Tropheus cichlid
- Thread starter Ashfro
- Start date
Tropheus usually do best in shoals of the same species. A shoal of 12-15 (if the tank is large enough) is considered ideal, with no other tank mates.
This doesn't mean you can't do what you suggest, but for certain fish to look their best, and stay healthiest certain norms are best followed.
This doesn't mean you can't do what you suggest, but for certain fish to look their best, and stay healthiest certain norms are best followed.
Agreed,Tropheus are much more enjoyable and better off in a group....both species are.
A huge tank with both fishes would be an impressive display.
A huge tank with both fishes would be an impressive display.
If the tank was large enough, it's doable, but the largest risk will be in feeding as trophs are gluttonous pigs, and are notorious for bloating when under any form of stress. Personally I would not do it.
Tropheus also take in lots of vegetation, in the form of algae and the tiny animals that live in it, in nature, so their diet is considerably different higher in veggies, than the more carnivorous fronts.
Since Tropheus are prone to stress induced bloat for a number of reasons (including the gluttony RD mentioned), feeding a more heavily vegetarian pellet high in the form of Spirulina would be my choice, and housing them with fronts that need more animal (seafood in the form of fish and invertebrate pellets) protein could IMO subject them to another bloat precursor as Tropheus cannot help but bulk up on any food offered, especially if housed with slow more dainty eaters like fronts.
Another case where multiple tanks seem needed, as opposed to one community of random individuals.
Add another stressor for Tropheus like not having the security other Tropheus of the same species around, increases the odds of a less than stellar outcome for the tank.
Since Tropheus are prone to stress induced bloat for a number of reasons (including the gluttony RD mentioned), feeding a more heavily vegetarian pellet high in the form of Spirulina would be my choice, and housing them with fronts that need more animal (seafood in the form of fish and invertebrate pellets) protein could IMO subject them to another bloat precursor as Tropheus cannot help but bulk up on any food offered, especially if housed with slow more dainty eaters like fronts.
Another case where multiple tanks seem needed, as opposed to one community of random individuals.
Add another stressor for Tropheus like not having the security other Tropheus of the same species around, increases the odds of a less than stellar outcome for the tank.
I have seen frontosa & tropheus eating the exact same diet, for many years - just in different sized pellets, and in different tanks. Regarding diet, the problem is mostly in the quantity consumed, if one chooses their staple/s food wisely.
Totally agree with the above that RD said. When I had my colony of bemba trophs I was very careful about what I fed them. I fed light as I could get away with feeding, plus it was a special veggie based flake, and I still had issues with bloat during the year I owned that group. So probably be a real nitemare trying to get enough food to the larger fronts and less food to the trophs.