# Paracyps in a 6' 125 gallon What else?



## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

I'm looking to setup a 125 gallon tank with 10-12 paracyps. What else would go well with them? I'm hoping to make it a planted setup so I don't want things that will destroy the plants.


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## alfalex (Jan 6, 2007)

I will do Xenotilapia or Enantiopus!


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## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

I was thinking maybe some of the xenos. If not the xenos would callochromis work or would they be too aggressive. I also have some julies and comp juvies to put in it.


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## alfalex (Jan 6, 2007)

I've no experience with Callo but maybe the smallest species (Pleurospilus, stappersi) should work if you make two distinct territories, Rockwork on one side and a large beach on the other side. I've only do species tank with Julies, so don't know how they will act with Paracyprichromis since Para are Rockdweller too. Shelldwellers may work too, I've doned Brevis with Para with great success, a little colonies of Multies could be funny too. Comp may control the population of Para more then you want since they are not very productive! They are two other species I would like to try in your setup, Lestradea Perspicax and Ectodus Descampsii. They are not very colorful but their behaviour look very interesting and they don't seem to be very aggresive!


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## rrich741 (Apr 18, 2008)

callochromis would work well, i keep them in a fifty 3 males, 3 females, and they breed regularly.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> callochromis would work well, i keep them in a fifty 3 males, 3 females, and they breed regularly.


Which callochromis do you keep?


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I agree with the suggestions of sandsifters. Paracyps are pretty subdued (boring?) so you'll enjoy the movement provided by whatever sandsifter you choose.


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## Qaddiction (Oct 16, 2007)

I keep both Callochromis stappersi and paracyprichromis nigripinnis species. Unfortunately, not in the same tank currently. However, I wouldn't hesitate in trying. My Callochromis only seem to chase each other and it's not really bad. I believe they are some of the milder Callochromis from researching. I keep the stappersi in with Cyprichromis tricolor, a pair of Julidochromis transcriptus, and a pair of gold ocellatus in a standard 125 with no issues at all between species. My paracyps are in with kilesa and 4 black calvus. No problems with that setup either in a standard 125.


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## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

Thanks for all the replies. Keep them coming. I'm definitely going to have a pair of julidichromis transcriptus. The rest is up in the air for now.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

My favorite tank... I did the same with my 125 before...

12 paracyprichromis 3males/9females with lots of babies swimming around them.
12 Utinta cyprichromis 6/6 ratio, again all breed.
10 xeno. kekese red dosal 5/5, occassional spawning.
trio of ocellatus gold and a pair of brevis... again, many babies...


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## rrich741 (Apr 18, 2008)

Callochromis macrops


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

Call. macrops can be aggressive towards each other. I had 6 or 2 trio in my 135 before and the male killed everyone but one female. Then that pair produced hundreds of babies...


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## rrich741 (Apr 18, 2008)

i bought two different groups of these guys, put trio of them in my 100 gallon community, and 6 of them in the 50. The male of the trio in the 100 killed the two females, while the ones in the 50 are aggressive, but don't really do real harm to each other. The weird thing is that the 6 in the 50 are Wild Caught, so they should be more aggressive, while the trio that was in the hundred were F2.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> i bought two different groups of these guys, put trio of them in my 100 gallon community, and 6 of them in the 50. The male of the trio in the 100 killed the two females, while the ones in the 50 are aggressive, but don't really do real harm to each other. The weird thing is that the 6 in the 50 are Wild Caught, so they should be more aggressive, while the trio that was in the hundred were F2.


That's because you're crowding them a la trophs.


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## gseith (Oct 23, 2008)

I kept mine with Ectodus descampsii for a while, and I found my female paracyp holding a couple of time mixed in with them. I don't think a planted tank is going to go real well with any sand sifters, unless the plants are in pots.

-Greg


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## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

Greg,
That's what I figured on the plants and the sand sifters. I'm going to have 12 cyp utintas, a few occies, a few julies, and 12 paracyps. The tank is already up and running so it has been cycled. Right now I'm leaning toward the decampsi or some melagenys. I know it is going to be pretty crowded, but once school starts, the cyps, julies, and occies will all go back to my classroom.


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## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

what about Cyathopharynx furcifer?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c_furcifer.php


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## alfalex (Jan 6, 2007)

Post pic if you can!


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## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

Won't the furcifer get too big for the paracyps? I'm going to do this thing one time and I'm going to do it right.


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## @nt!x (Feb 9, 2009)

mustangs said:


> Won't the furcifer get too big for the paracyps? I'm going to do this thing one time and I'm going to do it right.


I haven't kept them together, but they seem to me like they would be perfect tank mates.

from the furcifer article. 
"Even though this featherfin is boisterous, it should not be kept with other high-energy or aggressive fishes, otherwise males will lose their color and stop breeding. This fish needs to be the king of the tank in order to thrive. Tank mates should be no larger than 3-inches."


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