# Entering the world of Xenos



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

I made the order today with one of the sponors of the site to get some Xenos. I'm going to be stocking a 40L, 48*13*16 with 8 WC Paracyp Nigprinnis, 6 WC Xeno Flavipinnis Crocodile Island, and one Adult Atlolamp Calvus Congo Inkfin that I have from another tank.

I have two rock piles on each of the side of the tack with java fern attached. I mixed Carib Sea Ivory Coast sand with white marine sand, and the rock structures are limestone from Lake Erie. The tank has been cycling for 4 weeks now and the chemistry is perfect. I have a black background and I have a aqua-glow bulb to bring out the blue and orange/red spectrum.

I have done a lot of reading and I want to ask a few questions.

1) Are once a week water changes ideal for xenos, and if so what % of the tank?
2) I am a fan of NLS with my fish, is that a good food for xenos?
3) Do I need to do anything special when introducing the fish to the tank besides the norm?
4) I have some 2 Syn. Petricola and 1 Syn. Multipunctatus, could I put them in this tank, or would it be better to keep them out.
5) Anything else I should be prepared for?

All in all I'm buying from a very good supplier so stock quality and health is not going to be a concern, but you read all these horror stories about xenos. I'm cautions and **** I have been raising Tangs for 10 years.


----------



## alfalex (Jan 6, 2007)

I have a very similar setup, 40g long, one couple of Xeno flavipinnis Crocodile island with 4 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis chituta, one male for 3 female. Both species breed for me, they are very peacefull, the king of the tank is my male paracyprichromis. I wouldn't add anything to the tank except the growing fry.

I'm filtering the tank with a aquaclear 110 and a cheap Eheim clone for bio. I only have a 18 watt old powerglow and the fish aren't skittish and show amazing color! I feed them a mix of freeze-dried cyclop-eeze, Golden pearl, Nls grow and spirulina flake, once a month I give them a huge quantity of freshly hatch baby brine shrimp after a big water change and nearly every time the breed! I normaly do I 20% water change every week!


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Thanks for the help. Do you think I have enough filteration? I only have a Aquaclear 70 on the tank. I also have a Aquaclear 30 powerhead to create a current.


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

The Aquaclear 70 cycles a maximum of 300 gph, and the power head does ~ 140 gph. That's pretty good, but I suggest putting a prefilter on the powerhead to add more biomedia. I throw in biomax or other ceramic bio filter stuff into my HOB filters and there's even space for them inside the prefilters. Additionally, you can add a bag of filter floss to polish the water a bit more.

There's lots of info on modifying the HOB (even on www.DrsFosterSmith.com) to maximize it's usefulness.

Another note: make sure your rocks do not have sharp edges and that there's room to swim around them. Xenos can spook easily and tend to run smack into things. Their eyes are easily damaged, so round edged rocks can prevent some problems.


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Just got back from the store, bought the prefilter for the powerhead and a bag of filter floss. Time to make the fish order.


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Triscuit since adding the pre-filter and media to the powerhead and the filter floss to the Aquaclear 70 the tank water is crystal clear. It was clear before don't get me wrong, but it doesn't even look like there is water in the tank.

By the time the fish show up on 8/15 this tank is going to be in prestine condition. If I can find the digital camera, still have not totally unpacked from the move, I will take some pics. Then once I get the fish I will update the thread.


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

jtranscriptus said:


> Triscuit since adding the pre-filter and media to the powerhead and the filter floss to the Aquaclear 70 the tank water is crystal clear. It was clear before don't get me wrong, but it doesn't even look like there is water in the tank.


 

Glad to hear it. Now, forgive me for asking, but how did you cycle the tank, and what is your nitrate level? Are you maintaining the bacterial population with other fish or ammonia?

BTW... NLS is a terrific base food and supplementing it with fresh/frozen foods will be appreciated by the fish.

:fish: :fish:


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

I cycled the tank with two zebra danios, that are still in the tank. The nitrate level is currently 20ppm. I have had the tank up for over a month now. Fish are coming in two weeks.

PH 8.8
KH 16
GH 14
Temp 77 degrees


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

The water sounds near perfect, and I assume that you'll do a water change to bring the nitrates down a bit before the new fish arrive. My only concern is that you are adding a lot of fish that will require a lot more good bacteria than what the 2 danios can support.

Do you have another tank? Since you have two weeks, I suggest growing some extra bacteria. Seed some filter media by placing it in a well established tank. If you can, over feed that tank for the next week so that more bacteria grow. You can fix it with a couple water changes later.

When you get the new fish, move the seeded media into the new tank. Watch carefully for ammonia spikes (monitor twice daily), and drastically underfeed for the first three days.

I'm more concerned about the paracyps than the xenos for this...


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

I have a 55 gallon that is up and running at my parents house. It currently holds 3 Cyp Blue Flash, 2 WC Neolamp Mustax, 1 Alto Calvus Black which I'm going to put in the 40L, 2 Syn Petricola, 1 Syn. Multipunctatus, 3 Giant Danios, and two busynose plecos.

I was going to go this weekend and pick-up the Alto and a busynose for the 40L. Do you recommend I wait to add them? Or add them now? I have two AquaClear 50's on the 55. I can take some of that media, right?


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Here are some pics, sorry not a professional:

The tank:









Rock Structure 1:









Open Sand:









Rock Structure 2:









Close up on Java:


----------



## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

I would honestly add them now. Start building up what is in the filter.

As for the media, wait until you get the fish and then add it within 24 hours. That should prevent a die off of the bacteria from adding it to too light of a bio load. 2 weeks would give too much time for the bio load to go down.

Maybe buy an extra sponge for the AC70 and run it in the 55g at your parents until the fish arrive. Then, you'll have a fairly well seeded media to add.


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

I'm adding the Calvus and two bn plecos tomorrow, and the picking up the fish next Friday. I also plan on doing a water change next week before I pick-up the fish. Hopefully all goes well. I'm getting some alge growth on the rocks so I hope those bn plecos take care of business.


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

I added only two fish to the tank, a BN pleco and a dwarf Syn. Petricola. I had some room on the back of the tank so I added another AquaClear 50 that I had sitting around to it. So currently I have an AquaClear 70 & 50, and a AquaClear 30 Powerhead with quick-filter. In total I have about 650 gph going through this tank.

I hope that with weekly 40% water changes and the stock I have selected I will have some healthy fish who will be interested in breeding.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Won't the Syno bother the Xeno's?


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Not sure but the Syno is only an inch and stays mainly in the rock structures.


----------



## jtranscriptus (Apr 20, 2004)

Got the fish today. It is funny how crappy the Paracyprichromis Nigripinnis look when you get them, after an hour in the tank they color-up and look wonderful. The xenos are sifting through the sand and looking great. The supplier gave me some good ratios on the fish. 3m/6f on the Paracyps, and 2m/4f on the xenos. I will put some picks up once they settle in.


----------

