# Benthochromis tricoti



## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

I have the opportunity to get some wild tricoti which are only about 3", so brown and unsexed. (Its rare to get wild juvies so I am a little suspicious). Anyway, has anyone kept/ bred them? From what I've read they need 6' minimum tank and in that space I will only be able to have one male? Also, I've heard that they are prone to heart attacks when stripped and the females don't hold well. All experience welcome.


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I had six juvies at one time but decided to sell them before they grew up (something I regret).
At 3", they might be pond raised, like I believe mine were. I have never heard of them having heart attacks, but I don't believe many people have been able to spawn them, let alone strip them. A six foot tank would be the bare minimum for these guys and an 8' tank would be ideal. I am keeping my eye out for a trio to add to my six foot tank myself. One of the biggest problems with these guys is tankmates, they need very calm fish around them and they also like a dimly lit tank. That's the main reason I moved mine on, I just couldn't justify a tank full of slow moving fish that were kept in the dark. Now I plan on adding a trio to my 210g that contains furcifers and cyp. micros. They will have to get used to the light though.


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

I tried breeding some wild ones last year, but no luck. I tried putting cyps with them witch was my down fall.the cyps started to spawn and just harassed them till they killed one of my females. I then put some paracyps with my remaining ones and that seemed to work better. My male did make a mound but never spawned with any of the females. I sold them a few months back. If I get a bigger tank one day that I can use for a species only tank, I might try them again


----------



## Furcifer158 (Feb 16, 2008)

Also noddy is right they need at least a 8 foot tank when adults. Your 125 will be fine for a grow out. My male was a good 7 inch plus and used my whole 240 8 foot tank. There really just not worth it. I rather have some foai.


----------



## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

OK thanks for the replies - you confirm what I thought. I'll resist temptation this time.


----------



## peter hardman (Apr 23, 2010)

Mr Mbuna said:


> OK thanks for the replies - you confirm what I thought. I'll resist temptation this time.


Hi mate:thumb:.

Just to throw my 2c worth in.
I have kept and bread all kinds of cichlids for over 40+ years and always wanted some Benthochromis tricoti's but tank space and the cost of them was always a problem. I'm in Melbourne, Australia and they are usually never seen here.

I'd just about come to the conclusion that I wasn't meant to have any when I saw some juveniles in a tank high above all the others in the corner of a shop. They just looked like motionless silver sardines in a bare tank, very skinny with large eyes. With me always snooping around I asked one of the staff what they were and they didn't know so they went to get the owner. He confirmed that they were wild caught Benthochromis tricoti only by his import papers. They were labeled as Benthochromis tricoti "Mpulungu" wild caught from the southern part of the lake. I took a big chance and paid for them but had to set up a tank to house them in ASAP. Two weeks later I took them home. For 6 months they have been well looked after. They aren't a fish to put in your front room in a show tank but all the same they have there place amongst my favorite fish to keep. They are now great looking fish and I have adapted them (took a few months) to having the one fluro tube light on for 5 hours at night. Here is an earlier YouTube video from 19 August 2010 of my dominant male spawning with one of the larger females. 



They now have much longer fin filaments and colour than in the video.
I would love to hear from anyone that has any info on these fish or has had experience with keeping them.
Cheers. Pete


----------



## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

I managed to find that video whilst trawling through old posts for info on these. Its a beautiful vid and almost made me change my mind. I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of posting the link on another site I visit. Have you managed to raise any fry as yet? How many males: females do you keep and in what size tank?
Here's the fish I saw:








Not very striking at this size and I resisted this time, but one day I will get a big enough tank and get me a group.


----------



## peter hardman (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi mate :thumb:

Thanks for the reply. I'm happy for my video being used, the more infomation spread about these fish the better. What other sites do you visit?

At the moment I have them in a 5x2x2 1/2 with a 2x2x2 1/2 sat next to it plumbed in so all filtration and water is as one.
I got 8 juviniles (looked exactly like your picture) and finnished up with 3 males and 5 females, would have been nice to have 2 males and 6 females but can't complain.

My plan was to raise them in the 5ft tank and then build a large deep container (looking at using a 2750 litre rain water tank) in the garage next year and look at trying to breed them towards the end of next year, I've been lucky enough for them to start trying earlyier than expected. These spawnings have taken place many times and it usually happens a day or two after a water change. It's the same 3 females that spawn each time and hold eggs, but within an hour or so they spit them out? My wife caught one of the females spitting her eggs out on video, not sure why, I'm still learning and collecting info.

Again thanks for the reply and your interest in these great fish.
Cheers. Pete


----------



## Mr Mbuna (Nov 16, 2007)

peter hardman said:


> Hi mate :thumb:
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I'm happy for my video being used, the more infomation spread about these fish the better. What other sites do you visit?
> 
> At the moment I have them in a 5x2x2 1/2 with a 2x2x2 1/2 sat next to it plumbed in so all


I visit many other sites (too many!) but I posted the vid on this site: http://www.riftvalleycichlids.co.uk/index.php
(I have a different user name on there.)


----------



## HSB Bull (Oct 2, 2015)

peter hardman said:


> Hi mate :thumb:
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I'm happy for my video being used, the more infomation spread about these fish the better. What other sites do you visit?
> 
> ...


Any updates Pete. I was considering devoting a 180 Gallon 72" X 24" x 24" to 6-8 of these guys or the Cyathopharynx Furcifer Ruziba. Cyprichromis Leptosoma Jumbo Fulwe are likewise getting consideration ( yellow head bumble bee?) I see some call them.


----------



## HSB Bull (Oct 2, 2015)

HSB Bull said:


> peter hardman said:
> 
> 
> > Hi mate :thumb:
> ...


By the way like you I started keeping these guys in the 70's and always had vast interest in these fish. But back then there was a whole lot less available. Heck couldnt even get any of the Tropheus back then. LOL


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

HSB Bull said:


> peter hardman said:
> 
> 
> > Hi mate :thumb:
> ...


I wouldn't keep jumbo Cyps with Furcifers personally. I would look towards non jumbo or Cyp Pavo/Micro.


----------



## HSB Bull (Oct 2, 2015)

noddy said:


> HSB Bull said:
> 
> 
> > peter hardman said:
> ...


noddy

If you read what I wrote I did not say I was keeping anything together at all. I was saying I was going to choose from one of those. That is what devoting means. And I used Or not and, along with the Jumbo getting consideration. All of those terms were used to separate similar thoughts when I was in college taking English.

But thanks for the info. They are a bit pricey to have tank battles.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Just as pedant note, tricoti aren't available in the hobby, they are all B. horii.


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

HSB Bull said:


> noddy said:
> 
> 
> > HSB Bull said:
> ...


Yeah, I know. Just trying to offer some advise mate. Welcome to the forum.


----------

