Finally Found Some Keyhole Cichlids

[Gillyfish]

I’ve been trying to find keyholes for months. Lfs tried to order them numerous times and couldn’t get them. I gave up. Well I just went by my lfs today on a whim. Not really looking for anything just looking. First thing I see is 2 tiny little juvenile keyholes. Got them both . I’m acclimating them now.

 

[Gillyfish]

Let them out of the bag and they’re both in a big bunch of wisteria picking algae off the leaves. These guys are cool! I feel like a nerd being so excited but I’ve been looking for some of these dudes for a long time.

 

[Coradee]

Hope they do well, they’re a very underrated fish imo, once they settle they can be quite interactive with you

 

[Gillyfish]

Not a great picture but I don’t have the patience to get one. They aren’t shy at all.

 

[Gillyfish]

Update: one of the original pair died within a couple days. It looked sickly when I got it but I tried it anyway. I got 2 more last Sunday. My original keyhole started chasing one of the new guys immediately. I didn’t think it was anything serious. The little guy who was being chased started hiding a lot. I couldn’t find him most of the time. Now he’s gasping and lethargic. He’s not going to make it. I think he was harassed to death. I feel bad because I didn’t think it was bad enough to really stress him like this. The other 2 and all other fish are doing great.

 

[JonJal]

Great fish. I have 5 of them in a 75 gallon planted with yellow rainbowfish and some platys. What temperature do you guys keep your tank for your keyholes?

 

[JonJal]

20190606_233801

• JonJal
• Jun 6, 2019

My keyhole cichlids

20190606_233925

• JonJal
• Jun 6, 2019

I originally had 3 and they were doing good, but the larger male kinda paired off with a female and chased off the the smaller male when he crowded them. I then added 2 more juveniles (too young to sex yet) and it almost instantly seemed to alleviate the tension between them. Keyholes are really very peaceful but do like to pair off eventually. Best to give them options in a little bigger school.