# Calvus and Compressiceps Together?



## Deathstalker (Jan 10, 2012)

I have two Comps - one Gold Head and one Orange and I just added a Calvus. The original Gold Head that was in the tank, which is about the same size as the Calvus, wont leave the Calvus alone. Is this normal and at some point, will things settle down?

Does anyone else keep the two species together?


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## Lanaka (May 18, 2011)

Based on what *** read on this forum, A. calvis and A. compressiceps will hybridize, which is not a good idea. Also not a good idea is having more than one male Altolamprologus in the same tank UNLESS the tank is big enough AND there is enough breaks in the line-of-sight between cave/territories. I get the impression its about one male for every 55 gallons seems to be a good rule of thumb. If youre lucky to have all females, you may be able to mix species, just dont go much higher than 4-5 females in the same 55 gallons. And thats assuming you have no other similarly sized fishes in same tank.

-Lance

PS: not to sound snippy or anything, but you couldve found the same info by doing a search of this forums first.


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2012)

if you have enough shells and calvus caves they will be fine.. i have 2 big f1 pairs of yellows in a 75 with tons of other fish and then i have a whole group of mixed comps and calvus that i dont plan on breeding in a 40 breeder growing out with lwanda peacocks that are breeding.. have tons of shells in there they all get along.. theres at least 3 males in there just that i can tell...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

For another viewpoint, with a 72" tank I could not have two males. They did not fight until they were mature but once they did, one male was banished until I removed him.

Adding a single fish to an established tank is almost always a problem in itself though. :thumb:


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

I presently have two male compressiceps and one male calvus in a 75 gallon and they pick at each other all the time. They are stress and I will be changing all that. I recommend one specie with one male and multiple females.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

I have had very good success combing the two species and have found their very different personalities to compliment each other and make for a very interesting tank. For the most part, I have found that my comps completely ignore the calvus (irregardless whether either species is spawning). With that said, comps reign supreme over calvus and could easily kill the calvus.

When altolamps establish a pecking order, bickering & posturing is very common.

My three male gold heads constantly posture with each other and none seem to be stressed to the point of their health degrading. They are actually quite comical to watch. Always suggest having more than one male for this reason. Three keeps anyone from getting to much negative attention.

If your calvus can defend himself and is not constantly hiding, not feeding, and/or showing signs of labored breathing - I would stick it out until you see signs such as these. Then, get the calvus out of there asap.

I even raise my comp & calvus fry together so they are very used to each other and have found many of my fry customers like to purchase both species and really like their different personalities in the same tank.

Again, my comps ignore my calvus completely; so, I don't have experience with your situation.

Hope that helps,
Russ


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## Guest (Mar 14, 2012)

if you grow them out together its more likely they will get along than if they are adults..


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Lanaka said:


> Based on what I've read on this forum, A. calvis and A. compressiceps will hybridize, which is not a good idea. Also not a good idea is having more than one male Altolamprologus in the same tank UNLESS the tank is big enough AND there is enough breaks in the line-of-sight between cave/territories. I get the impression its about one male for every 55 gallons seems to be a good rule of thumb. If youre lucky to have all females, you may be able to mix species, just dont go much higher than 4-5 females in the same 55 gallons. And thats assuming you have no other similarly sized fishes in same tank.
> 
> -Lance
> 
> PS: not to sound snippy or anything, but you couldve found the same info by doing a search of this forums first.


Hybridization within the same genus is always a possibility; however, in my experience, the two species completely ignore each other even when either species is spawning (this is with considerable observation). At present, I do not have mature calvus & comps together but I have in the past.

I am not a fan of "rules of thumb" - in my experience, I really enjoy having more than one male in a 55. I love the interaction (attitudes & color changes) of having more than one male in a tank. It brings a new level of enjoyment watching them. of course, you'll have to watch close to make sure no fish is in danger of death. In my experiences, this has not happened.

I have a friend with a wild Inkfin calvus that will kill any other altolamp put in a 180 gallon tank with him (female or male). With that said, you have to assess the personalities of your altolamps.

Russ


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

m1ke715m said:


> if you grow them out together its more likely they will get along than if they are adults..


That's my opinion 

I have mixed wild calvus & comp together for a time and they got along. It is my theory that the calvus pearls are so different than the barring on comps (the comps do not see them as competition for breeding). Just my theory.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mine were grown out together. No dice.

So it's hit or miss maybe. :thumb:

Lately there are more posts (the two Members posting here anyway) with successful multi-male altolamp tanks. Back when I was stocking my Tang tank in 2007 most of the posts I searched for and read say multi-male tanks were difficult if not impossible.

At this time I have one adult male a trio of adult females and a bunch of juveniles. So maybe I will have some more males in there and they will get another chance. :thumb:


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2012)

well when my friend went out to west new york and got the group of 16 huge f1 fully grown yellow calvus they were all in the same tank.. it was like 8/8 or something close to that... they all got along and were grown out from babies together i think in a 125 or 150... i have 2 pairs in a 75 with a quad of cyp jumbo mtoto, a colony of copadichromis trewavasae lupingu and a colony of ngara flametail peacocks.. and the 2 males they squabble a little bit but not bad at all.. ill see them nudge each other from time to time also nudge the females.. i also have tons of hiding spots.. 2 big conchs and 3 calvus caves so if they wanna get away they can.. i guess it depends on some luck and the particular fish... *** got a group of whites growing out in my 125 now so we'll see what happens.. and those other fish in the 40 breeder dont seem to fight but they arent that big yet


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Maybe there is something to "how many males you have."

What I mean is, if you have two males, the sub-dominant male could get stressed to the point of sickness (if the dominant so chose). However, having extra males, may spread out the aggression so that no one fish gets a lethal dose of it???


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I've also had multiple males in a tank successfully. I've had 15 comps in a 4' 75 gallon, 8 of which were male. In cases like this I find altos to exhibit similar behaviour to a Tropheus colony.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Rats, maybe I needed to get more males instead of getting rid of one. :thumb:


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## Deathstalker (Jan 10, 2012)

The calvus is still residing around the top of the tank but he is eating, etc. The two comps have stopped beating each other up and seem to have a truce. I also noticed that my three brichardi (two are pulcher and one is a regular brichardi) no longer own the coral real estate. Looks like the single N. buescheri whipped the dominant brichardi's butt while I was at work because he now has a split dorsal - this is a huge feat considering how the three brichardi were laying claim to all the prime habitat in the 90 gallon.

My new frontosa is now getting along fine with my original and I was surprised how little fighting occurred when I added the new guy.

Currently have the following in my 90 gallon:

3 brichardi (two are pulcher)
2 juvie frontosa
1 J marlieri
1 J regani
1 N. buescheri
1 N. leleupi
2 Comps
1 Calvus

I was thinking about purchasing one nigriventus but they're really difficult to find in my area. I'll snap some pics soon of the tank.


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## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

My three wild Muzi gold head comp males mixing it up. Quite comical to watch when all three "go at it" at once. None have got their will broken. If you have your camera handy, you can get some pretty good full finnage shots as they try to intimidate each other


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