Tomocichla sieboldii

[Quo Vadis]

Anyone kept these? I have found very little about them online... specifically does anyone have any pictures of their non-breeding dress? They are gorgeous when breeding, but I am curious what they look like normally. What cichlid are they most comparable to in temperament and aggression? They look like this when breeding:

 

[duanes]

I have kept them, and the 2 other Tomocichla species, asfarci and tuba.
Picked up half dozen 1" seiboldi juvies at the gcca classic couple years back.

The dominant one slowly killed off all others over time in a 75 gal tank.
It was about 7" when I took it to the last MAS auction, after it had killed the others.

I have found both tuba and seiboldi to be quite aggressive with each other, all 3 seem to need heavy current, and high oxygen levels to remain healthy.
Although tuba have been the most lethal, searching and killing each other off as 2" juvies in a 150 gal tank, I managed to raise 3 males to adulthood. I gave the 3 to a friend who had a large female, she killed 2 of the males and bred a few times with the remaining male before killing him.

Her wrigglers are the dark wavy line below.

The asfraci (hardest to get) have been most tolerant of each other. I received 10 at the Indiannapolis ACA convention, but most had defective mouths, and died during a pump failure. I gave the last non mutant away to an MAS member witha few othe asfraci, and heard it and the others recently, mysteriously died.

The rheophillic Tomocichla are some of my favorites, but I have not found the secret to keep them from killing each other, as of yet.
Although aggressive with each other, they were not overly aggressive with non cichlids.

 

[Quo Vadis]

Thanks! So if you had a single Sieboldii to avoid the conspecific aggression would it start killing off other cichlids in the tank, or do they just do it with each other?

The Acfraci are really beautiful, I have never heard of them! I'll have to keep my eyes open

 

[duanes]

From my experience with Tomocichla so far, I would be a little leery of keeping seiboldi with other cichlids, unless in a very large tank, and excessive current.
Peter Durkin of Michigan seems to have had success with them though, and mine were from his stock.
When the asfraci fry appeared a few years back, there was a flurry of excitement at the ACA, because they are so rare.
But as they grew, mutations started becoming apparent with everyone I talked to that received them (especially around the mouth).
And since that spawn, in Minneapolis, I've not heard of another.
I guess it's time someone went to Panama and collected a fresh group, although I believe they are from only 1 river system, in a very remote area.

 

[Quo Vadis]

Well I don't think sieboldii is a fish I would want then, because I don't have an entire tank to devote to them, and most of my CA's are milder varieties.

 

[sbgbuddy]

I have a pair in a 135 with 3 amphilophus sagittae that are all about the same size. And several silver dollars. They have spawn once and sofar so good. But they have only been together for a couple mouths.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[henknaert]

I have kept them, and the 2 other Tomocichla species, asfarci and tuba.
Picked up half dozen 1" seiboldi juvies at the gcca classic couple years back.

The dominant one slowly killed off all others over time in a 75 gal tank.
It was about 7" when I took it to the last MAS auction, after it had killed the others.

I have found both tuba and seiboldi to be quite aggressive with each other, all 3 seem to need heavy current, and high oxygen levels to remain healthy.

Hi,

At what size did your Sieboldii start to display such aggression towards each other? I am currently keeping a group of 6, at least 2 females the others presumed male, sized between 3 to 5 inches, together with a couple of Nicaragua cichlids and two Thorichthys Maculipinnis in a 100 gallon tank, and so far not too much overt aggression between the Sieboldii, just the usual chasing around. Did this aggression start when they were young, or only later? Among the 6 I have, the two females are the largest and most dominant fish.

Some pics included of mine

 

[duanes]

It looks to me as if you have found a magic combination, and many times that seems to be the key component. Having the right size population of individuals, and species in the appropriate size tank for that population, and appropriate landscape.
My alpha seiboldi started killing others about 5" (about 1 year old), don't know if it was male or female, but it was relentless, starting with the smallest individual and killed its way on up. I also started with 6, but they were the only species in the tank, for the last year.

Hi,

At what size did your Sieboldii start to display such aggression towards each other? I am currently keeping a group of 6, at least 2 females the others presumed male, sized between 3 to 5 inches, together with a couple of Nicaragua cichlids and two Thorichthys Maculipinnis in a 100 gallon tank, and so far not too much overt aggression between the Sieboldii, just the usual chasing around. Did this aggression start when they were young, or only later? Among the 6 I have, the two females are the largest and most dominant fish.

Some pics included of mine

View attachment 1027599
View attachment 1027598
View attachment 1027600

 

[henknaert]

ok thanks for the speedy feedback!