I need a "show" fish for a 180g community - Ideas?

[BryceM]

Somehow, the two parents have managed to keep their little group of fry alive in this mixed community tank. The ability of the parents to do this is maybe the most surprising thing I've seen in the hobby.

There are still around a dozen little ones and they're becoming increasingly bold. Mom and dad leave them alone for a few seconds now and they're ranging over a much wider area. The little ones are maybe about 1/4" long now but their bellies are always nice and round. I'm not sure what they're finding to eat, but obviously it's something.

I'll try to get some photos when they get a little bigger. My camera is lousy when it comes to macro images.

[JanS]

I'm glad to hear they're doing well Bryce.

Yes, I'm always amazed that any of my fry survive with the community I have in my 125, but I'm almost considering giving them birth control at this point...

I'll look forward to photos of the "kids".

[BryceM]

Well, these images are pretty lousy, but they should give you some idea of the little one's size at this point. Mom is becoming a little less fussy about keeping them in a tight group. The other fish are more or less leaving the little ones alone at this point.


A photo of dad.


A photo of mom.


Mom and one of the fry.


Two of the fry. Compare them to the Downoi.

[JanS]

It looks like they're coming along nicely Bryce.

[Mud Pie Mama]

Those are some absolutely stunning fish; your "lousy" photos look pretty good to me!

I'm always enthralled at the many iridescent colors these females exhibit and can watch them for hours.

[apistaeasy]

do you feed the fry anything specific, or do they just scavenge?

[BryceM]

Just regular fish food. Like their parents, they comb the substrate looking for things to eat. Judging by their growth they're finding enough, but compared to other fry I've raised, specific feeding would probably result in faster growth. This business of raising fry in a community tank is pretty strange to me. I tried directing some food toward the fry when they were smaller but it just attracted all of the other fish in the tank.

A second pair is now ready to spawn and have "taken over" the cave. The male from the first spawning has lost all interest in the fry. Mom is still guarding a few in a new part of the tank, but mostly the little guys are on their own now. I suspect I'll loose a few to predation from the larger males, especially if the second pair actually spawns. The congo tetras never seem to come close enough to the substrate to see them.

[bs6749]

Shoulda gone with discus! That's a great size tank for a large school of them. You won't get any showier fish IMO.

[BryceM]

Yeah maybe, but you either do a discus tank from the ground up or you do something else. Discus require higher temps and I'm not sure my current plants or 'scape would work well for that.