Uber Rare -- Crenicichla multispinosa !!!

[Peanut_Power]

I really recommend that you don't. You WILL DEFINITELY get HITH with those two species if you keep them in that hard and high of pH. Both species need 7.0 ph and lower, and as soft as you can get it hardness.

Start using RO water or rainwater, and peat. Lots of peat. Almond leaves work great as well. If you don't like the brown you can run carbon in your filters a few times a week to clear it out.

They aren't like other pikes that can 'handle' higher pH and hardness without getting HITH. These guys come from pristine, blackwater habitats, so they are used to super clean, soft, and low pH waters. Bit of a hassle if you have hard, calcium heavy water like I do, but worth the effort 100%

 

[Cichlidgeek]

I just re-read this thread in its entirety. What a shame. I really need to set up another tank and try multispinosa again. They are tough to keep IMO, but worth the effort.

 

[Peanut_Power]

I vote yes. Who knows, with all your hookups perhaps you can find a killer deal on some.

 

[Cichlidgeek]

I vote yes. Who knows, with all your hookups perhaps you can find a killer deal on some.

Hehehehe.........

You get my text?

 

[lix.ma14]

One of my favs!! Please not that they are pretty aggresive as they grow.

 

[terrors r us]

Hello all......sorry about your loss (cichlidgeek)....
I am also just starting out with pikes and its up and down so far...
I realize you have allot of experience with fish!!!
So my question is; could it of been stress?? Even though you had
the same species together.....what size tank for 9 fish????(WILD Caught)
I am a strong beliver that stress is a bigger factor than PH...JMO
It would of been nice if you could of keep one fish seperate from the others
and (I'm talking a 15 gal tank) and see if it bloated too.
In the wild they have plenty of room to get away from each other.....
Just my 2 cents worth......I would like some mulitspoinas but I can't
afford a loss of that magnitude.......

on another note I just got three Lents......4inches......IMO, very nice....
but after two days they are not eating....starting to get worried so I added
3 zebras in each of their 15 gal tanks......one of the tanks only has 1 left
but the other two tanks still have all three feeders.......trail and error...
good luck to all!!!!!!!!! ( I have one lent in each tank and they can't see each other)