djt-1956 djt-1956
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 18:15
Kribensis #1
I have a Malawi Cichlid community tank with 4-5 Kribensis. I have just read somewhere that they prefer a tank with tetras and barbs?

I have a but tank in my front room with Angels, tetras, barbs, clown loaches, bristlenose plecs, and a couple sharks. Would they be ok with them or would they eat them? They just seem dormant and often chased about.
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 18:43
Re: Kribensis #2
Hi

Kribs are soft water fish so the water in a Malawi set up really won't suit them. That probably accounts for their lethargy, and the Malawi Cichlids are much more aggressive than Kribs who are probably petrified in there.

As you are in London I take it your tap water is hard and alkaline, which suits Malawis, but is not good for soft water fish like the Kribs and those you have in your other tank. Do you do anything to soften the water in that tank?

The Kribs would probably do better in there, but there may be some aggression between them and your Angels or Barbs or Sharks. If you could post details of the size of that tank and how many of each species are in there, plus sizes and how many Kribs you have and what size they are it would help. Also what kind of Sharks are they?

EDIT: Also pH and gH of both tanks please.
djt-1956 djt-1956
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Re: Kribensis #3
the tank is 4ft x 2ft x 2ft, we have 1 silver shark (going to be taking to my lfs soon), 1 Ruby shark (possibly going to my lfs), 6 neon tetras, 2 angels, 4 tiger barbs, 2 clown loaches and 4 cherry barbs.

There's one female bristlenose and 1 male and loads of babies but the babies will be going into a seperate tank when they get bigger till there ready to be rehomed.

EDIT: all the fish in the tank are smallish at the moment, there are about 4-5 kribensis? im not certain it might just be 3 they are always hiding
Fishlady Fishlady
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Re: Kribensis #4
Ok. Do you have plans for a bigger tank in the near future? If not then I'd suggest rehoming both the sharks and the two Clown Loaches as all of those are going to be a problem as they grow. The Clowns in particular won't thrive with only the two of them. They are social fish who need a group of at least six of their own kind to do well, and because they grow very large (easily 10 inches, some make it to 14") they need a minimum of a 6ft x 2ft x 2ft tank and very powerful filtration. The Ruby Shark is likely to become aggressive as it grows and isn't suited to the mix of fish you have and the Silver Shark is another shoaling fish who will become aggressive on his own and can reach 14" length, needing around an 8ft long tank.

If you do that, then you'll need to increase the shoal sizes for the Cherry Barbs and Tiger Barbs to at least six of each, preferably more for the Tigers. They are fin-nippers and will be a problem to your Angels, but in a large group their aggression and nippiness tend to be reduced. Make sure there's plenty of caves and hiding spots, and then you can try the Kribs in there. Watch for any aggression developing between the Kribs and Angels, but hopefully with enough territorial divisions you'll be OK.

Can you post the pH and gH of the water in both tanks please though, as that's important - if the water doesn't suit the fish, all kinds of other difficulties can follow from that.
djt-1956 djt-1956
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 19:04
Re: Kribensis #5
i'd need to go and get the ph kit from my lfs to tell you that, as we havent had any problems we tend to let it be.

I think you asked about the water hardness in the area?

mgl CaCO3 (ppm) 254.5, we put in Aqua safe when we set it up and also when we do the water changes. The fish all seem happy enough swimming around.
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 19:57
Re: Kribensis #6
Don't take this the wrong way, but it's actually very hard to say that as a fish is happy - they don't have anything else to do but swim around

Do you not have a test kit? If not it would be a good idea to get one as it's standard practice to monitor ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH weekly just before your water change. Without a kit, it's impossible to know whether your water change regime is adequate or not, and it can also indicate any problems as soon as they arise so giving you more time to deal with them before fish become sick or die.

The pH and hardness of your tap water are two things it's vital to know because you can't easily choose fish without that knowledge. Different fish from different locations have very different needs and it's much easier to buy fish that suit the water you have than to try and alter the water to suit the fish.

Your water hardness at 255 is likely to mean a high pH too and in truth is fine for Malawis (who should never be mixed with fish from anywhere else) but too hard and alkaline for almost all your other fish and especially the Angels, Kribs and Clown Loaches. You really need to soften the water in this tank, or rethink the fish you want to keep.

Get a test kit as soon as you can - we recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit which is usually less on eBay than in the shops.
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 20:17
Re: Kribensis #7
i agreen with noodle, am going to jump here and say,

ot only is the tank too small for the loaches but the Kribs will chase the loaches and hassel them, spec being 3 or 5,


Also the tank is too small for for soo many kribs they will kill each other when they pair off & breed, as there will be not enough room to call their own,
my pair take up about 2 ft of my 4ft tank,

I think you need to check your hardness & ph and re think your stock, based on that..
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djt-1956 djt-1956
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 21:58
Re: Kribensis #8
oh right :s

im going to pick up a test kit next week when im paid.

As my water isn't suitible for angels and the other fish we have, what fish should i be looking at?

To be honest the other tank is my dads and the Malawi Cichlids are a joint thing.

In my room i have a 3foot tank with guppies in, would they be ok in this hard water?
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  • Posted on: 3/11/2011 22:01
Re: Kribensis #9
Guppies are fine in harder water

Click on the caresheets (see left hand menu) as all pH/GH requirements are listed there. Have a mooch and see what would be suitable.
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dwss59 dwss59
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  • Posted on: 4/11/2011 0:00
Re: Kribensis #10
Work out what you want to keep.
This is important or you'll be chopping and changing fish left right and centre and never getting the full benefit from them.

From personal experience breeding kribs once you get a pair even in a 4ft tank another krib may not be killed but will be seriusly harassed and get ill.
As regarding tank mates in a 4 x 2 x 2 anything bigger will be fine but will also eat fry/eggs. Smaller fish will be hassled and possibly killed. Even fish upto twice the size of the kribs will have a bad time. Cichlid parents do not mess around.

Have you considered a smaler tank just for the kribs?
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