Should I get my krib a wifey? Fry?

[trashion]

I love my krib, Milo. He's colorful, boisterous, and active. However, he's only in a 15-gallon tank, and he harasses his tankmates (6 harlequin rasboras) There are 2 amano shrimp left (as far as I can see, it's heavily planted!) but they managed to hide from him until they got nice and big.

I'm wondering about whether or not I should get him a female. The tank is only 15 gallons and heavily planted, so I'm worried about space. I would probably get rid of the harlequins if I did get a female, because they're already stressed out by Milo. He stalks them from within the rotala, and then rockets out and breaks up the school. I was thinking of getting him a "boo" in exchange for the harlies.

So basically, can a breeding pair of kribs be comfortable in a 15 gallon tank with no other tankmates? (save for my sneaky shrimp)

Second question: I have no idea what I'd do with the fry. I could set up a little 5.5 gallon next to my 15, as a grow-out tank for the fry, but much larger than that isn't really an option. And then what? Should I shop around my LFS's and try to give them my kribs for credit? That would be handy...

Third question:
I've read that female kribs are picky little wenches. How should I go about trying to pair one up with Milo?

[emc7]

You are right about krib females being picky. They are the aggressive sex in kribs. You could get two females, so she could bash the other one instead of Milo. Find a place that will take the fry before you have any.

[trashion]

Hm. So you would recommend getting 2 females? Won't the other one possibly be killed while the pair spawns?

[emc7]

If you are quick, you can take her out. But I've read that without another female to kill, the female will often kill the male. Hopefully you will get advice from someone who's kept them.

[BV77]

once they pair off , especially in a small tank, it will be odd man (or woman) out....they will both harrass the odd one.

[trashion]

Okay. So I should go shopping around for 2 females, let one of them woo Milo, and then take back the odd one? *plans to set up the 5.5 asap*

I'll ask around at pet shops and see if they'll take my krib fry.

[Clerk]

I wouldn't add another krib to a 15..

[trashion]

That's why I'm asking. I researched it a bit, and I found conflicting info. TheKrib.com says you can even keep a pair in a 10! Hm.

[Clerk]

My lfs added a pair of kribs to a 125 display. They take up the entire tank, and live with 4 generations of fry among other things. I wouldn't personally do kribs in anything smaller then a 20 Long.

[trashion]

Well, crap. Anyone else wish to advise?

[trashion]

Okay, I read some more and now I feel bad keeping Milo in such a small tank. I guess I may have to try and trade him into a LFS. I love the little guy, but I can't keep a 5 inch fish in a 15 gallon. I'm looking into apistos, there are tons of pairs for sale on aquabid. Are they good with plants?

[Clerk]

Apistos are great with plants. Is your 15 a tall 10, or does it have a larger footprint?

[trashion]

It's the footprint of a 20H, but shorter. It measures approximately 2ftx1ftx1ft. I calculated it and it comes out to just under exactly 15 gallons.

[emc7]

Be careful picking the apistos. Some are too aggressive for that size tank even though they are very small. My caucatodies killed the male. Look at Dicrossus sp. they are small, mild, and beautiful.

[Kribensis12]

He is fine in a 15g. Did you already return him? You can keep and breed them in a 10g if it came down to it, but nothing else in the tnak, an ddont keep the fry with them. Get 1 female, not 2 as there will be fighting. To find a good female, get a medium sized one with a big belly that's nice and red/purple. I'd get rid of the raboras. The rule is 1 inch per gallon. But then you have to add in the fact he's a territorial cichlid, which goes around 7u gallons per fish. But when they pair off, they arent aggressive towards eachother, making a 10g a possible breeding place. The dhrimp will eventaully be eaten by him or his mate. Krbis do etter if you ahve 2, as they arent as secluded. Also, a 5.5g going up to a 15 g is fine for bringing up fry. Just leave them w/ the parents for th efirst 2 weeks. Females arent really that picky. A slong as he is big( no pun intended), colorful, and strong, she'll pair up w/ him.

[trashion]

Honestly, I'm okay with the fact that I have to return him. He harasses everyone in the tank as it is. I'm gonna go with something smaller and better suited to a smaller environment. I want more shrimp too, so that effectively rules out keeping the krib.

[emc7]

Considering K12s name and avatar, you found an expert. Pros do breed kribs in 15 gallon tanks. I do think, though, that like angels or rams, if you breed fish in a tank the size of there territory, it should be a species tank. You can breed them in a community tank, but it has to be big enough for the other fish to get out of the way.

[Kribensis12]

I hardley consider myself an expert at the tender age of 14! I just have alot of experince and sore eye's from too much google( you'll learn just about anything form that site!)! I have succsefully kept a pair of kribs( albino) with livebearers, danio's, and a snail( i think!) in a 20g flat hexagon. So, truley, they get along with alot of things.

Angels are out of the question, unless you get at least a 20 g high, or a 20g flat hexagon. As they can get up to 8 inches tall, unless they are Altum Angels( very hard to find), which can reach up to 16-18 inches tall( along with long finned and vieltailed varities). Small Apistogramma are good choices, but they need VERY CLEAN WATER. Also, they need to be ACCLIMATED VERY VERY SLOWLY or they WILL die. You have no idea how many i have lost to poor aclimation( probably around 6?). You would do best to get the ph around 6.5-7.0 . To have a lower ph, makes NITRATE, NITRITE, & AMMONIA more harmful. Which is why Discus and such need such low nitrates. Apisto's are fragile, but once they get eestablished, they'll give any newcomers hell. So, i would suggest getting what you want added in at the same time. If your looking to breed the apisto's get a group of 6 and let them pair off. Then keep the healist/ prettiest pair and take the others back.

( Yes, i've kept/keep both angels and apisto's)

[JustOneMore20]

Apistos are shrimp eaters as well, so if you want to keep your shrimp alive (and add more) skip them.

[trashion]

Yeah. I already decided to get rid of the krib and get either pygmy or hastatus cories. Maybe in the future I'll get a pair of kribs, but upon watching Milo tear sh!t up in this 15 gallon, I really think they'd do best in at least a 29.