# 8ft. 250 gal stocking poll F. rostratus? O. lithobates?



## Guest (Apr 20, 2007)

*Options*​
F. rostratus (3 males 7 females) + C. moori (2males 6females)323.08%F. rostratus (3 males 6 females) + P. phenochilus tanzania (3males 6 females)215.38%F. rostratus (3 males 7 females) + C. borleyi (2 males 6females)17.69%O. lithobates (3 males 7 females) +C. moori (3males 7females)00.00%O. lithobates (3 males 7 females) +P. phenochilus (3males 7females)17.69%O. lithobates (3 males 7 females) + C. borleyi (3males 7females)215.38%F. rostratus (3 males 7 females) + O. lithobates (3 males 7 females)215.38%F. rostratus (4males 10 females)00.00%O. Lithobates (6 males 12 females)00.00%P. phenochilus (6 males 12 females)215.38%


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2007)

Going to be converting my 8ft. long 250 gal with 50+ gal sump from a planted discus tank (9 6-7inch reflection D blue discus) to a malawi hap tank. I'm having issues deciding on inhabitants, so I thought I'd take a poll. I like keeping species tanks, so just 2 species, 3 max. Here ar some options. I'll start with juvies min. 3-4 inches to young adults 5inches or soo. I'm very partial to F. rostratus (which I've never kept before) and O. lithobates -yellow blaze (12 years ago I had a colony of 20 3-7 inches). I'd like to stay away from keeping them together because the O. lithobates look like 1/2 size F. rostratus. I dislike Peacocks- soo I won't be keeping any of those. I'm thinking of possibly C.borleyi's (beatiful color female and male) , P. phenocilus (love the dots), C. Moori (love the nuncal lump), or P. electra. All are big fish, but not monsters 6-12 inches.


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## Galli (Feb 26, 2007)

Man, you made this tough on me since my three favorite haps are _O. lithobates_, _P. phenochilus_ and _C. borleyi_. I flipped a coin and went with _O. lithobates_ and _P. phenochilus_, though I do admit it will be a very blue tank.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2007)

It's a tough one. I can't decide. Maybe you all can help. I'll take the top 3 and make a poll from them. Yeah, I'm a blue fan. The borleyi (male and female) , lithobates, and rostrtus females should give nice contrast. I'm undecided on play sand, vs. grey coast (grey) substrate, vs. white sand. I'm thinking of large piles of rock with open space between.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

I would go with 3 species, the rostratus, phenochilus, and borleyi (kadango) for some red coloration. Being you are a blue fan I am thinking rostratus or lithobates along with the pheno and moorii. I'd use a tan sand with a few large piles of rock and a few tall plants that the fish seem to enjoy. Just my opinion though. Good luck !
____________________


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2007)

Thanks for the opinion. Is that a pic of your rostratus. That's a nice looking fish. How big is it. I've never kept them so, I'm wondering how long a 3-4 inch male would take to color up? I could get adults, but I find raising juvies helps with male aggression, plus keeps cost down.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Orca said:


> Thanks for the opinion. Is that a pic of your rostratus. That's a nice looking fish. How big is it. I've never kept them so, I'm wondering how long a 3-4 inch male would take to color up? I could get adults, but I find raising juvies helps with male aggression, plus keeps cost down.


Yes, that rostratus is mine, thanks for the complement on him. He is 7".

You can see more of him here:http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=138189&highlight=

Sexing these fish at 3-4 inch is very difficult, if not impossible. Most will need to be at least 6" to see some male traits emerging IME.

You could purchase 8 to 12 juvies and let nature take its course, or try to get sub/adults which can be in the male/female ratio you prefer while being less costly than adults.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2007)

JUST AWSOME! That was my thought. The poll choices are my final ratios I desire. I figure with 12-16 3-4 inch fish I'll get a nice ratio.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2007)

what size did you get him at, and how long did it take for him to get to that size? I've been told from 3-4 inches it will take a year.


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## bigfishferd (May 31, 2006)

Orca said:


> what size did you get him at, and how long did it take for him to get to that size? I've been told from 3-4 inches it will take a year.


Thats about right.

My male was 3" at time of purchase, took him 15 months to reach 7".


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## Duarte101 (Jun 9, 2004)

orca i have 4m/26 f lithobates and ill worn u know its a big mistake only 1 male will be colored up while the others just looks like females with a faint blaze imo i would do Rostratus and the phenochilus tanzania or just a Rostratus tank *** heard that Rostratus school so basicly in a 250gal tank a school of Rostratus would be nice to look at and fun to watch good luck and keep us posted with before after pics


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2007)

My lithobates colony in the past 2 males in full color and one in subduded color with spots out of 20 total. Your correct that some males don't color up. When my dominant male jumped out of the tank to the great fish bowl in the sky. A fish I long thought was a large female colored up (actually a small male). My wife likes the C. morri and C. borleyi, or a tank full of German Red peacocks ( I hate yellow bloaters). I like the predatory look. If I mix in a moori, borleyi, or phenochilus, they have contrasting shapes, I just don't know what to go with or if I should just do one species. Over the past 15 years I've kept usually one or 2 species in a tank of cichlids. I usually don't like to put tank mates such as catfish, unless they are species found in that region ( a bit obsessive compulsive about it).


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