Kribs question

[FreshwaterJeff]

As some of you know, I'm in the midst of planning a tank to be set up later this summer.

My original stocking plan (see signature for details) was focused around two pairs of German Blue Rams. Given the difficulty that often accompanies finding good stocks of and caring for the Rams, I've also considered a variety of back-up plans, including Bolivian Rams, Keyhole Cichlids, and various Apistos.

But I hadn't considererd Kribensis until recently...

I know Kribs are far from your typical African cichlid on a variety of fronts (in my initial research, I've found they're tolerable of a comparable range of water conditions, fairly hardy, and generally good tank mates except when breeding), but do you think they'd fit in well given the stocking plan below, minus the Rams? Or am I asking for trouble when they do inevitably breed?

I haven't completely decided to go the Kribs route, and I'm going to give myself the opportunity to find some Rams first - but I'm curious about kribs as a contingency plan.

Thanks in advance for the help

-Jeff

 

[Menagerie]

I have a few kribs in a 50 gal with yo-yos, cories, khulies, dwarf plecos and white cloud minnows (this has been established for over a year). There used to be other dwarf cichlids, but the kribs did beat on them when breeding and a water quality issue was the end of them a few months ago I'm happy with just kribs--they are bigger, seem to move about more and I often see them interacting with the yo-yos. Plus their breeding behavior and fry raising are fun to watch.

 

[GlitcH]

I've had Kribs many times in the past.
They are generally peaceful with fish of the same size.(unless breeding of course)
Females by themselves are very peaceful but males can be nippy when paired or not.

Considering the stocking plan you have there, the only fish that will not be bothered at all is the pleco.
The loaches should be fine unless the kribs are breeding.
And forget about the smaller species of shrimp of you want kribs.

I've never kept rams though......are they ok with small shrimp?

 

[FreshwaterJeff]

I've never kept rams though......are they ok with small shrimp?

Probably not. But that's a risk I'm willing to accept

 

[Tiffi]

I'm not sure if it is a good idea to put wto Krib pairs in the tank though but you can always try.

I've had them with GBRs for several months now and they are all fine. They spawned several times and once raised some fry, which I kept in the tank till they were about 2" and ready to sell. I've recognized at that time that the adults go more after the teens than the GBRs, which was better for the rams. But my Kribs are fairly good anyway, since they just care about whoever comes closer than 6" to their cave.
Also they don't care about my corys and otocinclus at all, they can even sit on top of their cave while breeding.

One thing I am sure of though is that you will have trouble with breeding Kribs and shrimp together. Your shrimp might get banged up or escape through every little opening in the canopy. Or you might never see them again, because they are hiding under stones/deco, afraid of the Kribs.

I would also not take ghost shrimp, they don't seem to be too healthy and don't seem to last too long.

 

[FreshwaterJeff]

Thanks for the advice, all. Just to clarify, if I did go with the kribs, it would only be one pair, and I wouldn't get the rams.

And yeah - those "maybes" are just thoughts. I would almost certainly skip the shrimp if I got kribs, as well as making a couple other adjustments to that end.

By the way, I'm posting from my blackberry.

That's SUCH a problem

 

[FreshwaterJeff]

Thanks for the input, all.

I think I've decided to stick with the Rams for now -- while I've begun to secretly plan a kribs species tank for the future...hehehe...

 

[malkore]

sounds like a good idea. my kribs maybe weren't 'typical' but the male killed every fish in the tank when they started to breed. bullied them and made a 5" SAE jump out of the tank!

he even killed the female at one point.