# Those doggone Fronts!



## maxtmill (Jan 19, 2010)

Hello All! I have a 125Gallon tank with Frontosas, which are my favorite fish. I had it set up as a biotope correct setting, but those doggone fronts destroyed it. So now they have large clay pots & one large strawberry clay pot, which they love. I also spent a year or more growing out some expensive calvus & blue haps, which are supposed to be compatible with the Fronts - my biggest one ate them all! His name is Bubba the Bully, & he regularly enjoys "sushi bar", eating every other fish that is not quick enough to evade him! So, the heck with the wonderful biotope correct Tanganyikan tank! It was beautiful at one time, & I had meant "compatible" Tanganyikans plus several other fish that were supposed to be "okay" with Fronts. I have had some Peacocks co-habitate successfully with them, but for the most part, the Fronts & a synodontis & a few blue acai cichlids are it. An expensive lesson. Anyone else have any experiences such as this?


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## Bevo5 (Mar 19, 2004)

Yeah...that sounds about right.

I remember when I learned this lesson the hard way. A long time ago I had one big mpimbwe female in a tank with peacocks. I went out and got a group of about 10 cyps and tossed them in. Well, two days later I had 9. Then 8. Then 5. You get the idea.

The funniest thing was waking up one morning and seeing the front just chillin as usual...with a nice blue tailfin sticking out of her mouth.

So basically I've learned that a front will eat anything he/she can swallow. But I learned a few weeks ago that they will also just hunt/bite/kill any other fish they decide to. I had a new huge moba male take down a WC tricot that was about 4 inches. Talk about an expensive sushi bar...

For the most part fronts are pretty chill with other species. But I think it's best to keep them alone. And if not, then just accept that something might get eaten. Which sucks...especially for the one getting eaten.


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## Joekahuna (Oct 9, 2007)

> I had a new huge moba male take down a WC tricot that was about 4 inches.


Benthochromis Tricoti??? O_O


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## Bevo5 (Mar 19, 2004)

Yeah...I was not pleased.


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## Joekahuna (Oct 9, 2007)

Ouch! I wouldn't have been pleased either. That makes the value of that one Frontosa double or triple, just because of what it "has inside"


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

This tread shows behavior that is typical for adult Fronts in my opinion. Thanks to maxtmill and Bevo5 for sharing their experiences. Folks who keep Fronts with lots of other fish are either dealing with juvenile Fronts, or they are just plain lucky. This thread should be required reading for all newcomers to Frontosa, and those who consider choosing tank mates for Fronts, because it prepares people for what to expect. That's why I made it a Sticky.


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