# Setting up a tank for a trio of Alto Comps



## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Hey all,
I am picking up a trio of adult gold head Alto Comps in a couple of days. They are going into a 3 foot side drop (air filtered) tank. At present, the tank has no decor, and a pool filter sand substrate.

I have a couple of questions on how best to keep these guys.

I have been keeping only Tropheus for the last few years, and my settling in procedure with them would normally involve having no decor for a week or two until they have settled in, and then introduce rock piles. Should I do the same with the Alto Comps or should I have hiding places ready for the females (rocks/shells)?

I am planning on 30% weekly water changes on the tank. Any opinions on whether this is too much/not enough? I do 50% on most of my Tropheus tanks.

The only filtration is the air driven system, which effectively filters another identical tank on the same rack that holds up to 80 Tropheus fry at times. Will that be sufficient or should I add an eheim canister to it?

My water conditions are pH 8.5, kH 12-14, gH ~14-16. This is what gets my tropheus breeding so I assume there wouldn't be too many problems with it? The 250G water change drum I have in the shed changes the water in all the tanks I have running in there so the conditions are all very close.

Anyway, I have wanted to keep these guys for quite a while now, but never had the timing quite right. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Shane


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Should I do the same with the Alto Comps or should I have hiding places ready for the females (rocks/shells)?


I like to have some rocks so they can feel somewhat secure, but not so many that I can't monitor them. 
Just put a few rocks close together so they can have some spaces in between to escape into. Once 
they settle, add aquascaping with breeding in mind.



> I am planning on 30% weekly water changes on the tank. Any opinions on whether this is too much/not enough? I do 50% on most of my Tropheus tanks.


Some have reported that they're sensitive to water changes, but I haven't experienced that. May depend 
on your water. I like to start with small changes and work up with any new species.



> Will that be sufficient or should I add an eheim canister to it?


That filtration will be fine.



> My water conditions are pH 8.5, kH 12-14, gH ~14-16. This is what gets my tropheus breeding so I assume there wouldn't be too many problems with it?


They should do real well with that.

Sounds like you've got it handled. Post some pics. :thumb:


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Thanks for the reply and info. I'm looking forward to these guys. It will be lights out for a day or so and then I might snap off some pics. One other question I forgot to ask. Would a diet of NLS 1mm cichlid formula and OSI spirulina flake will be okay?


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Would a diet of NLS 1mm cichlid formula and OSI spirulina flake will be okay?


I feed mine NLS and they do real well on it. These guys are carnivores so I wouldn't bother with the 
spirulina flake. NLS has all they need.


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Thanks for that.


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Another couple of quick questions. The trio has now turned into 2M and 2F. The seller sold his two other females and has offered me the other male for free. Will this affect anything aggression wise? My understanding is that the 2M and 4F are currently in the tank and there haven't been any problems. Will 1:1 do anything different? I suppose time will tell.

I also have 6 stray duboisi about 2in or so long. Someone on another forum suggested adding other fish to improve the feeding of the alto's and growth rates. Any opinions on this? I have no desire to breed the dubs once they are mature. I have 4 other Tropheus colonies to worry about, so the dub fry could be a snack down the road. I don't really care either way, just after opinions.

Lastly, any dramas adding a BN to the tank? I am planning on adding one that is at least 5-6cm so it shouldn't get picked off.

I have now set up some low level rockwork in the tank, a bit of a reef along the length of the tank. I am hopefully getting a couple of shells for the females when I pick up the gold heads tomorrow. Hopefully in 24 hours or so, I'll have my own little colony set up and settling in.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Will this affect anything aggression wise?


Hard to say for sure. Males may fight, but given enough space and territories, they may be ok. I've got 
two males displaying and posturing toward each other in an attempt to be dominant in a six foot tank. I 
think they'll work it out and be ok. But every tank is different. You're right, time will tell. 3 feet may not 
give enough space for two, but just keep an eye on things.



> Lastly, any dramas adding a BN to the tank? I am planning on adding one that is at least 5-6cm so it shouldn't get picked off.


Timing is everything. Add it right away and you've got a better chance, particularly if it's a good size.

Of course, you'll post pics right?


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

thanks for the response. will post some pics once they settle in!


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Here's what the tank looks like. Picking up the fish in a couple of hours.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I would have a couple of vertical caves either made up of rocks or artificial caves bought made specially for this (I forget the site that makes these) just big enough so the females have a refuge from the male (and hopefully can use them to hide from each other too, if they feel the need)


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

I have seen the caves you are talking about, but none that can be shipped to Australia. I have some shells on the way. I will silicone a terra cotta pot onto a tile in the mean time.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Try some tall rocks placed vertically, as odd as that sounds. Leave just a small space for vertical caves 
like 24Tropheus suggested. It sounds odd and not as we tend to do, but works for these guys. Make 
one pile in each corner. They're going to need more hiding places than what you have in there now to 
feel comfortable IME.


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## Bob1 (Jan 7, 2002)

What size rank will you have them in?


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Thanks, I will work on the scaping this afternoon. I have bought a few terra cotta pots. I will put a couple in today and will silicone a couple more to a base and put them in in a couple of days. Just need to dremel a cave entrance big enough for the females and too small for the males to get into.


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## TaNgS_RuLe (Sep 26, 2007)

Hey,

a 3 foot tank would be most ideal, but i strongly reccomend against keeping a 2nd male especially if your altos are adults(im assuming 4 inch?). I have a 2m/3f ratio of WC firefins in a 2.5 foot, and the extra male is always pinned to a side of the tank behind a filter. Having said that, I have 2m 5f goldheads in another 3 footer, with not many issues, but that is because they are only 2-3.5 inch.

For breeding, striped fox shells have worked the best for me (see: http://www.caseashells.com/images/seash ... s3_fox.gif) my altos do not spawn in anything else after you put on of these in the tanks  just place it in as vertical a position as you can with the mouth of the shell facing diagonally up. No silicon needed.

With respect to feeding, some altos are really picky, and refuse to take nls, if yours do great, if not you can always do a 100% frozen prawn diet, which works very well for me. I thaw out the frozen prawns in water, and deshell them before breaking them into small bite-sized chunks.

Rocks are not really necessary if your purpose is only to breed, two piles of 2-3 rocks with small caves will suffice since you only have 2 females, this way it is also easier to spot them 

Using sponge filters (air driven) would not be a problem, I use the for many of my alto tanks, even tanks fed heavily with prawns. Just make sure that no prawn chunks are left uneaten (this is also where less rocks might be beneficial)

Finally for waterchanges, altos do fine and breed well even without waterchanges for months, but I still try to change 50% monthly. Adults are fine with waterchanges once they get used to it. However the same cannot be said for fry, they are really delicate and go into shock and die instantly when the parameters change too drastically.


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## kilroy111 (Sep 25, 2006)

Thanks guys. The fish have been in the tank for about 24 hours and seem to have settled in well. A bit skittish, but I've read that is normal.

The tank I have is air driven side drop and it turns over around 1000 lph. The fish are not full sized, I would estimate the largest male might be around 2.5 inches, 3 inches max. They were previously fed on NLS, earthworm flakes and a couple of other treats. Speaking of earthworm flakes, I have a worm farm for making compost, and I was wondering if they will eat compost worms? They are pretty much 2-3 inch versions of regular earthworms.

I think I will have trouble sourcing shells like the ones you use, simply because you can't seem to buy them online over here, and I live 4 hours from a major city. There seems to be no real aggression between the two males so far. One of them is a touch bigger than the other one, and also a lot 'golder' in colour.

I plan on weekly water changes of 10-15% so as to not dramatically change the water parameters. The bioload is not great so nitrates should not be a problem.

Anyway, here's a couple of pics. They posed long enough for me to snap off a couple of photos. I plan on changing the scaping around, just waiting for some shells.




























cheers
shane


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