Frontosas/gibberosa

[kdpuffer]

Well I see people always starting threads about their favorite species to showcase and such so I'm starting one about my favorite fish, the frontosa. I have 13 juvenile fronts and the first group I got are colouring up nicely. I purchased all as just plain fronts and suspect they are Burundi but they seem a little more blue than a typical Burundi. Well people let's see your frontosas.

 

[Lady_Alia]

I love love love my frontosas!!!! I've got 11 of them and will weed them down to a breeding colony of 4-5, consisting of 1 male and 3-4 females. I'm constantly taking pics of them. In fact, I have an album devoted to frontosas. Have I mentioned I LOVE MY FRONTOSAS!!!!!

 

[kdpuffer]

Fronts are definitely my favorite fish. I had some f1 mpimbwe blues but for some reason I got out of the hobby. When I got back into it the first thing I did was get more fronts. Very calm fish and the get excited when I go near the tank. One day I want some nice wild caughts.

 

[Lady_Alia]

I had an mbuna tank and saw a frontosa at the pet store. I managed to walk away, came home to do some research on them, realized they shouldn't go in my tank then drove an hour and a half the next day to get one! lol I just couldn't get that little fish outta my head, instant love! Anyway, I put her in my mbuna tank for about a month then moved her. Now they have their own tank! There is just something about a frontosa that makes em special. Love love love my frontosas!!!!

 

[kdpuffer]

When I first started with fish like five years ago, I was searching online trying to decide what I wanted since I didnt want a typical Oscar or neon tetras. I ended up looking at African cichlids and came across the frontosa, instantly knew that was what I wanted. Their hump looks so cool. I decided to hold off on getting one since they get big then I wander into petland and they had a 1" front. I bought it and then upgraded my tank then got a colony going. I grew them out to about 4" and they looked awesome but for some foolish reason(ex wife hated my fish) I decided to get out of the hobby. Sold everything then my new squeezes dad gave me a 30 gallon last year and I went straight back at it. First thing i did was special order some frontosas. They cost a pretty penny but well worth it. Just a few weeks ago while I was in the city I picked up six more so now I have 13. My girlfriend is very supportive of my fish obsession lol has not once complained at how much I've spent, the disgruntled grown perhaps but she knows they are my pride and joy so leaves me to it. I have plans to Reno my basement in a couple years and am putting in a 180+ gallon for my fronts built out of the wall as a room divider so I can watch them wherever I am.

 

[spoonman]

I rescued mine and am in love with it!

 

[Lady_Alia]

I completely understand! lol I had never seen frontosas and when I saw Qt, the obsession started. I ended up with my 11 ranging in size from an inch to maybe two inches. Now the largest one is right around four inches. There's just something awesome about a frontosa!

 

[Lady_Alia]

Spoonman, how old and how big?? And he looks fabulous!!!!

 

[kdpuffer]

Nice spoonman, can't wait till mine get that size.

 

[Slowmoe]

This was my 7 bar but sadly I left the lid off and he tried exploring outside of the tank which didn't work well for him but awesome fish though.

 

[kdpuffer]

That's a shame moe, very nice fish.

 

[toddnbecka]

I'm picking up a 7' 220 next week, it's going to be stocked with front's when I find some good ones.

 

[kdpuffer]

That will be sweet. I have plans to get a minimum 180 and have it set up like a built in to divide my games room and living room. It will be my dedicated frontosa tank most likely with some other tanganyikans, probably keep my goldheads and maybe get something else that's peaceful and won't get eaten. I may upgrade to some wild or f1 7 stripes(true frontosa) or if I get lucky some Zaire, we can all dream right lol. Actually had the chance to get a colony of 7 stripe wild caught a few weeks back for 150 a fish but not having a suitable tank I had to decline. I have a couple of my Burundi that are starting to develope thier humps. Most likely males so once they mature some I'll vent em and weed out so I can get a nice colony.

 

[Termitehunter]

I no longer have Fronts but they are one of my favorites of all time. Here is a shot of my big daddy, Poseidon. He was 5 years old and 13" at the time.

 

[Lady_Alia]

WOW!!!! he's gorgeous!!

 

[kdpuffer]

Beautiful termitehunter. He got up to 13" in five years? I heard they put it on quick for the first year then growth slows way down. The one thing I think I like best is that they live to be like 25 or 30 years old

 

[Termitehunter]

He grew to to about 5 inches the first year. Then a couple of inches a year after that. After three years he only wanted to eat every other day, even with krill right in front of him.

 

[kay-bee19]

Nice pix folks! They're one of my favorite fish.

Here are some of my fronts:

Burundi

Kapampa/Zaire Blue

Kigoma

Kipili

Mpimbwe

 

[pictuslover23]

Wow! Those fronts are beautiful! I'm just starting to put together a 125 gal front tank. What kind of filtration do you guys use? I was thinking a 30 gal sump. What about tankmates?

 

[kdpuffer]

For tank mates I prefer to stay with other tanganyikans. Try to get fish that are mellow like a frontosa. I have goldhead comps in with mine aswell as some petricola cats. I recently got rid of my ventralis as they were a little high strung zipping around like mad. Some other TM would be calvus.