# Frontosa tank mates??



## pattygnsd

so i have a 150 gal fresh water tank 5ft long 2ft high and 2ft deep i have a 3in frontosa a 6in arowana and two 4in convict cichlids my queation is what would be a good tank mate for the frontosa? i would like to have another bigger fish in the tank and im open to suggestions.


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## sampster5000

I personally would not keep the arowana or the convicts with a frontosa. I think the best cichlid to put with frontosa are blue dolphins. Any pleco would be fine too.


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## Matt1986

I agree that convicts and an arowana are not suitable, but I personally wouldn't house them with 'blue dolphins' or plecos either. Neither are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, and although the water requirements only differ dramatically in the case of the pleco I wouldn't chance the C. moori as they might prove too boisterous for the Frontosa.

What you need is more Frontosa! With a tank that size you could happily house a colony of 6-8 adults (start with 10-12 juveniles and remove excess males). If, after that, you still want to add tank mates then try some Tanganyikan species. If breeding isn't a concern then large calvus/compressiceps will work, as will synodontis species if you fancy catfish (useful scavengers too).

If you do want to breed, you can experiment with a few species. I've seen Frontosa sucessfully kept with smaller Tanganyikans of the Julidochromis and Neolamprologus families, although you're definitely running the risk of them being eaten as the Frontosa reach adulthood. Personally I currently keep my Frontosa with Limochromis auritus (a reasonably robust bi-parental mouthbrooder), Neolamprologus leleupi and some Julidochromis transcriptus (which I suspect may become snackfood over time) in a 6x2x2 with plenty of rockwork in the corners. I've also sucessfully kept them with some Ophtalmotilapia ventralis previously, although the combined tank space required by these two species (kept as colonies) would be pushing it.

Hope that helps a little,
Matt


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## Fogelhund

A good friend of mine bred frontosa in with Cyrtocara moori "blue dolphin" for several decades quite successfully.


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## Matt1986

Hmm, maybe I just have a bias against mixing lakes, but I've certainly heard of people finding that moori have a tendency to eat voraciously and not leave much for the mildly mannered Frontosa.


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## PepoLD

Altolamprologus genre is the best tank mate for Frontosas, hands down


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## zazz

i think that would be a very pleasing combination!!!


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## pattygnsd

i have been looking at those Altolamprologus and i realy like them but i cant find them anywhere so im stumped


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## bgred619

try hotcichlids.com he shouldnt be too far from ya


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## Razzo

The best tank mate for one frontosa is about six more frontosa :wink:

After that, Altolamps as mentioned.

Russ


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## cjbtech

I have some Kipili Zebra Alto lamps that breed every 5 weeks like clock work & a group of Placidochromis Pheno. Star Saphires that have just bred ( Just pulled 70 wigglers) in with my young group of Kitumba Fronts. Fronts range from 4 1/2- 8 inches. These are all housed in a 7' x 24"x 24" 210g tank.
The Fronts are more out going since the addition of the Phenos & the Calvus are a strong & succesful breeding pair because they have somebody to "guard" against. 
Mixing lakes isn't as important as mixing temperments & food requirements. I have a very enjoyable community tank with this set up. fronts really need other fronts around to act themselves.


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## humsuplou

I know the best tankmates are Alto, but what about Red Empress? Are they good tankmate for fronts as well?


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## the_evil_dickfeldi

I kept an arowana with my fronts before......I don't recommend it!! :wink:

Although I didn't have any problems....this wa definately an exception!!


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## Shane Wellito

I'm trying my frontosa tank with a pair of lobochilotes labiatus, ctenochromis horei, three altolamprologus calvus, and three alto. compressiceps. I wanted to add maybe two nkambaes also. My five fronts are only an inch to 2'' long so far...


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## toffee

Silver arowana and frontosas will do fine but your tank is way too small for that setup. For the past few years, when they started as juvis 1"-fronts and 4" aro, they grew up together along with some other cichlids in my 180g. Now the fronts are over 12" and aro over 27".

I am putting up my 27" aro for adoption as my 6ft tank is getting too small. Enjoyed having them together for the past 6 years. Aro patrolled the top region and front the lower region, perfect combo.

I would keep them all if I happened to have a 10ft tank which I don't.


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## Shane Wellito

Arowana and frontosas together, I thought arowanas required softer water. Nothing personal but I've been told by other african cichlid keepers and from my personal thought that mixing species from different lakes was kind of an eye soar. Don't get me wrong, an arowana is a beautiful fish but I keep my malawi and tanganyikan species seperate. It was alot of money but it comes with the territory. Once again nothing personal but its just my thought as a fishkeeper and african cichlid lover.


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