Angelwhispers

TFA101

WELCOME TO FISHLORE!


If you would like to see your kribs more often, consider adding to your tank a schooling fish like the numerous tetras or rasboras. They will be the "signals" in your tank telling the kribs if the coast is clear. If the schoolers are out and about, that will signal your cichlids to be more outgoing, if your schoolers are tense and nervous, the kribs will hide. My favorites are rosies, bleeding hearts, black skirts, white skirts, harlequins, scissortails, and cardinals. A school of about 6-10 of any of these schoolers will be a good "signal" fish. Some bottom dwellers would be cories, otos, small loaches, like kuhlies and their black variants, yo-yo loaches, and others. For all overs, consider a rainbow or red tail shark, or maybe a couple platies or swordtails.

Angelwhispers

Thanks so much for your response!

I'd love to have a Red Tailed black shark, and Harlequins are some of my favourites, so that's definitely something to think about. I've had cories before, and I do love the way they're so active. Neons I also love.

I have this idea of having colourful fishes against a plain black background to bring out their colours, and maybe also black gravel too. One other question I do have is about the fish flake. I've seen some that states that it brings out the intense colours of the fish. Does that really work or is it safer to just stick to traditional flake?

clinton1621

For maximum colors and overall health try flakes that have a good vitamin content and algea in them, supplement that with occasional live/frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms and you should see really good color!

Angelwhispers

Thanks.

I used to feed my fish frozen and live brine shrimp and bloodworm before, and they loved it, so I've been making plans for that already. This whole thing is new to my partner, and his head is spinning with all the info that I've been trying to get in there. When I mentioned frozen and live food, his first question was why flake wasn't enough lol. Now I have an answer for him.

clinton1621

Another good reason for using both is that fish require a varied diet just like all animals, so with only flakes they are getting the same thing over and over, ask him if he wants to eat the same thing all day every day for the rest of his life lol

Angelwhispers

Well, a varied diet is obviously better for everyone, and I'm sure my partner understands that.

As for him eating the same thing every day for the rest of his life ... I've been tempted to threaten him with that before now ... He brings out the worst in me at times lol.

peacemaker92

WELCOME TO FISHLORE!!

I don't have much advice but the other members have better advices than I can give!
GOOD LUCK!!

Angelika

Nothing about fish.. but welcome here to fishlore.... I lived in Vancouver for 17 years.. love it, and I go back regularly..... infact am considering renting a place all year round so I can get back to visit every month....

anyway.... back to fish.... I know nothing... so I cannot help you there...

Allie

Red tail sharks are pretty aggressive and should be in at least a 50g or any 3ft footprint tank.
I had one in an 80g with juvenile African cichlids...he chased even most aggressive species relentlessly. He had to sell him...very nice looking fish tho.
Here's some info on them
http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/prof...inids/rts.html
http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=redtailshark
http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2775

Kribs can go with any type of tetra/rasboras and should be in male/female pairs. But they do get somewhat aggressive during spawning time.

Angelwhispers

I didn't realize that Red Tailed sharks could be aggressive. I had one in a tank with a bala shark along with Mollies, Angels, tetra's and Kribs before (Huge Tank though) and never had any issues with them.

Kribs I know can get aggressive during spawning time, so that is something to keep an eye on for sure.

Blub

The shark, being a bottom dweller is not the best krib tankmate.

Remember to do a fishless cycle: http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

I would have the kribs, with 10 2" schoolers, like Tetras, Cherry barbs, Rasboras or Danios.

acidpope

I read somewhere that the best tankmates for Kribensis are quicker moving fish and not types that dwell at the bottom [unsure about corys]. Also not any fish that will compete for their cave space, since it may make them aggressive.

Source: http://aquariumlore.blogspot.com/2006/04/kribensis.html

Red1313

Hey I can't really help you out much but unless you're planning to have fish that are hard to bully (aggressive to semi agressive or big ) a Red tail shark isn't your best choice. I love my guy but he's in a tank all by his lonesome so him being agressive isn't a big deal. Anyway I don't really know much about the fish that you're thinking about but I do know that there are lots of people on here that are eager to help you out. Good luck!

Angelwhispers

That is something we'd like to do. Someone before said that Kribs use schooling fish as a signal to whether it's safe to come on out or stay in hiding.

Blub

So, 1 pair of kribs, and 8 2" schoolers of the same kind perhaps? There would be a little room left for something like 3 guppys or so.

Angelwhispers

That could definitely work!

Blub

If you can find Dwarf neon or Threadfin rainbows near you - I would use those as your schooler. They are AMAZING to look at, and spend most of their time in the top of the tank so they wouldn't get in the way of the Kribs.

Iron waffle

Hey, i'm also from Vancouver, small world.

I think some 8 danios or small-medium teras would be perfect!