# new 6 foot frontosa tank. decor and tankmate questions



## cdavitt (Apr 4, 2011)

I am making the jump from a 55 gallon mbuna tank to a 125 gallon 6 foot frontosa tank. The tank is 72Lx18Wx24H. I am planning 2-3 HOB/canisters because I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t want to drill this tank. My questions are what type of decor and tank mates go well with frontosa?

I am used to Mbuna so those tanks are PFS and lace rock 80% full. I figure PFS would still be a good option but I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t know what I can/should do for rocks/plants. I'd like the make the tank as comfortable as possible for the fronts and hopefully once they grow up they will want to breed in this same tank. I've heard smoother rock is better than lace rock. Is this true? Do fronts enjoy more rocks or more open water? small caves or large caves? Something other than rock? IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve browsed youtube and pictures of frontosa tanks and they seem to be all over the map.

Also what about live plants? I stay away from these with Mbuna due to their digging, but what about fronts? I read they are more docile so they might be good candidates to have live plants in the tank. I also know fronts eat more protein than Mbuna so I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t think the fronst would go to town and eat live plants? Thoughts? Planted versus floating?

I plan to get the fronts pretty young 1.5-2 inches and start with 8-10 of them. By the time they grow up a male or 3 could be removed for aggression and tank space issues.

What are tank mate options? I'd really just want another group or two of something to keep some diversity...maybe some yellow or red to contrast the blue/black/white of the fronts? I have no clue what other lake tanganyika cihclids would work well. I understand fronts will eat about any fish that fits in its mouth so I guess that becomes the main issue. I'd also toy with the idea of a group of 5-6 syno cats in there too, donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t know if they would interrupt/take over and potential breeding.

Any other input on rarity, price, and ease of breeding between the different collection points other than lightly more or less blue and 6 or 7 stripes?

Any and all input is appreciated as I am really new to fronts. They certainly arenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t as cheap as the mbuna I keep so I want to be sure of my plan beforehand.

Thanks


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Welcome to the world of Fronts

Your filter plan sounds fine.
As does using PFS for substrate.

As for rock work, I used to use a ton of it, and now have evolved (devolved?) to using a minimal approach - 6-8 large rocks with a couple of caves in my 180. Important to use rocks with minimal sharp edges, as the fronts will often freak out and zip around the tank, crashing into everything.

For tankmates, you are wise to be concerned about what might be eaten. Younger fronts can be kept with most tang species, but as they get larger, fewer species are compatible. A lot of us keep Compressiceps/Calvus with Fronts. I have a shoal of Syno Multipunctatus and they absolutely interrupt breeding activity in the tank. I enjoy the cats enough to make up for not getting much fry out of the tank, but if your goal is to raise fry I don't recommend the cats.

Can't really help you on the variant to buy, as they all have their fans, and it comes down to personal preference, or maybe local availability.


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## cdavitt (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I think I am going to try a minimalistic approach as well. Few larger round edge rocks. Do the fronts needs/use the caves for breeding like mbuna do? Should I create caves with the rocks or would terracotta pots or something else work better?

I would like to save fry as a way to recoup costs for the fronts so I guess Comps/Calvus would be better tankmates.

For fronts I'm leaning toward Kigoma, these are the only 7 stripe ones, right?


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## k19smith (Sep 6, 2005)

I also have fronts, most breeders you find with them do not have tankmates. I will also add if your trying to make your money back I hope you have years, or I would not go with fronts your looking at 4yrs before you may make any money.

As for the rocks they will use them and claim them but it's simply personal preference if you use rocks or pots. I've found a few caves with mostly open spaces has worked for me in till about a month ago at 3 yrs old my fronts are now trying to kill each other and I've got to move some males. Fronts are a big/long investment from fry you have the initial cost of fry then 3-4 years then your going to need grow out tanks and most people strip and tumble their eggs. Ideally your females can breed at 2 yrs but if you want to breed them you will have to buy a male and I could not vent mine at 2yrs I'm still having a hard time venting at 3yrs I'm hoping 4yrs will be better.

I love mine but I had no idea what I was getting into when I got them and I researched them for 2 yrs before I got them now they are giving me a major headache.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

To my understanding, the Kigoma are the only 7 stripe fronts.

From what I have seen, the fronts don't spawn deep in caves, but do make use of them for cover. My fronts spawn on an open area - they are pretty big fish, so you'd need a large cave to fit a pair in for spawning - but maybe mine are too small and that is why they spawn in the open. Interesting question, and one I have never thought about. I have seen a lot of pictures of front tanks where there were various pieces of 6" PVC piping elbows used as caves. Not my style, but would be a perfect cave size, for sure.

As for comps and fry - that is ok from the perspective of not interrupting the spawning event, but they are effective predators, although you probably would want to strip your females towards the end of the holding period in a front tank anyway.

k19smith is right on the need to take a long term view of front keeping. Unless you get an established colony it may be a while to see spawning. Not to dissuade you, but it ain't easy to recoup your money on the fish - especially if you count costs such as food and electric in the equation. If you only care about the actual fish cost, it is not so bad. FWIW - I have found it difficult to sell fry for my Kigomas, so I don't bother stripping anymore, and any fry that can make it in the tank I keep. I won't bother shipping fish, so I am limiting my potential customer base significantly.


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## DENZIO (Jun 16, 2010)

for the tank set up. hope this help a little..

my 90gal tank about a year ago









then see how their tank evolves (i like the term)

after 3 months









after 5 months again









and this was their present tank - 220 gals 6 footer tank

















minimalist aquascape giving the fronts bigger and wider swimspace.
rock used were all river rocks


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

DENZIO - nice looking - love the minimalist approach. What are you using for lighting - is that the normal tank lighting, or moonlights? Looks fantastic!


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## DENZIO (Jun 16, 2010)

I cant seems to edit my own post, so here it goes again - just correcting some photos
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

for the tank set up. hope this help a little..

my 90gal tank about a year ago









then see how their tank evolves (i like the term)

after 3 months









after 5 months again









and this was their present tank - 220 gals 6 footer tank

















minimalist aquascape giving the fronts bigger and wider swimspace.
rock used were all river rocks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Picture 3 to present Light setup is a Customized LED light with Moonlight made by me


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## Ron R. (Oct 21, 2003)

I have a 6x2x2 180 Oceanic tank with several mobas. I have 10 wc adults (1m/9f), a 3 yr old F1 one-eyed male, 5 F1 1 yr old juvies and 40+ F1 moba fry in a large floating nursery. I bought my wc moba colony back in Jan of 2005.

I use CaribSea aragonite Select sand, have about 250 lbs of Texas Holey rock and filter the tank with 2 2217 eheims. I use 2 6080 Tunze streams to gently sweep the poop and smallest pieces of uneaten food off the sand to one of my eheims which are located at either end of the tank. The Tunzes are on an auto-timer and kick on 4x daily for 15 minutes each time.

My wc mobas like to spawn behind my Holey rock cliffs/towers in back and in an alcove surrounded by Holey rock. My male can hover above the alcove and swoop down when he needs to fertilize the eggs. I have 4-5 caves for them.

My colony spawns regularly and has produced over 500+ fry since 2005. Here are a few pics of my set-up.









with my new Marineland Double Bright LEDs. Check out one of my smaller diy floating nurseries









they like the caves for security









hanging out under the floating nurseries









one of my favorite pics of the group









full tank shot









to give you an idea of the rock work


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## japhethdv (May 31, 2010)

awesome looking tank set-up DENZIO & Ron R.! :thumb: 
congrats and thanks for sharing it! =D>


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## cdavitt (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks for the input and pictures.

I found some local F1 mimpimbwe blue frontosa Juveniles for 10 each, a dozen fish. Seems like a fair to good deal so I am pretty sure I am going to pull the trigger.

I understand it is an investment and I am sure I will get plenty of enjoyment out of them even before the breeding. That is just a bonus down the line. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m honing my skills stripping and raising mbuna right now.

I am getting these guys at 1-1.5 inches so I figure I would also throw in some juvenile black calvus or yellow comps to mix it up. I understand that as they grow they may need to be removed.

Any problem putting the juvenile frontosa in a 40 gallon breeder for a week or two while my 125 finishes cycling? I know they canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t stay in there long term.
minimalistic approach it will be, sand, some river rock, and then a couple caves out of rock/terracotta pots. 
I plan to feed NLS, other options? Anything else I am missing or questions I am not asking?

Thanks


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