# Tropheus Project



## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Hello everyone,

I'm a usual reader of this forum but this is my first post. After some year away from the hobby i decided to start a new project, once again with Tropheus.
I had success before keeping a healthy colony and breeding but i want to ask some question so i can provide the best conditions for the fish.

The plan is to order a custom made tank, the size that i'm thinking is 150x60x50 450L ( 118gal ). In this tank i want to have a colony with 20/25 members, i didn't decide on the species yet but the ilangi are on the top of my list.  Although this species will be hard to find on the local market, is there any recommended websites where i can order some? Shipping to Europe, i'm from Portugal.

20/25 Too many? Too few?

I didn't decide if i want to have a sump or not, i'm not sure if its worth the trouble but at the moment i'm thinking yes. For filtration i'm thinking on the Fluval fx4 or the fx6. Is the fx6 too much?

I will have some more questions, but for now i want to order the tank and the filtration system and then i will ask some more questions.

Ps: English it's not my main language, so sorry for any mistakes


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

I don't have any suggestions, as I am in the same boat as you are or were. Just curious, did you go through with the project? I am also thinking of going with ilangi, only in a 75gal.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Yeah, im looking for the fish but they are not easy to find...


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

Well good luck. Hopefully you can find a supplier. I am maybe a week or two away from ordering my clan of about 20-25. I'm still waiting on a few items to come in the mail before I run a fishless cycle.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

True Illangi are rare, and endangered. Please don't support any shipper who has wild fish.

20-25 fish should be fine in your aquarium. There are all kinds of importer/exporters in Europe...perhaps join a Tropheus or Tanganyikan group on Facebook, because there are a lot of breeders there too.


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

The ilangi I'm getting are tank raised/born. I do remember reading about the issue with wild caught.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

For sure, i'm also looking for tank raised. I talk with some Europe breeders and stores, but no success yet.
But i still have some time, the tank should be delivered next week. So i'm not in a rush to get them. The tank is 210x55x55cm i will post some pics soon.


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

Boa sorte!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

morrismorris said:


> Boa sorte!


Pardon?


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Hello, I have some updates.

The tank was delivered last week. The initial idea was to put the tank in another room but it was too large to go in the hallways so I decided to install it in the living room.










The problem with the tank in the living room was the stand color, the black didn't go well with the current decoration.
After a long night of work, I applied a white vinyl on the doors, the initial ideas were to apply the vinyl in the whole stand but it's good enough for now.










Once the stand was finished was time to do some "Aquascaping", i used some old rocks and wood that I collected over the years and put this together.























































The tank is currently being filtered by an Eheim Profissional 3 1250l/h and I Have a JBL of 1500l/h ready to go. There are some things that I want to change in the next week, I will keep posting.

Thanks


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

That looks fantastic. Very neat. Can't wait to see with fish in it. Are you doing a fishless cycle? I'm into mine now, day 3, and still waiting for ammonia to come down.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

morrismorris said:


> That looks fantastic. Very neat. Can't wait to see with fish in it. Are you doing a fishless cycle? I'm into mine now, day 3, and still waiting for ammonia to come down.


Thanks for your feedback, i have 14 corydoras in the tank. They are there because i don't have another place to put them.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Small update.

I couldn't find tropheus ilangi or red rainbow, so I came across with this deal for 15x Tropheus Katonga and i bought them.

I'm very happy with them, they are a very good looking species.

Here is a short video of the fish on the first day.


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

Fantastic! They look very lively and healthy. What is the food that is stuck to the glass that they are annihilating? I have seen it in other vids.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Another update on the tank!

Current stock on the tank is:
3x Spathodus erythrodon red line Kigoma
2x tropheus mpulungu
8x Tropheus Ilangi
15x Tropheus Katonga
About 10x Katonga fry


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Some more pictures of the tank!


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Great looking tank and I love the Katongas. Most of the Brichardi types are stunning.
P.S, I was in Lisbon and Porto in Sept. Beautiful country.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

More pics!


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## Tiny Tangs (Aug 6, 2017)

Very nice! :thumb:


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## joselepiu (Jul 22, 2017)

awesome...
:fish: :thumb: :thumb: =D> =D> :fish:


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## Perbunan (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks for posting - great set up and pics, tank looks bigger than a 150!


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Perbunan said:


> Thanks for posting - great set up and pics, tank looks bigger than a 150!


Thanks!!
The tank is 210x55x55cm around 630L or 165G


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

More pictures!
Happy new year!


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## joselepiu (Jul 22, 2017)

the vid shows unavailable...


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

The video works for me and your fish look fantastic!


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Lovely tank and fish - a couple of your Tropheus have quite a defined hump head, which is really spectacular.

What are you using for light? LED obviously. Shows off the color of the fish nicely.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

joselepiu said:


> the vid shows unavailable...


Yeah, i'm sorry the video was marked private, should be fine now!



Deeda said:


> The video works for me and your fish look fantastic!


Thanks!



nodima said:


> Lovely tank and fish - a couple of your Tropheus have quite a defined hump head, which is really spectacular.
> 
> What are you using for light? LED obviously. Shows off the color of the fish nicely.


My Tropheus Mpulungu couple is quite old, maybe 6 years or so, that's why they are so big and have hump head, especially the female.
Yeah, i'm using 5x 2 meters LED strips 3x whites, 1x warm white and 1x blue.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

More pictures and a video!
Not much has changed, just added some anubias!

Cumps


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

Is the sand close to white in colour or is it just the lighting that makes it look that way?

I had white sand in a tank once and the upkeep was awful. I soon changed it to tan.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

punman said:


> Is the sand close to white in colour or is it just the lighting that makes it look that way?
> 
> I had white sand in a tank once and the upkeep was awful. I soon changed it to tan.


Yes, it is white. It's silica sand, I always had this sand with my tropheus and until now I didn't have any problems with it.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Another update!
My anubias are well, I was afraid that the trohpeus would destroy them!























































I'm too lazy to catch the females and strip them but I'm lucky and now I have about 4/5 fry, hiding in the rocks, that were " born naturally".


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Fantastic update, your fish are looking so great. Also, congratulations on the fry!


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

Another update!

All fish are doing well and I got more fry!
This time I pulled +6 Katonga and +2 Spathodus Kigoma, mine are WC and I'm not sure how easy is to breed them but I got it.


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## rookie-cichlid1978 (Mar 28, 2017)

beautiful tank and videos! In your successful experience, do you see all males coloring up or is there a dominant male that is more vibrant at the expense of the sub-dominant individuals?


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

Are you using flash photography or available light? Those fish move fast but your pics are good.


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## Read (Feb 18, 2017)

rookie-cichlid1978 said:


> beautiful tank and videos! In your successful experience, do you see all males coloring up or is there a dominant male that is more vibrant at the expense of the sub-dominant individuals?


I have 2 dominant males that are always colored up, but the subdominants usually gain color when mating or fighting. In the past, I had problems with males always fighting and putting other fish in the corner or making them jump out, but luckily these are very peaceful.



punman said:


> Are you using flash photography or available light? Those fish move fast but your pics are good.


For the photos, I just turn all my lights on and use my phone (iPhone 8+) with no flash! They are very hard to photograph and I usually take 100 photos or more and then pick the best ones! I can't catch the dominant males so the photos are usually the females or fry that stay still


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