Paretroplus nourissati any info much appreciated...

[LS2012]

Well, I decided to separate them when they hit about 4" based upon a hobbyist/friend's experience with his. He told me that almost overnight, things can change for the worst. Up to that time they were co-existing quite well. So, just to be on the safe side I split them up. They were in a 90G with a bunch of P. kieneri ... a busy tank which helped suppress aggression, but ultimately too small for them. At some point I'll reintroduce them to one another in a larger tank. In fact, I'll be putting two of them (think they're a pair) into a 180G with a mix of other Madagascans (Ptychochromis, Paratilapia) to see how they fare.

Thanks for the info Jim. They're so strikingly beautiful and yet so incredibly vicious. I always look forward to your updates and hope to see Lamena babies in their future That would make another wonderful year in review video!!!!!

Sent from my Nexus 10 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[duanes]

I also believe your new lamena are a pair, and the one more brightly colored appears to be in the spawning mode.
I had a pair long ago that spawned, and that was their color at the time.

They had in eggs in the above pic for a minute.
My experience was the same as others though, in a 150 gal tank, the alpha hunted down and killed 5 others.
Jose', that's very a very interesting concept about sound, although my pumps were located below in the sump, they were fairly noisy, and doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities that it drove them nuts.

 

[UnstoppableJayD]

Thanks everyone for the info.

Duanes, did your pair coexist ok? Very interesting theory on the sound.

 

[rocky2]

great info on great fish

 

[duanes]

Thanks everyone for the info.

Duanes, did your pair coexist ok? Very interesting theory on the sound.

Within a day of the eggs being put down, they ate the eggs and one of the pair killed the other.
Even though mine were small fish (5"-6"), I believe the 150 gal was simply too small once they matured, and became territorial.
I tried crowding them with other Paretroplus and other cichlids, hoping the distraction would help, but the alpha was systematic in his searching out any other lamena in the tank.

 

[dogofwar]

My experience with them pretty much echoes what other have posted... I ended up dividing my pair. They colored up into breeding dress a few times but never spawned. Lost one to jumping (no idea how it got out).

Biggest I've seen is about 9-10" but it takes awhile. Mine grew from ~4" to 6-7" in ~2-3 years. They weren't hard to keep, just mean as heck and with big teeth! Old World in Florida farms them along with lots of other Mads.

Something that I've learned from keeping a bunch of Paretroplus is that they do best in groups (much better than pairs), especially for spreading the aggression. Lamena are quite different than Paretroplus menarembo, maculatus, dambabe, kieneri, etc. that I've kept though (I'd guess that they'll be placed in a different genus eventually).

If I were to try Lamena again, I'd start with a dozen small ones in an 8' tank or similar-sized pond and probably keep them with a bunch of P. maculatus or the like and probably some big barbs or other schooling fish. Roots and hiding places on both sides of the tank and an open swimming area in the middle.

Matt

 

[ciclasoman]

This is a recurrent story with this particular species. Once a pair forms, they will vanish any other lamena in the tank. At this point, removing all other lamena is the smart thing to do. The only successful spawn I have heard of was in Europe with a young pair. I don't think they breed more than once.
Recently I was surprised to see a local supplier with about a dozen fully grown lamena in a tank that mist have been 150 gallons. The fish coexisted peacefully, granted these were raised in a Florida outdoor pond- but the fact that they were so calm was very unexpected. We should keep trying various ways of keeping them with the hopes of securing a breeding colony since only Florida breeders are the only repositories of this disappearing species.
I'm in my 3rd iteration with the resulting adult pair tolerating each other in peace. This Friday, I start to build an outdoor pond for a group of 12 that I hope will blossom into a breeding colony.

 

[UnstoppableJayD]

Very nice Lamena Jay! As Jose and Jim said, they can be a very challenging, but gorgeous species. Are they in your big tank build from last year? If they are, hopefully they'll behave or have space to retreat/hide in such a large tank with many distractions. I'm looking forward to updates and more pics, and maybe a pond build when everything isn't frozen here in nnj. Great looking Paratilapia too. Good luck!

Btw, Is that my former GT you picked up last year from Rt 4 in the pics? Laurie

They are in the big tank... and yes thats your terror in there!

Sent from my Nexus 10 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

I also believe your new lamena are a pair, and the one more brightly colored appears to be in the spawning mode.
I had a pair long ago that spawned, and that was their color at the time.

They had in eggs in the above pic for a minute.
My experience was the same as others though, in a 150 gal tank, the alpha hunted down and killed 5 others.
Jose', that's very a very interesting concept about sound, although my pumps were located below in the sump, they were fairly noisy, and doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities that it drove them nuts.

Thanks!

My experience with them pretty much echoes what other have posted... I ended up dividing my pair. They colored up into breeding dress a few times but never spawned. Lost one to jumping (no idea how it got out).

Biggest I've seen is about 9-10" but it takes awhile. Mine grew from ~4" to 6-7" in ~2-3 years. They weren't hard to keep, just mean as heck and with big teeth! Old World in Florida farms them along with lots of other Mads.

Something that I've learned from keeping a bunch of Paretroplus is that they do best in groups (much better than pairs), especially for spreading the aggression. Lamena are quite different than Paretroplus menarembo, maculatus, dambabe, kieneri, etc. that I've kept though (I'd guess that they'll be placed in a different genus eventually).

If I were to try Lamena again, I'd start with a dozen small ones in an 8' tank or similar-sized pond and probably keep them with a bunch of P. maculatus or the like and probably some big barbs or other schooling fish. Roots and hiding places on both sides of the tank and an open swimming area in the middle.

Matt

This is a recurrent story with this particular species. Once a pair forms, they will vanish any other lamena in the tank. At this point, removing all other lamena is the smart thing to do. The only successful spawn I have heard of was in Europe with a young pair. I don't think they breed more than once.
Recently I was surprised to see a local supplier with about a dozen fully grown lamena in a tank that mist have been 150 gallons. The fish coexisted peacefully, granted these were raised in a Florida outdoor pond- but the fact that they were so calm was very unexpected. We should keep trying various ways of keeping them with the hopes of securing a breeding colony since only Florida breeders are the only repositories of this disappearing species.
I'm in my 3rd iteration with the resulting adult pair tolerating each other in peace. This Friday, I start to build an outdoor pond for a group of 12 that I hope will blossom into a breeding colony.

WOW!! These buggers seem to have caused a lot of havok in your stories.... My 2 still seem to be hanging with each other more then not and the male is holding color. I will keep this updated and see how it turns out.

 

[duanes]

Hope you have better luck than some of us.
The jumping Matt speaks of, also happened in my tank.
I could hear them smashing against the glass tops while trying to get away from the alpha aggressor, and at times they'd hit so hard as to dislodge the glass and end up on the floor.
I ended up trading my last one to Bobr in Minneapolis for some juvie P kieneri, he had a few other lamena back then, but I don't know how it turned out for him.

 

[CrimsonFog]

Awesome pick ups, Jason! Does your source have any more?