# Salvini Cichlids



## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I have moved the 3 Sals I have to a 55 of their own. They are still small 3" and under. Was thinking about getting 2-3 more in hopes of getting a pair. My question is this....Are they always so shy? Mine spend most of their time in hiding. It's almost like there are no fish in the tank. There's plenty of cover(rocks and plants). Is this normal? Do they ever get out of this and come out to visit?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I am guessing everyone is waiting for Cichlidlover to answer ... :lol:

Salvani seem to be ambush predators ... so hiding does tend to be in their nature yes ... hard to sneak up on unsuspecting platies and tetras when you are that colorful.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> I am guessing everyone is waiting for Cichlidlover to answer ...


Oh geez.........  :lol:



> Was thinking about getting 2-3 more in hopes of getting a pair.


Good move if you are trying to get a pair. But do you know how to sex them? Females have a black blotch on the dorsal fin and Males don't. The best ratio I have found to go with is 2 Males and 4 Females.









Female









Male Salvini. The site I got the picture from is wrong they have it labled as a Female and the Female as a Male.



> My question is this....Are they always so shy? Mine spend most of their time in hiding. It's almost like there are no fish in the tank. There's plenty of cover(rocks and plants). Is this normal? Do they ever get out of this and come out to visit?


Like dwarfpike has said: Yes, it is normal and they do it because they are predators. If you add smaller fish like Serape Tetra you will see their predator skills. They will arch up nose facing the top of the tank and the tail facing the substrate or bottom of the tank............wait............then bolt and hit the target and then head back down in one fast movement and they will repeat this process until the prey is either about dead or is dead. They will come out and visit but it takes them a while to get used to their enviornment and their owner. Also it depends on the personality as well. But all of my Salvini come out and anxiously wait for food! My Male in the 55 which I am have had for a year is always waiting for food but he didn't start out like that. The best way to keep Salvini is either as a pair or in a community. When you keep just 1 Salvini they won't be as active. Also it's best to give them cover with top cover plants, a lot of ground plants and rocks, and some driftwood. The more hiding places you give them the more active and secure they will be.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

hmm.......... the Female link worked before.......... :? . I'll try a new one










Female










Female


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Thanks again for the responses. I had some platy fry and put a few in the tank and they do attack! I've read that they feed that way, darting out, snatch and run...but I just hate that I have to press my eyeball to the tank and search for them now just to get a look at them. I guess I have to be patient and wait for them to get used to me. As for food, they really seem to respond to frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms. Thank for the sexing tips, I'll have to net them I guess to find out what I've got. The last problem is, it's hard to find Sals in my area. Seems like most LFS don't carry them and the others only get a few in and if you aren't there the day they come in you miss out. Here's a pic of the tank they are in. I think there should be enough cover. I've circled their favorite places to hide.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I'd switch out the brine shrimp for krill ... which should bring out their reds and yellows. Live brine are okay, but frozen tend to rupture and spill out the little nutrients they have to begin with.

Lots of good hiding places, I imagine they are enjoying it. Ambush predators can be a pain to watch, I know from keeping pike cichlids which act in a similiar manner. They aren't like jags that cruise around and have the speed and size to catch what they wish. No they paitently hide and wait for a tasty morsal to come into striking range. But sal's are so pretty, it's worth the fewer glances you get of them. :thumb:


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

LOL...that's why I wanted them...they look so nice. Just a shame I hardly get to see them :-? I'll try the krill.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

sjlchgo said:


> I have moved the 3 Sals I have to a 55 of their own. They are still small 3" and under. Was thinking about getting 2-3 more in hopes of getting a pair. My question is this....Are they always so shy? Mine spend most of their time in hiding. It's almost like there are no fish in the tank. There's plenty of cover(rocks and plants). Is this normal? Do they ever get out of this and come out to visit?


Salvini are not likely to do well all by there lonesome, especially at a young age. Fish that are scared all the time are not doing well.

If I were you, I would add a bunch of mbuna to your tank. That will solve your problem and change everything.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Add Mbuna instead of a few more Salvini's? What will that do for them? Just curious. Here are some pics I managed to capture of them. Any luck sexing them?


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## Hrafen (Feb 19, 2005)

I would not mix with mbuna. This would be a recipe for a whole load of pain and a pair of Salvini are going to want all of a 55 gallon to themselves.

Salvini are ambush predators so will spend a lot of time out of sight. This is their nature. More robust dithers as in not platties or swordtails might help tempt them out, you could try Amica Splendens.

Ultimately, long term in a 55 gallon, one pair will probably do fine and any other occupants will be less fine, or at the very least with really robust livebearers, only the young will be food.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

Hrafen said:


> I would not mix with mbuna. This would be a recipe for a whole load of pain and a pair of Salvini are going to want all of a 55 gallon to thems


Hrafen wouldn't, but I certainly do and most certainly recommend it. I have mixed SALVINI with mbuna for most of over 8 yrs. now ( as well as other CA and SA). I have bred salvinis well over 50 times, always in a community situation ---- no problems, and definately no casualties.

I have a 75 gal. right now with a breeding pair of sals, 1 pleco and a bunch of mbuna. Male sal is about 3 yrs old and over 7 1/2" ( 3rd generation) and the female is young, bought from walmart in march. Yes, the mbuna have to eat some "humble pie" when the sals are in there prescence, but the tank works well.Not the first time I have had mbuna with sals, as I have had them mixed for most of 8 years and am on my 3rd generation of sals. Just previosly I had others in the 75( before I moved them to the 100 gal.). Pairs of cons, jewls and a female BB. Trust me ---- makes far more sense to house sals with mbuna. Male sal really couldn't care less about mbuna compared to cons or BB. 
OR you could attempt to house just a pair of sals all by there lonesome ---- better then good chance with out outside threats, you'll end up with a dead feamle sal!


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I've never seen the Ameca Splendens in any of the LFS around here. A search on the net doesn't reveal many places that even sell them. They do look like a sutable tank mate for the Sals though.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I have a 125 with some African Cichlids in it, so I can try it and if it gets out of hand just move them to the other tank. What type of Mbuna do you have mixed in? I have some Electric Yellows and Zebras. I want more so it wouldn't be a loss for me.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

sjlchgo said:


> Add Mbuna instead of a few more Salvini's? What will that do for them? Just curious.


You may want to add some more sals in order to obtain a pair ---- but once you get a pair you would be best to remove the extras. But over time, you are likely to need outside threats in order for the pair to co-exist. Young pairs, especially, are not too stable.

Mbuna are very active. Moreso, extremely confident. Even "cocky". They settle in right away and will make shy fish like sals feel comfortable. They are fast and tough. They are a threat, but are different enough that they are not an intolerable threat like other CA.

Yes, my sals have "tolerated" cons as well. BUT my cons have never successfully bred with mature sals in the tank. The sals don't mind them too much as long as they don't own space and try to breed :lol: :lol: But of course cons are going to eventually try to claim space and breed. Sals will get far more annoyed with rival CA then they are likley ever to get with mbuna.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

sjlchgo said:


> I have a 125 with some African Cichlids in it, so I can try it and if it gets out of hand just move them to the other tank. What type of Mbuna do you have mixed in? I have some Electric Yellows and Zebras. I want more so it wouldn't be a loss for me.


I have mixed sals with zebras, electric yellows, auratus, and kenyi. Doesn't really matter too much wich mbuna. BUT if you have an ESTABLISHED mbuna community, introduction might be tricky. IME sals establish faster then cons, but few fish establish themselves as quickly as mbuna. SO you would definately have to keep an eye on introduced sals into an established mbuna tank and bear in mind they may take longer to establish themselves then introduced mbuna would.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

NO NO NO .....I will be putting the Mbuna in the Sal tank....not the other way around.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I will also continue to search for the Ameca's. The could prove to be useful in dealing with the hair algea I have growing.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> OR you could attempt to house just a pair of sals all by there lonesome ---- better then good chance with out outside threats, you'll end up with a dead feamle sal!


Not true Bernie. I keep my pairs by themselves and when things get rough I divide them. However, things really haven't gotten rough. I have only divided a few times. Also with my last 2 Females with my Male the bond has been SO strong they just couldn't stop breeding! I barely ever had a fight. The 2 Females died because of Alage fix and Melafix not aggression.

I also have to agree with Hrafen. I wouldn't add mubna either. It might work and yet it might not. It depends on the personality of the fish. I personally don't agree with mixing cichlids from other continents. All of my Salvini come out and visit all of the time. Even my lone Female in the 20 gal H.

I personally feel that you should just keep the Salvini in the 55 gal alone and wait until a pair forms and keep the pair alone. Then keep an extra Female or 2 just incase something happens.

It's really hard to sex them from those pictures. I know it's hard but could you try and get better ones? From what I can see and guess I would say the first pic is a Male due to all of the spangling on the dorsal fin.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I'm about to post some pics of the Africans I picked up last night. I'll need some ID help on them. A guy I know had some, I did some pc work for him and he paid me in fish! I must tell you that Bernie was correct! I added 2 of the Africans to the tank and I saw more of the Sals in the first 5 mins than I have the whole time I've had them...lol. I must also say that Cichlids Lover was also correct. It does seem like a recipe for disaster. No major fighting but they definitely don't care for each other.I left them in overnight and decided to remove them this morning. I want to get to look at them but would prefer not tramatizing them. I did manage to take a couple more pics of the Sals.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

The top is definitely Male the second one I am not sure I can't see it's dorsal fin. Also the Salvini are a bit darker in color so it's kind of hard to know for sure. I am just guessing but it could be that they are all Males and I go by that guess just because of their color that it indicates stress and that the other two are paler and the top one must be the dominate Male just by the coloration. But yet as I take a closer glance on the second one you could have a Female. I think I might see a black blotch on the dorsal fin though since it's down it's harder to tell for sure. When you feed them and as they come up try and take a pic when it's up usually when they go to feed or are distracted the dorsal fin goes up as they look.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I must say "You know your SHIZZLE!! That first one is the most dominant, has been since the day I brought them home. He's "the king". One of them CLEARLY has a blotch on the fin. Going by your(expert) tutulage, I am certain that at least one of them is a female. The other 2 I believe to be males. These fish were moved from a tank with light colored gravel to a tank with dark gravel. Could that have an effect on their coloration? These pics were also taken while the Mbuna's were in the tank so stress levels were definitely piqued. From the instant I put the Mbunas in the tank flags went up and the sals started marching!! I also want to take this time to say thanks to EVERYONE on board here. This is a GREAT site and a wealth of information. All the suggestions I have received, I've tried with positive results. My nearly DEAD tank of Mbuna's(fish in hiding) is ALIVE!! I took the suggestion and added more fish and boy are they alive!! So once again THANKS!!!


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## Hrafen (Feb 19, 2005)

I am not saying you cannot use mbuna to tempt Salvini's out, just that I would not. The first step is to understand Salvini's, essentially they are ambush predators, they are also semi-nocturnal, they tend to hunt in low light. If I was going to mix with Salvini's, a pair of Salvini's and a pair of Convicts will probably do fine in 90 to 100 gallons, you might get away with 75 gallons. Robust dithers helps even more. The Convicts will tempt them out to defend their territory, and if you provide a Convict size cave as a retreat it should (usually) be fine. Yes, there will be fights, but unlikely to be more than mostly posturing and threats.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> I must say "You know your SHIZZLE!! That first one is the most dominant, has been since the day I brought them home. He's "the king". One of them CLEARLY has a blotch on the fin. Going by your(expert) tutulage, I am certain that at least one of them is a female. The other 2 I believe to be males. These fish were moved from a tank with light colored gravel to a tank with dark gravel. Could that have an effect on their coloration? These pics were also taken while the Mbuna's were in the tank so stress levels were definitely piqued. From the instant I put the Mbunas in the tank flags went up and the sals started marching!! I also want to take this time to say thanks to EVERYONE on board here. This is a GREAT site and a wealth of information. All the suggestions I have received, I've tried with positive results. My nearly DEAD tank of Mbuna's(fish in hiding) is ALIVE!! I took the suggestion and added more fish and boy are they alive!! So once again THANKS!!!


Thanks........... . I wouldn't consider me an expert though had it not been for BV or Bernie I wouldn't have learned anything and would have kept making mistakes. I just know this stuff from them and from studing my own Salvini. That's the one thing you will notice with Salvini the Males or the Females if not kept with Males will do all that it takes to be the "King" or "Queen". They will try and try until either they get it or they don't. Yep you have for sure a Male and a Female if she has a black blotch. The other one very well could be Male just because it's color is pale but yet it could be a Female and bossed around from the other Female which would be the dominate one. If you do have 2 Males then all you need is a few more Females. No the gravel change won't have any effect on the coloration. The lack of color is due to stress and aggression. Yep I figured that the sparks would fly. But hey no problem with experimenting as long as no fish are killed in the process and you are watching them very closely. This site is a great site! I make it a daily routine to get on here. I usually get on here about 3-4 times a day and everything I learned came from here! I seriously learn something new everyday! Not a problem happy to help!


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Hrafen said:


> I am not saying you cannot use mbuna to tempt Salvini's out, just that I would not. The first step is to understand Salvini's, essentially they are ambush predators, they are also semi-nocturnal, they tend to hunt in low light. If I was going to mix with Salvini's, a pair of Salvini's and a pair of Convicts will probably do fine in 90 to 100 gallons, you might get away with 75 gallons. Robust dithers helps even more. The Convicts will tempt them out to defend their territory, and if you provide a Convict size cave as a retreat it should (usually) be fine. Yes, there will be fights, but unlikely to be more than mostly posturing and threats.


What kind of dithers can you mix with Sals? Other than the ever elusive Ameca Splendens?


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Well eventually...........nothing. But for right now since they are small and aren't paired off you could go with Giant Danios, Bueno's Aires Tetras, Black Skirt Tetra, Serape Tetra, Rainbow Fish, and other big bodied tetras with speed. Mollies, Platies, and Swordtails will get killed easily! I personally I would also suggest adding one of those dithers. It will help the Salvini come out more and it will also make the bond stronger in the breeding pair. When the dithers are all dead and gone and your pair is formed that is when I would stop and just keep the pair in the 55 alone. I have had great luck with both Black Skirts and Giant Danios. They seemed to last the longest. The BAT's and Serape Tetras died fairly quickly!


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

That sounds like the plan I had in mind. I kind of like those Serpae's ...their mean lil boogers. Thanks!


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Yeah I love Serape Tetras! They should work while the Salvini are young and its also in a 55 gal. I would add maybe 7 or so and keep a pretty good shoal. They will end up dieing though. Not a problem! :thumb:


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

CiChLiD LoVeR128 said:


> Yeah I love Serape Tetras! They should work while the Salvini are young and its also in a 55 gal. I would add maybe 7 or so and keep a pretty good shoal. They will end up dieing though. Not a problem! :thumb:


Well, you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette!!

Hey, A buddy of mine found me some Sals today!! I got what I beleive to be 4 new females!! Here are some pics of them. 
*Being acclimated!*








*Females?*
















*New kid on the block...*








*The Chase is on!!*


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## Big Vine (Feb 26, 2007)

Nice additions...and yes, they appear to be female. 
BV


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Yep definitely Female. Every Female I have and had all had a black blotch on the dorsal fin! So I would go by that 100%. Great pick ups! They look great! :thumb:

Now all you have to do is feed them a variety of protiens, frequent water changes, and wait! They will spawn around the 2.5-3 in mark. I would say a pair should form within a month - 2 months. Just sit back and wait! I am excited for you and waiting for your pair! :thumb: opcorn:


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I think you're time frame is a bit off Cichlid lover...lol. It's something how adding a few fish can make such a difference. Before I added the new fish you could sit in front of the tank for 30 mins and hardly see a fish. Now, they are all over the place! The dominant male (King) has been out of his pot and hanging out under the rock with the dominant female(Queen). I watched them today flirtatiously "dancing" under her cave. He would do a kind of slap in her face with his tail and she'd do him. She is also the ONLY fish in the tank that he allows INSIDE of his pot!! Likewise, he is the only fish she allows in her cave. All others are quickly dispersed on site! I guess a little competition forced their hands....lol.

*Here's a pic of them by his pot. No other fish is allowed this close to it!*


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Wow they spawned early and quick! Wow you are so lucky!  

My first pair took about a month and a half! My second pair was already big enough so they spawned fairly quickly but from the pics you should me the male looks maybe 2.5 and the Female looks 2 in!! Which usually the Female isn't ready to spawn until 2.5-3 in! Wow awesome dude! :thumb:


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Oh by the way it would be a good idea to buy a divider and keep a few extra Females in another tank! :thumb:


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

I've already got some diffuser I used as a divider when I had convicts.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Well, it's official! I looked in the tank in the cave for Queen and she was gone! I then looked in King's pot and there she was...the 2 of them hanging out in the pot. I think she's moved in!


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Congrats man! Spawning will be coming VERY soon! I am happy for you!  :thumb:


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Spawning must have begun! There must be a scent or something that alerts the others that a fish is spawning. This morning I woke to find all the other Sals lurking, insistantly around the favored pot of the new pair. He was fending them off and as fast as they left they'd come right back. Normally, they knew to stay clear of that area of the tank. I put in the divider so all is now calm again.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

It is possible that they could have spawned already but it also could be just the begining stages as well which would be courting! My 2nd pair are courting right now and they have pits dug and everything! Hanging out together and would be fending off the area if there was other fish present. They usually court for a week - 2 weeks before spawning but they could have spawned already! I am just saying that when courting they will have this same behavior as well!


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

It's hard to tell if there are any eggs because they both hang so close to the lid of the pot...not sure if that's where they plan to place the eggs. I guess time will tell. Keep you posted.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

If they are staying in one spot and keeping the other Salvini from coming to it then that is where they will lay the eggs! :thumb:


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

I'm new to central americans and i intend to have salvini cichlids in my 6 foot long 106 gallon tank. Right now i have some geophaguses left in my tank and one female salvini.
I intend to have 2 pairs of salvinis and i don't know exactly how to stock my aquarium with this species?
Would 2 males and 4 or 5 females work out?


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Welcome to the world of the wonderful and beautiful Central Americans! Salvini are great cichlids and my favorite CA :thumb: ! Even though you do have a great sized aquarium I have my doubts on keeping two pairs in the same tank. You could for sure keep another pair of mid sized CA cichlid with a pair of Salvini in the 6ft tank but having two pairs of them IMO would make WW3. They are just very aggressive and protective of the fry. The two males would be constantly fighting until either death or until there is a victor meaning one dead and one alive. You could for sure have two females together in the same tank with very little problems. However, if you do this I would strongly suggest adding another CA cichlid such as the Convict or Firemouth or the Jeweled cichlid from West Africa. You could keep 2 pairs in the tank if you used a divider and divided the pairs. Otherwise I would strongly suggest if keeping two pairs is your goal to keep the pairs of Salvini in their own tank. I think you will get better results and healthier Salvini. CA's are not at all like Geo's and other grouping cichlids where you can keep multiple males and females together in the same tank. I hope this helps and enjoy this beautiful and wonderful fish!  :thumb:


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

This is helping me alot, cause i got mixed informations from people and i have to get as many more 
Then i'll have only one pair of salvinis in my tank. Do you sudgest a ratio of 3 females on one male? In canse if any female is killed by male this could come handy.
I have plenty of holes and hiding places in tank, but like you said their agressivenes is unknown to me 

First i'll have to get rid of my SA's and then i'll have to figure stocking of my tank.
Could you guys advise on what to ctock next to salvinis? I don't have room for cichlids bigger than 10"


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> Do you sudgest a ratio of 3 females on one male? In canse if any female is killed by male this could come handy.


You are on the right track! :thumb: ! If it is possible I would suggest 3 females to every male. In fact, if it's possible I would suggest having two pairs just because they are just awesome and beautiful fish! :thumb: I had two pairs but they were both in separate tanks. However, I am not sure that you could keep 3 females and one male in the tank. I personally wouldn't try it. I think it would be best to keep one extra female in the same tank as the pair and add one or maybe two more cichlids of a different specie. I think things will work out better for you. If you would like to keep two females which I think is very wise and a good idea I would keep the other female in her own tank. It is very hard on the females when it comes to spawning and they need time off of spawning to build back up, get conditioned, and relax. Letting the female have a break from spawning will allow her to grow and be healthy. When they spawn it delays their growth rate. Keeping extra females and one extra male if it can be done is the best way to go. Mostly females though. Males can get very aggressive and it's not uncommon for them to kill the female. When I kept extra females or males I would keep them in their own tanks like a 20 gal or a 29 gal. This way the male or female could have their own time without competing and therefore will grow and become sexually mature faster. However, I would stay away from having another spawning pair of another cichlid.



> Could you guys advise on what to ctock next to salvinis? I don't have room for cichlids bigger than 10"


Here are some cichlids you could keep with the Salvini. If you are wanting to keep 1 extra female in the same tank with the pair your tank will only be able to have 1 or 2 more tank mates. If you are wanting to keep 2 more tank mates I would get only one of both species such as 1 Convict and 1 Firemouth this way you won't end up with another spawning pair. You could keep Convicts with them but I would stay away from them because they have a higher potential crossbreeding with the Salvini or any CA cichlid.

Firemouth and other species in the Firemouth family
Jeweled cichlid
Neet cichlid
If you go with Convicts I would get one female and not a male that way you have smaller changes of crossbreeding
Cutteri
Or other mid-sized (6 inch fish)CA cichlids that can hold their own. Sajica and Rainbows are too mellow and wouldn't stand a chance.

I hope this helps!


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

It helps a lot when someone with experience helps 
What about if i make plenty of hiding places for females to hide from male? Because i don't have an extra tank for another female :? 
Is it possible to have a permanent pair in my tank? Like they get used to each other and don't kill themselves? It is 6.5 foot long aquarium after all.

I guess a divider is the only option after all.
So right now i'm thinking of stocking one male and 3 females. And when a pair spawns i put a divider in aquarium, so rest of tankmates don't get hurt.
Am i thinking in a right direction?


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

What about if i put one male jack dempsey and 3 females and one male from salvinis?


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

Guess i'll just have to try and see what happens :roll:


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Warning, incoming thread hijak.

Will salvinis shred plants?


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Fevz said:


> What about if i put one male jack dempsey and 3 females and one male from salvinis?


This will not work. Yes, 6 foot tank is a good sized tank and has some room but it still isn't a lake or a pond. :roll: . If you wish to do it this way be my guest I can't force you what to do. I am just trying to help you and your fish. I had a pair of Salvini in a 55 gal which is a 4ft tank and they took over the whole aquarium.

Even if you divide the tank with one pair on the other side you still have to worry about the 2 females on the other side fighting and I have a feeling things won't end up very well. If you wish to do this I would suggest adding one tank mate to distribute the aggression and JD get's too big. Your tank is already fairly stocked. I would suggest a mid-sized cichlid around 6 inches. As those that I have mentioned.

Yes, you can keep a permanent pair in the tank. Cichlids never get used to each other and don't kill each other. It's in their nature to be territorial and aggressive. In the wild they have TONS of room to get away from each other but when they are in a tank they have limited room and when you have several fish that are the same species the dominant fish is more harsh on the sub-dominant of it's own kind.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

mok3t said:


> Warning, incoming thread hijak.
> 
> Will salvinis shred plants?


I have never kept them with Live plants. I have always used plastic. From what I have heard they won't shred them but they will dig them up when they spawn. Salvini are skittish fish for a reason. They are predators and also prey from birds and other predators. They need lots of cover to feel comfortable. The more cover you use the more active they will be. So I think they should go good with plants just be prepared for plants uprooted.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Here are some videos of my old pair. May they rest in peace  . This is my 55 gal. The pair took over the entire tank.

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01741.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01863.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01864.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01867.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01873.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01885.mp4

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m20/ ... V01897.mp4


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

After some thinking i won't have any more salvinis as i have now. I don't have more than 1 aquarium and if i think that i could only keep one pair of fish inside :roll: 
Maybe next time, when i have room for more aquariums 

Thanks for enlightenment cichlid lover :thumb:


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## cichlid_kid96 (Nov 22, 2010)

CiChLiD LoVeR128 said:


> Fevz said:
> 
> 
> > What about if i put one male jack dempsey and 3 females and one male from salvinis?


 Cichlids never get used to each other

i have seen plenty of cichlids get used to each other almost everytime i get a new fish they get aggressive with him for about a week and then they're fine with each other. they will get used to each other especially if ur tanks large enough.


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## cichlid_kid96 (Nov 22, 2010)

sorry wuoted the wrong thing meant to quote the ''Cichlids Never Get Used To Each Other''


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> After some thinking i won't have any more salvinis as i have now. I don't have more than 1 aquarium and if i think that i could only keep one pair of fish inside
> Maybe next time, when i have room for more aquariums


It depends on how you want to stock the tank. You can keep two spawning pairs of fish but you can't have tankmates with the two spawning pairs such as 2 extra females and they can't both be Salvini unless you divide the tank. If you are wanting a pair of Salvini and another spawning pair of another specie of cichlid it could work depending on what you would like but then again you might have to divide the two as well. You have mentioned on keeping 3 females and one male in the tank and if you are wanting to keep them permanately then there is NO room for another spawning pair. You have mentioned on keeping a pair and two extra females in the tank. I personally wouldn't try it but if you would like to you can try it. I would just add another mid-sized cichlid to distribute the aggression. I would also divide the pair from the 3 other fish to be on the safe side. I never said you can keep one pair and that's it. I am just giving you aheads up on what is to come. My pair took over the entire 4ft tank but that's also because I just had the pair for so long and didn't divide.

Your welcome! I am happy to help!


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## gambino55 (Dec 2, 2010)

CiChLiD LoVeR128 said:


> Here are some videos of my old pair. May they rest in peace  . This is my 55 gal. The pair took over the entire tank.


Hey , this pair is gorgeous ... but why " rest in peace " ? What happened ?


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Thank you very much! Yes, they were very beautiful and their bond was amazing! They never had big fights. Well, the reason why they died was my fault. I was using Algae medication and basically I poisoned the female. I tried saving her by doing water changes but didn't help......  . The male was starting to get poisoned but I saved him with water changes. After this I have learned to never use medication especially for algae. The only time I use medication is if I can't treat it naturally and it's very serious. I kept the male after this for another year and during this time tried finding him a new female but every female I put in with him they would spawn but the spawns were never successful and then all **** would break loose and I would have to separate the pair. I tried 3-4 females and each one I tried I let them spawn 4-5 times before giving up. The first pair I had that is in the movies I had for 6 months or so and they spawned around 5-6 times successfully. After a while I gave up on females and kept the male singly and a few months later was getting married and had to downsize so I gave him to a friend of mine who I knew would take care of him because I was really attached to the male Salvini. About 6 months later he died. My co-worker and I still don't have an answer why he died. I guess depression.


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

Thanks for tips cichlid lover. Yeah i kinda got atached to my female salvini 
So i'm still thinking about stocking my tank. 
Would 1m and 1f salvini with a EBJD work? I got really hiped with electric blue jacks


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Oh your welcome! I am happy to help! 

Yeah it's easy to get attached to them. They are great and beautiful fish! They are my favorite cichlid!

Yeah I think you could keep a pair of Salvini with an EBJD. Just keep a divider handy incase of things get rough. Keep in mind though EBJD's are more sensitive and more docile then regular JD's. I would for sure keep a divider handy and be prepared to use it if need be.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Fevz*,

I do not have experience with Sals; however based on my experience with EBJDs, i would be skeptical on keeping them with something as aggressive as sals. Both my EBJDs have been genetically weak fish and even get picked on a bit by my tinfoil barb.

Is this the same tank as your Geos and Uaru? Did you get rid/ plan to get rid of them?

Thanks,
Matt


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## Fevz (Nov 18, 2009)

Jeah i'm just thinking about it's tank mates 
I got rid of Uarus. I sold them really good because i had a pair in tank who spawned before. I gave my red head tapajos to my friend who has a res head tank. It's about 150 gallon big.

I curently have 6 young geophagus altifrons who are curently selling. They all live with salvini female. 
So far they all now not to temper female and when they see her, they go away from that spot


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