Krib Breeding pair

I have lucked into a breeding pair of Kribs.
They are in a 36 gal community tank rn...but I want to give them their own tank.
I have a sweet 15g new Fluval setup just arrived.
- can they be happy in this size tank?
-if not, can they be happy in the 36g tank alone?
- is there a bottom feeder fish of any type that could be with the Kribs in either of the above..as only other fishes.

 

I think that they’ll be good in the 15g, although the 36 gallon would be much better, Especially if you plan on raising fry. I wouldn’t keep them with any other fish because of the stress it would cause both the kribs and the other fish.

 

I will try keeping them alone in the 15...thanks.

 

I will try keeping them alone in the 15...thanks.

Just make sure to monitor them. If they start fighting then I’d move them to the 36 (remove the other fish first).

 

Will do.
It will be a few weeks til I'm sure the new 15g will be cycled/ready, but I will do an update when it happens.
Sincere thanks for the info.

 

Considering leaving the Kribs in my 36g
and moving the community fish to 15.

If I do that....and fry survive, roughly how many Kribs in a 36g?

 

New issue for me, need advice.
My tap water has inceased from 7.8 to 8.0 PH in past few months.
Kribs are said to prefer much closer to 7+-
Should I consider:
..A weekly ph adjust at water changes (50% weekly)
..Do nothing
..Try adding maybe driftwood or anything else.
..RO water

 

New issue for me, need advice.
My tap water has inceased from 7.8 to 8.0 PH in past few months.
Kribs are said to prefer much closer to 7+-
Should I consider:
..A weekly ph adjust at water changes (50% weekly)
..Do nothing
..Try adding maybe driftwood or anything else.
..RO water

I would do nothing. My pH is 8.2, and I have a very happy and healthy krib . Also, to answer your other post, I would either rehome all the fry or you could rehome the pair and most of the fry until only 6-7 of them are left. Although, If you choose the latter you’d need to heavily plant the tank, and it still would have some risk to it, so may not be the best idea. Personally I would stick with the breeding pair, and find a LFS you could rehome the fry to once they’re big enough.

 

That sounds sensible...I will plan to remove Fry, and sell if able.

 

So, I have left only the Krib pair in the 36g, moved rest to a 15g.
The Kribs have been hiding now for several days. Dunno if there is a problem. Only the smaller one seems to be eating (I don't know which is male vs female).
Could this be a sign of more fry? Or could I have a water problem starting? (None of first batch of fry survived).
I do 50% water changes weekly..

 

So, I have left only the Krib pair in the 36g, moved rest to a 15g.
The Kribs have been hiding now for several days. Dunno if there is a problem. Only the smaller one seems to be eating (I don't know which is male vs female).
Could this be a sign of more fry? Or could I have a water problem starting? (None of first batch of fry survived).
I do 50% water changes weekly..

I would check all your water parameters, and if they’re good they might be breeding again.

 

I would check all your water parameters, and if they’re good they might be breeding again.

Thanks..will do that. I did a 50% change 2 days ago..hopefully all will be good.
They seem to be shy since I removed the other fish. The smaller one did eat. Larger one just stays in caves.

 

If they lay eggs they will hide for a couple of weeks - you won't see the female at all and the male only occasionally. Also i would go with a 20 long. I actually left my kribs in a 40B which is a dense community tank. They dug a cave under a piece of driftwood (I have 2.5-3 inches of very fine sand like substrate so it was easy enough for them to dig). They will take care of the kids so be sure to not remove the frys - after about 3 or 4 weeks and frys will be large enough to be self sustaining and the parents will chase them away (but not harm them). After a while they actually got along pretty well in the community tank - they learned over time the pygmy cory were harmless and let them mingle with the frys (however there were a couple of pygmy that did get killed prior to the kribs learning they were harmless). After a while the pygmy would camp right outside the kribs cave because they kribs kept everyone else away and the pygmy felt safest where no other fish was allowed

 

If they lay eggs they will hide for a couple of weeks - you won't see the female at all and the male only occasionally. Also i would go with a 20 long. I actually left my kribs in a 40B which is a dense community tank. They dug a cave under a piece of driftwood (I have 2.5-3 inches of very fine sand like substrate so it was easy enough for them to dig). They will take care of the kids so be sure to not remove the frys - after about 3 or 4 weeks and frys will be large enough to be self sustaining and the parents will chase them away (but not harm them). After a while they actually got along pretty well in the community tank - they learned over time the pygmy cory were harmless and let them mingle with the frys (however there were a couple of pygmy that did get killed prior to the kribs learning they were harmless). After a while the pygmy would camp right outside the kribs cave because they kribs kept everyone else away and the pygmy felt safest where no other fish was allowed

Good info..interesting they are better parents than my Demasoni tank then!
Thank you.
The tank is a 37 bowfront. Hopefully enough as they are now sole occupants.

 

Today the parents brought out a dozen or more tiny golden fry...too small to even count accurately. Herded them to an open spot at back of the tank with cover in all
directions. Both parents are very attentive
I am thrilled...

 

Best of all the parents will make sure the kids are well fed. Just feed the parents - no need to raise bbs for the frys.

 

Good to know..thanks.
I normally do 50% water change every Saturday. Should I hold off on that for a while?

 

I never bothered to stop water changes. I just avoided sucking the water up where the kribs where keeping their frys.

Good to know..thanks.
I normally do 50% water change every Saturday. Should I hold off on that for a while?

 

I was worried about my refill harming them..I normally do that from a 3 gallon pail. Maybe I'll use a smaller container to reduce water agitation.

 

I fill a 32 gallon pail (not all the way for smaller tanks); and then pump it into the tank. I guess it might be less disruptive than pouring a pail in - i used to do that at my previous residence - i actually find the 32 gallon pail thingy easier to deal with - i had a faucet added beneath the bathroom sink and run a hose to the office with the tank.

I was worried about my refill harming them..I normally do that from a 3 gallon pail. Maybe I'll use a smaller container to reduce water agitation.

 

I have a small pump. Have been thinking about using a large plastic container with a lid to age water for changes.
With 4 tanks , total 160 gallons all getting 50% changes weekly, the refill effort with a pail is getting time consuming.
Your reply has hopefully inspired me to make it happen...!
This is so cool! I am over posting, feel free to ignore me...I see now there are maybe 20+ fry. They are totally keeping both parents busy. The fry individually keep swimming upward...both parents intercept them, take them one by one in mouth, descend and spit them back into the pack..lol.

 

A bad thing happened yesterday. My Krib tank decos had become covered with reddish algae. I decided to remove them and soak in a hydrogen peroxide solution.
I drained each piece as it was removed before placing into a pail of H2O2.
Then I saw movement in the pail!. It was the male Krib..he must have been inside one of the decos. Removed him asap, but he was gone.
Darn, I been traumatized ever since. Cannot believe I messed up so bad.

My question...is it possible to introduce a new male to tank and hope for pairing?
Or, since I now have an LFS that take Krib babies...should I just give them this poor lonely female?
Please help with what to do...

 

My question...is it possible to introduce a new male to tank and hope for pairing?

I would get another male and start over, dont let messing up stop you just start over, I grabed the wrong bucket one time and through about 20 baby BN out in the yard once, it happens.

 

I would get another male and start over, dont let messing up stop you just start over, I grabed the wrong bucket one time and through about 20 baby BN out in the yard once, it happens.

Ya..gonna seek out a new male.. Thanks

 

New babies myself today! Fed brine shrimp and saw the babies eating one hours later. So cute!