# Tropheus moorii Mpulungu + Enantiopus sp. "Kilesa"



## nixanbal (Dec 27, 2005)

Hey guys!

Is it possible to keep some Enantiopus sp. "Kilesa" in my Tropheus tank? It`s about 145G, ~78 inches long and there are 17 Moops together with a bunch of Multies.

I don`t know anything about these fish (Enantiopus), so thanks in advance for any answer or link, where I can find some more info about their profile.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Yes I have kept Tropheus and Enants together. (Not those two excactlly but Kasanga and Enantiopus melanogenys). Both survived. I did though separate them later as I found the Enants not totally happy and fully coloured and breeding full tilt (kept being driven out of their bowers by bull Troph). You have a rocky colony boisterous biotype fish and an open sand relatively peaceful large group fish, which do better if allowed to dominate their own tanks (set up mainly for them), with just a few additions.

Open sand most of the tank and a few rocks at one end, shells for the multies right by the rocks to give the Enants max undisturbed sand space, it could kind of work I think.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I can't believe this mix has worked for anybody. I once had to put them in with some troph fry and lost 5-6 within 2 days. IMO, they are the biggest wussies in the fish world and, they stress out and die at the sight of their own shadow.


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## nixanbal (Dec 27, 2005)

I`m very sad to hear that these fish can`t live with my trophs...
I think I could provide all the needed conditions for them, but if they are really so easily frightened...
There is just no way to get another specific tank just for them, even if I like them so much. 

I hope there will appear some more from you, who have kept Enantiopus with Tropheus.

Is this the case by the Xenotilapias as well?


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I have heard of people keeping callochromis with trophs.


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

i have kept enantiopus and they are one of my favorite Tanganyika fish. i would consider a pair, but only because your tank is long, and your other fish count is modest. your moops are a calm tropheus variant also, which might help. and E. meloenogenys, is a bit tougher than it's kilesa cousin, so they might work easier. callochromis would likely inhibit your tropheus once they start breeding. both enantiopus and callochromis may develop a taste for multi fry. HTH.


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## 54zamboni (Mar 16, 2005)

i added some young callochromis (in the 2" range) to a 180g with 40+ ilangi adults, as i'd been told they were tough enough to be with tropheus -- they were immediately hunted down by the ilangi's -- of the 6 i added, i netted out two and the other 4 were dead within 12 hours. the ilangi acted like a school of pirannas . . . .there's no doubt the other 2 would have been killed in a matter of hours. sure didn't work for me . . . .


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Oh sounds nasty. I often remove the rocks, remove the Tropheus, settle the new fish a few days or weeks, re add rocks and re add Tropheus, otherwise lots of potential good tank mates can be killed.


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## 54zamboni (Mar 16, 2005)

i added some young callochromis (in the 2" range) to a 180g with 40+ ilangi adults, as i'd been told they were tough enough to be with tropheus -- they were immediately hunted down by the ilangi's -- of the 6 i added, i netted out two and the other 4 were dead within 12 hours. the ilangi acted like a school of pirannas . . . .there's no doubt the other 2 would have been killed in a matter of hours. sure didn't work for me . . . .


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## lloyd (Aug 24, 2005)

24Tropheus said:


> ...I often remove the rocks, remove the Tropheus, settle the new fish a few days or weeks, re add rocks and re add Tropheus, otherwise lots of potential good tank mates can be killed.


 this is good advice for both tropheus and petrochromis tanks with established colonies. not many new fish stand a chance when dropped into a hive of either.


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## nixanbal (Dec 27, 2005)

Hey guys!
Thank you for all comments up until now! Some of them are encouraging but there are many contras too.

I found a video on youtube, where Xenotilapias and Tropheus moorii Ilangi are living together just fine it seems. Could this give me some more courage by making the decision?

Anyways, I`m not sure what I`m gonna do, so any further comments are appreciated!

PS: Here`s a side view of my tank LINK!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I thought you were asking about Enant... Kilesa.


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## nixanbal (Dec 27, 2005)

Yes, that`s right, but later I asked about Xenos as well.


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## julieduchromis (May 6, 2008)

I am keeping Eniantopus with my Troph's. I have 19 chimba reds, 4 of which are males and a pair of Enantiopus K. in a 90. They have been together since young. I don't believe that you can add fish to an established adult colony of troph's or you will experience the nasty things mentioned here. If you are going to start them out together as juvies they should be fine, just remember you MUST have a sand substrate for these fish because they are sand sifters, which means that they mouth the substrate and sift out the food and will ruin their mouths on regular gravel. Also, know that they need more protein in their diet than the trophs do, which I solved by selectively feeding them sinking pelleted food after feeding the trophs. They are not an aggressive fish and do stress out easily, but if you watch them closely for any signs of trouble and have a tank ready just in case, you should be fine.


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## sneakypete (Mar 7, 2008)

> I don't believe that you can add fish to an established adult colony of troph's or you will experience the nasty things mentioned here.


Just wondering if there is general agreement on this. I'm thinking of swapping out some peacocks in favour of some jumbo cyps, but now I'm wondering if I'll lose the cyps. Tank is a 125.

I have a colony of 20 Kaybeyeye ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 inches. They are currently in with mixed lamps and a julie. I have no tank to move the trophs to before establishing new fish, so if it's a disaster, I'm going to have to move quick. Also, the cyps I'm looking at sure arn't cheap.

Thanks


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I think if you add the cyps at night or, after/during a water change, you will have much better luck with them.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

noddy said:


> I think if you add the cyps at night or, after/during a water change, you will have much better luck with them.


I would agree but it is not something I would try without a back up tank ready.
Its one of those "sometimes" things I think.


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## sneakypete (Mar 7, 2008)

Those are my thoughts exactly. I'm going to go with adults, not juvies for any addition. And the trophs are already use to a fairly diverse mix and it doesn't seem to bother them. Besides the adult cyps I've seen were no wilting daisies.

Thanks for your note Paul. Let's keep in touch.

pete


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