Not thrilled with Gymnos

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

MonteSS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 8, 2009
597
0
0
61
Centra Virginia
My 75g Gymno tank has been up for about 6 months now. The Balzanii and Labiatus in there are very skittish. PFS substrate with LOTS of river rock and wood hiding spots. Fish get along well with minimal aggresion.

Current stock is
Balzani 1m 4"/3f 2.5-3"
Labiatus 1m 4"/2f 2.5"
10 Columbian Tetras
6 Pepper cories

I also have 6 Australoheros Oblongum growing out that will be going in a couple weeks. They are not shy.

Any thoughts on this or is this just how these fish are? I love the fish but not a very enjoyable tank.

Thanks...Bill
 
That set up is very similar to mine. I just recently had a huge die off after some type of Bacterial/fungal infection. To be honest I don't really know what happened to this tank. Anyway, all seems good at the moment. I did loose 6 fish. 3 Labitus and 3 balzani. Currently I have 4 Labiatus with 1 large male and 1 smaller male and 2 smaller females. 1 Balzani and 2 Oblongums that are breeding sized. Its a far cry from the tank I had before. Anyway, mine are also very skitish and hide quite a bit. Even before the big desease outbreak it was still a pretty skidish tank but all the fish got along. I was going to start looking for a few more Balzani and start over but can't decide. I may just scrape the whole gymno tank ideal and move on to regular Geophagus in the future. I lost so many of my gymno's and was talking to Rapps recently and he mentioned that some folks do well with them while others not so well and it comes down to water and the quality of water. I personally think Denver tap water even with modifying it is still too hard for these fish. I've been watching my tank very closely for the past few weeks trying to decide what to do.
 
i felt the same way with my gymnos, i eventually sold them all along with my red ceibal. i converted my tank over to apistos and i love them. they are quite shy but they are so much more interesting than the gymnos imo. i wish i had some more tanks i could dedicate to them.
 
Thanks for the iciyte. Mine are active, especially if you watch the tank for a distance. They do spend alot of time against the back wall of the tank and travel back and forth against it.

But if you stand in front of the tank, all you see is the tetras and no cichlids lol.

My F0 Apisto Melgar in my 26g on the other hand are ot skidish at all.

Thanks...Bill

...Bill
 
my gymnos (meridionalis and blue neons) were always very active and friendly . . . I got my little collection up to 7 fish and I was really enjoying them, and then the gradual series of tragedies began . . . over a period of about three months, one fish at a time would get sick and die (no other fish in the tank ever did) . . . every time it seemed like it was the last time, another one would die a week later . . .

the last two - - one meridionalis, one blue neon - - survived and have remained active and happy for the last several months . . . but it was such a weird situation, I am somewhat put off from having more gymnos at this time
 
Sab_Fan;4179014; said:
my gymnos (meridionalis and blue neons) were always very active and friendly . . . I got my little collection up to 7 fish and I was really enjoying them, and then the gradual series of tragedies began . . . over a period of about three months, one fish at a time would get sick and die (no other fish in the tank ever did) . . . every time it seemed like it was the last time, another one would die a week later . . .

the last two - - one meridionalis, one blue neon - - survived and have remained active and happy for the last several months . . . but it was such a weird situation, I am somewhat put off from having more gymnos at this time
Click to expand...

Thats how I feel about them at the moment.
 
Hmmm I've had the exact opposite experience with my gymnos. Though they are skidish if I walk by the tank, once I sit down and watch the tank they come out and are not shy at all. They are not as personable as some fish but I like the fact they ignore me. My OHs on the otherhand just beg anytime I'm near the tank and it can get a bit annoying. One thing I see that is different compared to others that have posted is I have a high male ratio. For my Nortes I have 4m to 1f and the labiatus I'm still not sure but I think it is 3m to 2f. Maybe the added aggression (though it isnt much) helps keep my fish from being super shy.... just a thought.
 
Thanks for the info.

I have decided to sell the Gymno and switch the tank up. It's ashame because I relly like these guys and they are just starting to color up.

I have the Labiatus tri sold but still need to sell the 5 Balzani.

Thanks again....Bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom