a place to tuck away.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?393866-Acaronia-Nassa-update-photos
The thred above is some pics of the group I kept. They do grow in loners stake a terratory and are classic gap and suck ambush preditiors. Mine loved krill and NLS large fish formula I think 3mm pellets. When I got rid of them the largest one was over 6 inches.
The thred above is some pics of the group I kept. They do grow in loners stake a terratory and are classic gap and suck ambush preditiors. Mine loved krill and NLS large fish formula I think 3mm pellets. When I got rid of them the largest one was over 6 inches.
Ironically, I just ordered more from Jeff Rapps - lost the female of my pair to aggression.
70-ish is going to be too cool for them. They need 76-82. They're in one of the few tanks that I heat in my fishroom.
Relatively peaceful other than some conspecific aggression and they'll eat anything that they can. I feed mine NLS and Xtreme pellets and live red wiggler worms. My males 6" or so and the female was probably 4.5" with shorter fins.
Mine were in a 75g with some other acaras but I've moved them to a 180g with some acaras and Geos...
Matt
70-ish is going to be too cool for them. They need 76-82. They're in one of the few tanks that I heat in my fishroom.
Relatively peaceful other than some conspecific aggression and they'll eat anything that they can. I feed mine NLS and Xtreme pellets and live red wiggler worms. My males 6" or so and the female was probably 4.5" with shorter fins.
Mine were in a 75g with some other acaras but I've moved them to a 180g with some acaras and Geos...
Matt
Mine eat mostly NLS and Xtreme pellets, between 2 - 3mm. They will also take frozen krill and mysis. I've never tried live worms of any kind but I can't imagine they would turn them down.
Interestingly, mine do not rush up and gobble down pellets the way other cichlids do. They sit on the outskirts of the feeding frenzy, dart in for a pellet, and then immediately dart away. It really shows off their "ambush" style of feeding. Even if they just snag a falling pellet, they will still immediately dart away as soon as they grab it. I have to really watch to make sure mine eat well because the other cichlids tend to hog all the food before the Acaronia get the chance to eat. They will only eat one pellet at a time.
Matt, it's good to hear that other people have small nassa. I thought they were supposed to be a lot bigger than what mine are. I have two who are maybe 5" and two who are maybe 3.5 - 4". I kept thinking they were stunted. The ones in Wayne Leibel's article look so much larger.
Interestingly, mine do not rush up and gobble down pellets the way other cichlids do. They sit on the outskirts of the feeding frenzy, dart in for a pellet, and then immediately dart away. It really shows off their "ambush" style of feeding. Even if they just snag a falling pellet, they will still immediately dart away as soon as they grab it. I have to really watch to make sure mine eat well because the other cichlids tend to hog all the food before the Acaronia get the chance to eat. They will only eat one pellet at a time.
Matt, it's good to hear that other people have small nassa. I thought they were supposed to be a lot bigger than what mine are. I have two who are maybe 5" and two who are maybe 3.5 - 4". I kept thinking they were stunted. The ones in Wayne Leibel's article look so much larger.
The females seem to stay much smaller...and with less finnage. If they're gonna get big, the 180 that they're in will do it! We'll see.
A little off topic, but I can't say enough good things about culturing red wiggler worms (AKA composting worms). It's really easy (google "red wiggler culture") requires nothing more than a couple of rubbermaids in your garage or basement...and your household fruit and veggie scraps (and some newspaper)...and produces TONS of absolutely safe worms ranging in sizes appliable for small fish (Apistos) to big fish (acaras, geos, etc.). I don't buy live or frozen food since I started culturing these guys...
I get some from the bin in our garage...give them a rinse in the utility sink...and throw them into the 180g in question by the handful a couple of times per week.
Matt
A little off topic, but I can't say enough good things about culturing red wiggler worms (AKA composting worms). It's really easy (google "red wiggler culture") requires nothing more than a couple of rubbermaids in your garage or basement...and your household fruit and veggie scraps (and some newspaper)...and produces TONS of absolutely safe worms ranging in sizes appliable for small fish (Apistos) to big fish (acaras, geos, etc.). I don't buy live or frozen food since I started culturing these guys...
I get some from the bin in our garage...give them a rinse in the utility sink...and throw them into the 180g in question by the handful a couple of times per week.
Matt
I didn't mention it before but I did feed mine red wigglers a few times when I had them and they gobbled them right down too. I kept mine in their own 75 gallon tank the temp was 85. I read they come from very warm pools that could get into the 90's at times. These are warm water fish. If your looking for fish that are out in the open these are not them. Mine hid in recesses under plants and in caves depending on where they were in the packing order. But come dinner time they attacked hit whatever was offered and shot straight back for cover. I thought they were facinating. I also heard they got to around 9 inches but like I said after about a year and a half my biggest was just over 6". I also noticed the larger males I assume had lnoger fin extentions. You dfinatly do not want to keep anything small enought to be eaten or it will be, mine wiped out a school of BATs that were about 2" in a couple of months they were gone. No small corys!
Thanks Tom - I definitely had a pair...probably didn't give them enough heat to induce spawning.
Do you culture red wigglers? I've been trying to get more people to do it...because it's a great food for fish, next to free (once you get started) and good for the environment (pounds and pounds of food scraps, junkmail, newspapers per culture that go into feeding the worms vs. landfills). I bought a pack of frozen bloodworms a few weeks ago (long story) and was shocked that it was like $6 from an LFS. Red wigglers (and Acaronia) rule
Matt
For a cool room, you can't beat Gymnogeos
Matt
Do you culture red wigglers? I've been trying to get more people to do it...because it's a great food for fish, next to free (once you get started) and good for the environment (pounds and pounds of food scraps, junkmail, newspapers per culture that go into feeding the worms vs. landfills). I bought a pack of frozen bloodworms a few weeks ago (long story) and was shocked that it was like $6 from an LFS. Red wigglers (and Acaronia) rule
Matt
For a cool room, you can't beat Gymnogeos
Matt
Not to derail the topic too much, but I'd like to start a culture. Matt, would you care to do an FAQ thread, maybe with instructions and pics in the Food forum? (or maybe there's one there and I've never checked). Where do you get clean (ie, pesticide-free) worms to start a culture? I'm in Florida but it still gets into the 20s here in the winter. Do they survive extreme heat and cold?