# Salvini Biotope



## adam79 (Jun 27, 2007)

I've been planning on down sizing and changing up some fish. I am getting rid of my 125 and looking to go with smaller south american species. I have an amazingly attractive salvini that I don't want to part with, but I don't see him with my plans on the south american tanks. I was thinking I would keep him/her and a few fire mouths in a 55 gallon. I would like to make it a strict central american theme. What are good south american dithers and catfish that will work. I know most livebearers are from central america and I have heard of people keeping them with Firemouths. What about Salivini? Any ideas?


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Well I'm just starting out with a female Sal and a firemouth in a 29. I have a pictus cat to clean up scraps (south american) and for dithers Buenos Aires Tetras (south south american)

So...not a true biotope, and the tank has only been up and running with this configuration a few days, but seems stable and aggression is reducing every day.

Another option would be colombian tetras...


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> I was thinking I would keep him/her and a few fire mouths in a 55 gallon.


Yep that will work out perfectly! Infact in the wild Salvini are found with the whole Thorichthys family.



> I would like to make it a strict central american theme. What are good south american dithers and catfish that will work. I know most livebearers are from central america and I have heard of people keeping them with Firemouths. What about Salivini? Any ideas?


This is where it's going to be hard. In my experience with Salvini and from what I have researched the only tankmates that can be kept with Salvini are other cichlids. Fish that are fast, strong, robust, and can hold it's own. I have tried all sorts of fish as dithers with Salvini and it always ended up the same way........... DEAD! Salvini are predators and stalk and prey on smaller fish. I think it the 55 would be fine with just the few Firemouths and Salvini. The livebearers won't stand a chance with the Salvini and will get killed instantly! If you want to try something then I would go with Bueno's Aires Tetras, Giant Danio's, Black Skirts, and others that are big and fast and cheap. Make sure you have plenty of rocks, driftwood, plants, and top cover plants. All of this will help the Salvini feel more comfortable and won't be as skitish. Also the more comfortable the Salvini feels the better coloration it will show. They are skitish because in the wild they are preyed on by birds.

Good luck! :thumb:


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Actually, now that I think about it.

OIn my limited experience with FM's, and what I have read, they tend to do quite a bit of hanging out in the midlayers, not right down at the substrate and under cover like Salvini. CichlidLover might be right, a comfortable group of FM's might provide all the "out in the open" action you need!


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## mariojess (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi,

This place is a lagoon with a sink hole, about an hour from my home, you can find ExCichlasoma Uropthalmus, ExCichlasoma Salvini, Nandopsis Octofasciatum, And Firemouths.

Also Tetras, different kind of Mollys, And Catfish.

The Salvini occupies the border of the lagoon, they're hide between the plants and rocks.
Firemouths, Octofasciatum and Uropthalmus they swim everywhere.


















This is my wild female salvini, collected in September 08









This is my wild female JD.









They are in 75G, with a Mayan Cichlid, with no problems.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

whoooooaaaaa. Jealous. That's a beautiful sal.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I've kept FMs with Sals and they worked out very well together. The FMs are technically a sand sifting species and spend a lot of time near the bottom but will roam all depth regions. I think the biggest issue will be space. I'd go for a 6 foot tank and several FMs since Sals will often hide out in the rock work. Adds some intrest while the Sals are playing hide and seek.

A while back someone was asking about CA catfish but I don;t think anyone knew of any that are currently on the market. I would imagine though that something like an eclipse cat would fit the bill though since they are pretty generic looking shape wise.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

That was me asking about central american catfish - and you're right no one was able to come up with any suggestions... As soon as I saw this thread I started paying attention in the hopes that someone would have a suggestion...

mariojess: what sort of catfish are in that lagoon by your house? On a side note Merida is a place in Mexico I have wanted to visit for quite sometime - maybe next year!


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## mariojess (Jan 24, 2008)

the catfish is a kind of rhamdia guatemalensis.

Merida, is in Yucatan Peninsula.

:thumb:


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

*illy-d*
Did you try searching on planet catfish? Someone onthe forum there might be able to help you.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Wow I am so jealous Mariojess! You are so lucky!

Just curious but why is it Excichlasoma now and not Cichlasoma?


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Every so often someone reclassifies different species based on their research. I believe Kulander(spelling?) was the most recent one who did this with the Cichlasoma genus. From what I know , he resticted the genus to the Port acaras. They are now the only true cichlasoma species. So now everything that was cichlasoma gets new names. JDs are now Rocio, salvini have been given a new genus too but I cant for the life of me remember what it is :lol: . Uros were renamed as well but I cant remember that one either :roll: . The cichlasoma genus name was very generic and twenty years ago most of the books on cichlids that I read listed a lot of new world cichlids under the genus cichlasoma. Dont get too comfortable with the current names and groupings either. Current DNA research is starting to shake things up once again . Who would think that Oscars are more closely related to pike cichlids than they are to anything else? Strange but.....


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

I've seen Salvini listed under Nandopsis, I believe that's where they are now.


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