moving cyprichromis

[TankBoss]

I just found a group of 8 cyps at a fairly nearby fish store. They are apparently being held in a 20 gallon and I'm told that there is a holding female getting ready to spit any day now. They are all adults (3 males 5 females) in the 4 " range. How can I get these guys safely home over a 2 hr drive? Also, at $180...is the price right? Thanks

 

[foster53]

Have the store pack them no more than two to a bag, use oxygen if they have it and they will be fine for two hours.I have fish shipped to me that are bagged for 24 -36 hrs with no problems. $180.00 might be a little high, but it all depends on how bad you want them. I have paid way too much for fish before, but I wanted them so it was worth it.

 

[TankBoss]

Have the store pack them no more than two to a bag, use oxygen if they have it and they will be fine for two hours.I have fish shipped to me that are bagged for 24 -36 hrs with no problems. $180.00 might be a little high, but it all depends on how bad you want them. I have paid way too much for fish before, but I wanted them so it was worth it.

Thanks a lot for the help. 'Sounds like sound advice.

I guess I was a little extra worried about the drive because nobody will ship cyps "ground" due to how sensitive they are. 2 hrs in a car isn't the same as cross country in a truck though.

How about the m to f ratio? Does that sound good to you?

 

[foster53]

Might be a little male heavy. Keep an eye on them even Cyp males can get a little cranky with sub- dominant males If you breed them, just put one male in with the females.

 

[Jmedic25]

Boss..You can also get a battery powered bubbler or you may have a DC/AC converter for your car...You can use a bucket and airstone and pump.

 

[TankBoss]

Boss..You can also get a battery powered bubbler or you may have a DC/AC converter for your car...You can use a bucket and airstone and pump.

Thanks j. I sure hope it doesn't come to that. Haha! Oxygen sounds easier but I'd blow in their bag with a straw if it would get them here safe

 

[Jmedic25]

LMAO!!!!!

 

[joel618]

Get a Styrofoam cooler to put the bags in. Wrap the bags in newspaper also. Its good yo keep them in the dark and the temp stable. I've transported fish like this for over 4hrs.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

I drove from florida to ohio with african cichlids bagged 2 to a bag and then put in a brown paper bag. I put them in a cooler. 19 hours later every fish was fine and still alive to this day. Big thing is keeping the temp accurate and making sure there is enough oxygen in the bag. Good luck

 

[TankBoss]

Get a Styrofoam cooler to put the bags in. Wrap the bags in newspaper also. Its good yo keep them in the dark and the temp stable. I've transported fish like this for over 4hrs.

I drove from florida to ohio with african cichlids bagged 2 to a bag and then put in a brown paper bag. I put them in a cooler. 19 hours later every fish was fine and still alive to this day. Big thing is keeping the temp accurate and making sure there is enough oxygen in the bag. Good luck

Thanks guys. That makes perfect sense.

 

[kdpuffer]

Heck if your rockin a power inverter for an airstone throw a little heater in the bucket too.

 

[toddnbecka]

What species of Cyp are they, and what size tank do you want to keep them in? Price sounds fair for a group of adults from an lfs, I paid $100 +shipping for a group of unsexed juvie specklebacks. They took 2 days to arrive, all in one large bag inside a styro box w/heat pack, and no losses in transit or after arrival. They are sensitive fish, but packed properly even UPS Ground shipping didn't do any harm. You shouldn't have any problems with a 2 hour drive even w/out any extra effort.

 

[TankBoss]

What species of Cyp are they, and what size tank do you want to keep them in? Price sounds fair for a group of adults from an lfs, I paid $100 +shipping for a group of unsexed juvie specklebacks. They took 2 days to arrive, all in one large bag inside a styro box w/heat pack, and no losses in transit or after arrival. They are sensitive fish, but packed properly even UPS Ground shipping didn't do any harm. You shouldn't have any problems with a 2 hour drive even w/out any extra effort.

Cyprichromis Leptosoma Kitumba

I'm actually having some "aired" to me but its still a 2 1/2 hr drive.

55 gallon. Some say 4 feet is too short a tank for cyps. I'll let you know.

They'll be packed very good so I don't think I'll have a problem.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

 

[toddnbecka]

The tank size depends on the species, some Cyps are more conspecific-aggressive than others. C. leptosoma aren't one of the bigger/nastier ones, but a 55 may still be a bit crowded for them. I tried keeping a group of praecox rainbows in a 55 and they beat the snot out of each other, the dominant male eventually killed the others.
Rainbows are generally considered less aggressive than Cyps.
Do you have a contigency plan if they don't get along? Any other schooling fish to act as dithers? Even a group of zebra danios would be helpful to distract the males a bit.

 

[TankBoss]

The tank size depends on the species, some Cyps are more conspecific-aggressive than others. C. leptosoma aren't one of the bigger/nastier ones, but a 55 may still be a bit crowded for them. I tried keeping a group of praecox rainbows in a 55 and they beat the snot out of each other, the dominant male eventually killed the others.
Rainbows are generally considered less aggressive than Cyps.
Do you have a contigency plan if they don't get along? Any other schooling fish to act as dithers? Even a group of zebra danios would be helpful to distract the males a bit.

No plan. I'm just going to throw them in my tank and they're going to be beautiful, perfect, and start breeding. Haha

 

[TankBoss]

Thanks everyone. It worked out great. I bought the fish from a store and drove them an hour and a half to my place.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4989/1329198539638.jpg

One of them was holding and spit shortly after being put in my tank

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/5372/13291938697451.jpg

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Awesome! U got more fish out of the deal lol!

 

[TankBoss]

Awesome! U got more fish out of the deal lol!

That's how I feel. Haha! Bonus!