Catfish will eventually see them as food prob. cuse it will outgrow them quicker. Datnoid should be ok for awhile. I really wouldnt suggest keeping them in a tank with fish that get bigger then them or that can fit the fronts in their mouths. The pH may play a problem may not. I keep my fronts, which maintain nice colors at a 7.5-8.0 pH and they do great. IMO I think pH can vary with all fish to what they tolerate and do best in esp b/c they are tank raised.
Need info on frontosa!
- Thread starter plausible
- Start date
plausible;938547; said:i thinking of getting a pair of frontosa and i need to know the basic infos on them. so....enlighten me please and thank you.
Frontosa can reach serious monster sizes if your tank is big enough. Judging by your signature your biggest tank is 55 gallons. This is not a big enough tank to keep frontosa in, let alone breed them. I have my 8 Mpimbwe in a 125 gallon and they look cramped. Frontosa are open-water fish that need a lot of room to cruise around. They have a habit of darting off willy-nilly when something startles them. They constantly bash into the sides of the tank and my rock work because of this defense mechanism.
Frontosa aren't stupid fish, they just freak out when you startle them. You would need an aquarium that's at least 6 feet long (125 gallon).If you can get a tank of that size, frontosa can be bred in harem groups. One male to 2 or more females, 1M/2F, 1M/3F etc. Like most cichlids, they're easiest to breed when you have them in a species only tank, as in having only Frontosa in the aquarium. Feed them well, watch the water parameters and they'll breed easily and frequently. Frontosa males take longer to reach sexual maturity than the females. So if you want to breed them, make sure the male is a lot older than his harem. They will need caves to hide in while they brood the eggs in their mouths, cheap terracotta pots work great.
Males are always larger than the females and they have bigger humps on their foreheads. Males also have longer fins and will be more aggressive than females.
I had a friend breed them in a 75 gallon tank
1 male with 3 females
only other thing in the tank was some kind of catfish.
The male had a huge hump on its head and was MUCH darker than the females
and thats the extent of my frontosa knowledge lol
1 male with 3 females
only other thing in the tank was some kind of catfish.
The male had a huge hump on its head and was MUCH darker than the females
and thats the extent of my frontosa knowledge lol
if you put two 55 together, it will not be deep enough... they can get to be 14inches... how would they turn around...
mike dunagan;946469; said:
exactly
Even with the length of the 55 (4 feet) it would stunt their growth due to the surface area. 55's have the worst tank design for large fish. The tank is too narrow for them to establish territory in or even to turn around. It's like living your life in a bathroom.
I hope you plan on adding a center brace to those 55's, you're going to need one. Hopefully you can find something other than frontosa to keep in it.
I've scene them get up to 18 I had a breeding pair had the tank chuck full of drift wood n coral
i don't get it... my front is the one of the biggest fish in the tank and by far the least agressive.... is it because he's by himself?
One of mine is pretty large and seems really laid back, but I have also seen him put a fish in it's place before. MY smaller front does most of the work... and just stays away from him...
mike dunagan;946469; said:
Thats one thing I love about the African section here... You guys are sensible when it come's to the fish's size.
About half the CA/SA keepers think its ok to keep an RD/Midas, Flowerhorn or Oscar in a 55g for life... Seeing as, they get past 12" long. Its a real shame.
