# Frontosa Questions



## dandallasfan (Sep 3, 2008)

Okay so I am new to owning these types of fish, which I have always wanted to own. I have the following in my 30gal tank:
1-Frontosa
1- Yellow Tail Acei
2- Yellow Labs
4- Giant Danios (which were used to cycle the tank and are doing great with the cichlids)
1- Common Pleco

I have recently purchased a 90gal tank that I will be setting up to house these fish. I keep seeing that Frontosas do better with multiple frontosas...Is this correct? Am I okay with these fish together? Please someone help me! I want this to work out...


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

In general, frontosa do well in a colony (or a harem situation). Typically six foot tank is a minimum foot print with a multiple fish. Yellow labs look really good with frontosa but they are big time fin nippers and will reduce those beautiful frontosa trailors to stubs (if you let them). Another general rule of thumb is that the best tank mate for a frontosa is a frontosa (with that said, I like Calvus as a tankmate and many folks put clown loaches in with them). In my wild caught kapmapa breeding colony, I only keep frontosa in that tank (don't want any egg stealing going on).

Hope that helps,
Russ


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## dandallasfan (Sep 3, 2008)

I wanted to add the calvus, love that fish too. Should I remove these other fish?


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

How big is your frontosa?

How long is your 90-gallon tank?

How big is your pleco?

*******************

If it were me, I'd get rid of the frontosa and do a tang community tank in your 90. I just don't like recomending anyone keep frontosa in anything less than a 6-foot tank. Frontosa belong in a big tank, in a harem and with other frontosa as their tank mates. There is a right way to do frontosa and many wrong ways. The wrong ways usually, in the long run, end up giving you a headache. IMHO.


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## GJx (Mar 13, 2003)

I would have to agree w/ Razzo in that my first order of business & the first thing I'd advise you to do, is to decide whether you like the frontosa enough to give it what it needs to thrive....

...AND TO ME (_as far as recommendations go_),...I'd honestly have to say that the Front would need other fronts as tankmates & be housed in a 6 foot tank.

So on a very basic level THAT is where I would start & since you already have the 90 gallon up & running ....

...  THIS IS HARD FOR ME TO SAY,...*BUT*...
I'd have to agree w/ Razzo that the Front might oughta be the first to go & concentarte on the other fish that you have that might be more condusive to the tank that you have.

gjx  That was hard to say!


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## dandallasfan (Sep 3, 2008)

The Frontosa is about an inch, the pleco is about 3 inches, the tank is 48.5in Long x 18.5in Wide x 25.35in High. I can always upgrade the 90gal if it gets too small. Do I buy three more Fronts?


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## GJx (Mar 13, 2003)

"Upgrading the tank" is easy to say, but not as easy to do for most folks whether it's space considerations or funding.....IF you can get a larger tank that easily, then that's a good thing,..b/c I think the point here is that most anyone here with experience with fronts would tell you with no hesitation, that IT'S NOT A CASE OF IF YOUR TANK IS GOING TO BE TOO SMALL,....it's more a case of *when. *


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## dandallasfan (Sep 3, 2008)

Okay so here's my plan. I will move the Yellow Tail Acei and the Yellow Labs to the 90gal. I will leave the Frontosa, Danios and Pleco in the 30gal for about a month. I have the room in my house for a larger tank to house the "frontos family" which will look great. Any really cool looking fish that I can put in the 90gal? I will be ready to put the fish in the tank in about 2 days...Thoughts?


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

dandallasfan said:


> Okay so here's my plan. I will move the Yellow Tail Acei and the Yellow Labs to the 90gal. I will leave the Frontosa, Danios and Pleco in the 30gal for about a month. I have the room in my house for a larger tank to house the "frontos family" which will look great. Any really cool looking fish that I can put in the 90gal? I will be ready to put the fish in the tank in about 2 days...Thoughts?


OK, now we are getting somewhere.  Make that bigger tank a six footer or, better yet... a seven footer (if you got the room and the cash). When the time comes, I know someone who can set you up with some (10 to 12) totally awesome F1 Zaire Blue Kapampa fry :wink:

Your 90 will be a really good grow out tank for some frontosa fry. You could keep a good number of frontosa in there for about a year (something to think about). Put the other fish in the 30???

In your 30 you could build your community around the lab or you go TANG :dancing: Julies, Calvus/Comps, etc... Tropheus??? Sorry, I'm a Tanganyika kinda guy.

What ever you do - have fun with it :thumb:


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## allen2 (Dec 16, 2007)

> When the time comes, I know someone who can set you up with some (10 to 12) totally awesome F1 Zaire Blue Kapampa fry


dandallasfan, what kind of frontosa do you have?

As for your 90 gallon tank, electric yellows are nice and I will say from my experience a mbuna tank with allot of rock will be an awesome addition to your home.


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

Razzo, is your Avatar a Zaire Blue Kapampa? I'd love to set up a tank for those guys eventually (hope my wife is not reading over my shoulder)....


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## cichlidgirl1 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have a 7 foot tank (265 gallon) and absolutely love it for fronts  .

Its good that the mbuna you have so far are yellow labs and acei. They are the two most peaceful species IMO. So I think you can do about anything with the 90 gallon. You can do a spectacular all male hap and peacock tank. Might be able to go with something like : Haps : cytocara moori (blue dolphin), red empress, borleyi, etc.. You can also add in some peacocks and they should be large enough the bigger haps cant eat them. Peacock males are also spectacular colors. When you keep africans you can keep more than you would for other fish and run extra filters and do larger water changes, more fish makes it easier to manage the aggression issues if you do some research on it and do it right. The key is to research which species do well together. A 90 gallon is the perfect size for that. It would be super colorful and very active.

Other common mbuna such as red zebra and elec blues tend to be very aggressive overall. I had some but dont anymore, i like the haps and peacocks much better , and of course the frontosa LOL.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Super Turtleman said:


> Razzo, is your Avatar a Zaire Blue Kapampa?


Hey ST, yes, my avitar is Zaire Blue Kapampa. That is one of my moms from my wild caught breeding group. I think that is my favorite picture, here's the bigger version...












Super Turtleman said:


> ...I'd love to set up a tank for those guys eventually...


I can help with that :wink: I've got a bunch of F1 fry that are just about ready to ship (I have some juvies too).

I am running away with Dan's thread - sorry Dan. Getting back to the OP, Dan, what kind of frontosa do you have?

Russ


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## dandallasfan (Sep 3, 2008)

I also have a Zaire Blue Kapampa.


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