Lonely Crabro Needs A Friend

[JGM]

Hi,
A few weeks ago I offered a small Bumble Bee for free in the trader section. No one took the offer and the young Cichlid is still with us. Since the crabro isn't a good tank mate for any of my other fish, I was wondering what you would suggest. I'm not looking for fry - just another fish or two for sharing good times.

According to my literature, Metriaclima crabros are relatively peaceful and grow to about 4 1/2". I'm thinking it's a she considering it never turns dark but often blanches to a nearly solid yellow. Any thoughts on who would make a good friend?

TIA.
Jim

 

[phishphorphun]

I had crabros a long time ago. They get very large for mbuna type cichlids. I found they got along well with the socolofis kept with them. The combination also provides nice contrasting colors in your tank and they both grow to large sizes (6"). The socolofi are much less aggressive than most mbuna.


You can check out the P. Socolofi here.

 

[JGM]

Thanks Bobby, that's just the input I was looking for. However, I'm not thinking my little crabro is gonna make it to 6". She grew really fast the first week or so but is now slowing down. I've watched a lot of fish mature and she seems destined to be a runt. I'll be surprised if she makes it to 4 1/2". Do they have to be the same size or does that matter?

BTW, those are some beautiful pictures on your web site. I think I looked at nearly every one!

Thanks again,
Jim

 

[phishphorphun]

I think it may depend on how often she is fed, and the size of the tank that will determine her size. The males get larger, if I remember correctly.

Glad you enjoyed the site. I haven't looked at it in several months. One of these days I'll update it with some new pix. :unsure: Probably a lot more eagles. :winking0011:

 

[JGM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phishphorphun @ May 18 2008, 09:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I think it may depend on how often she is fed, and the size of the tank that will determine her size. The males get larger, if I remember correctly. [/b]

She had a previous owner who had only been into fish for a short time. I got her when I bought his 55 gallon tank which was advertised on Craig's list. She was the last survivor of a dozen or so small Cichlids. He warned me he still had one fish when I first called him on the phone, but I had no idea. :unsure:

Anyway, she appeared misshapen from the start. Her back side seemed too small for the size of her head. Maybe that's normal; I don't know. Since her former owner gave me everything he had that was fish related, I got two bags of food - Hakari's Cichlid Staple. One was nearly empty and the other un-opened. Every time I tried to feed her this stuff, she just spat it out, so I've been giving her flake food. Even now that she's much larger, she'll only eat the pellets if they float for a while and get thoroughly water softened. This all leads me to think she wasn't fed properly and perhaps that was the downfall of her tank mates. Is this the right food for young Cichlids?

Then this past weekend, I moved her 10 gallon tank next to another one full of Guppies, to make space for the larger tank that will ultimately be her home. The Bumble Bee responded by starting to dig holes in the substrate. Since her tank was originally a nursery for plants, busted leaves and uprooted plants were everywhere. I was not amused.

So I made her a little shale cave in the corner which she excavated deeper, and I slipped some cardboard between the two tanks so she can't see the Guppies anymore. This seems to have stopped her digging... for now. My question: do all Cichlids that would make a good tank mate dig? Are there species that don't dig? I really like the looks of planted aquaria and I'm absolutely convinced plants provide for a healthier environment. What are my options?

Further, does this digging behavior indicate that she is a she and not a he? Lately I noticed that she has a spot on her anal fin which I read somewhere is a male trait, and this morning when her light came on, she was almost entirely black for a couple seconds, another male trait. Do I have a male and how does this impact the selection of a tank mate?

As always, thanks in advance.
Jim

 

[phishphorphun]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Further, does this digging behavior indicate that she is a she and not a he? Lately I noticed that she has a spot on her anal fin which I read somewhere is a male trait, and this morning when her light came on, she was almost entirely black for a couple seconds, another male trait. Do I have a male and how does this impact the selection of a tank mate?[/b]

African cichlids are always digging in the substrate. But I would think the male would be clearing a nesting area more frequently than a female. As far as the sex, not sure of a definite distinction between the two. The egg spots are normally a trait of the male, however, both the male and female crabro can have numerous egg spots.

As for the size. It grows to be a very "thick" fish, with broad shoulders and girth. An oversized head could be a tell tale sign of being underfed.

Have you looked <span style="color:#FF0000">here for more information?</span>

 

[JGM]

Thanks! :smile: