Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus, here I come

[Acara19]

Sunlit 30 I just set up, so far just has my male l144 in it to keep the filter alive. Still waiting for my almond leaves, alder cones, and powerhead to ship, and I'm also gonna pick up some hatchets and brochis this weekend. Probably gonna order my pair this weekend or next week. I'm also gonna try to go to the park today or tomorrow and grab some oak leaves and the like just for variety.

 

[FishEggs]

Looks like a really good start.

 

[jonclark96]

They likely will need a bigger tank before too long. I had 4 years ago when Rapps brought them in and grew them out in a 40 breeder. When the alpha male hit about 4 inches and picked a female, they killed the other two in a matter of days. He then killed the female before I could move them to a bigger tank.

Good luck with them. They are neat fish!

 

[Acara19]

They likely will need a bigger tank before too long. I had 4 years ago when Rapps brought them in and grew them out in a 40 breeder. When the alpha male hit about 4 inches and picked a female, they killed the other two in a matter of days. He then killed the female before I could move them to a bigger tank.

Good luck with them. They are neat fish!

I may reconsider in this case lol
As much as I like them and as much as I want to be able to distribute them to others who are interested in them I feel like I probably don't have enough information on them as a species to be spending $40 on a pair that will grow extremely slow, may or may not kill eachother, and or repeatedly eat their fry
Now I am considering other things TUIC has to offer like thorichthys aureum or amatitlania myrnae, as I am wholly familiar with both of those and their relatives and comfortable with keeping them reliably
Now that's a tough decision because I want t.aureum for the same reasons as a.coeruleopunctatus, and then the myrnae are rio laris (my favorite myrnae locale because purple males and bright orange females) so it's a tough choice.

 

[jonclark96]

I'm not trying to scare you off from them, just pointing out that, in my experience, they'll need some space. But this holds true for almost all but a few central american cichlids. If the 30 is the long term home for whatever species you choose, the myrnae are the only ones i would try, and even then it would be risky. It would be awesome for someone to grow and breed some coruleopunctatus. I think they would be good in a 75 as adults.

 

[Freakgecko]

I may reconsider in this case lol
As much as I like them and as much as I want to be able to distribute them to others who are interested in them I feel like I probably don't have enough information on them as a species to be spending $40 on a pair that will grow extremely slow, may or may not kill eachother, and or repeatedly eat their fry
Now I am considering other things TUIC has to offer like thorichthys aureum or amatitlania myrnae, as I am wholly familiar with both of those and their relatives and comfortable with keeping them reliably
Now that's a tough decision because I want t.aureum for the same reasons as a.coeruleopunctatus, and then the myrnae are rio laris (my favorite myrnae locale because purple males and bright orange females) so it's a tough choice.

Also worth noting that cryptoheros are far from easy to move in the DMV area. They breed like rabbits and the market gets flooded quickly. So many people here had A. Myrnae Rio Estrella that finding a buyer for any myrnae collection point will be tough. Cutteri are another one you can barely give away here

 

[Freakgecko]

If I’m not mistaken, most burjurquina species are on the more manageable size. My vitattus didn’t exceed much past 4”. Kevin has B. sp. San Jose in his list. Nice little acaras, he could probably tell you more about their adult size

 

[Acara19]

I have decided on getting myrnae, but in the meantime the tank is looking awesome

 

[Acara19]

Another update, since Kevin ran out of adult myrnae I'm getting a pair of crenicichla compressiceps for the tank instead. I think they'll do better in it than the myrnae will. I'm still getting a pair of juvenile myrnae for another tank when he puts those up.

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Good luck with the pikes, any pics of those? Tank looks good.

 

[Acara19]

Thank you, and I haven't got them yet, they should be shipping out sometime this week though. I will post updates as soon as they're in the tank.

 

[Freakgecko]

Dwarf pikes are some of the most frustrating fish I’ve kept next to Ivanacara adoketa lol good luck with them!

 

[Acara19]

Here's hoping my 6 pH 30 gallon blackwater with half a foot of leaf litter is good enough for the little things lol

 

[Acara19]

Pikes are here

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Sweet, good luck!