# thinking about some west africans



## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

doing some research now on what im gonna get, probably some 
Pelvicachromis taeniatus Nigerian Red. I have mainly only kept Malawi/Tangs. I look at these fish as the next challenge.

My main question is, how many of you guys keeping these fish use leaves to create the correct environment? If so, what kinds are mostly used(almond leaves?)? I do plan on using a 30gal that i have, was gonna try some shellie that i have tried, but this seems like alittle more fun since its new to me.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Almond leaves and oak leaves are the two most commonly used it seems. Almond leaves out of convience, and oak leaves for those diy'ers that have access to non-pesticided oak trees.


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

Im also gonna add some drift wood that *** been itching to use. this is gonna be fun, cant wait


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Mopani driftwood is from africa, and it tends to leech more tanins (and leech them longer) than the normal maylasian driftwood commonly seen in fish stores.

I have a cool article on taeniatus describing a stream they were caught in, but alas it's at home (am on holidays atm). Black sand, red and black lava rocks, driftwood (I like the lighter colored mopani against black sand anyway), and anubias/african water fern growing out of the streams ... this was only for one particular race found near the volcanic Mt. Camaroon (hence the black sand/lava rocks), but I generally use it as a templete for most of the westie tanks I've created becuase the contrast of black sand, very light colored wood, dark green and red rock looks good.

Oh yeah, so does the fish!!


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

that article would be great to see, please post it for me when u get a chance. I did plan on black sand, never had it before and this seems like the perfect opportunity to use it. What you've described sounds good, i may have to copy u


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

No worries, it's just copying nature ... :lol:


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I have three pairs of kribs right now, and four spawns. One pair of taeniatus spawned again with the older spawn still in the 37 gallon compartment. Instead of staying with the parents, some of the small guys joined the larger ones who scoot all over the tank, but mostly near the bottom. Planted tank substrate, Amazon swordplants along with other New World and Asian live plants, except for the albino pair. That's bare bottom with driftwood, potted Amazon swords, Java fern and Christmas moss, moneywort, cardmine, etc. The African water fern is in with the Malawi cichlids and the glolight danios (different 75 gallontanks).


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## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

bringing this one back..........

out of the 7 juvies i got, im almost certain that i have 6females/1male/1unknown. The unknown is just too small to tell right now. The females are definately females, the male is just now starting to color up just under his jawline(a really nice deep magenta red). I have them in a 20gal growing out now along with two 1/2" Cyp. Utinta(i had nowhere else to put em').

lots of sand sifting and lots of tank exploring. They use the entire lower 2/3rds of the tank. They hardly ever feed off the top.

The females are alot bigger than the one male. They were chasing him around if he got too close to them, but lately, since he's alot bigger now, they seem to be allowing him closer to them. None of the fish are over 2" and things seem to be getting more interesting behavior-wise opcorn:

will probably be moving them into a 30gal as soon as they get past the 2-2.5" mark


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