Cribroheros robertsoni (pics and input)

[cjdesmit]

Just wanted to share a couple pics of some newer pickups and perhaps get a bit of input on them. Someone brought in a very large group of C. robertsoni into my LFS and I decided to grab a decent sized group. I ended up with 8 and have had them in quarantine for the past month. I just moved them into my 220gal display a couple days ago and they seem to be doing well, much less reclusive and way more tolerant of each other with the new found space.





I'm looking for input on what strain these may be. I know Jim Cumming has some that show the red/pink on their fins and throat and his are "Rio Jutiapa". If I was to guess, I'd say mine are from the same origin?

Also, for anyone who has experience with this species, have you found them to be picky eaters? I can't get them to eat any pelleted food. They will only accept flake food, which I'd prefer not to feed as it makes such a mess...

Thanks.

 

[newworld]

Nice where in Indiana?

 

[cjdesmit]

Nice where in Indiana?

Just north of Indy at a shop called "The Reef".

 

[8DiagramPoleFighter]

Nice fish. Mine ate just about anything. They’re sand sifters so try sinking pellets.

 

[cjdesmit]

Nice fish. Mine ate just about anything. They’re sand sifters so try sinking pellets.

Yeah, I am well aware they are sifters. I've tried an assortment of sinking pellets and they just won't have anything to do with them, even after starving for a week. Some of them even seem relatively uninterested in the flake food sometimes. I was concerned about internal parasites but I've yet to see the classic white stringy poo. They also got a treatment of Prazi and Paraguard in quarantine.

 

[cjdesmit]

Anyone else have experience with these guys? There lack of appetite is beginning to concern me as they are now refusing flake food and are beginning to have sunken bellies.

 

[Covetous]

If your getting worried about lack of eating, I’ve yet to find a cichlid that didn’t chow down on live brine shrimp. It’s actually how I treat for internal parasites.

Sprinkle alittle Metroplex into a bowl of live brine shrimp, let them filter feed abit to gutload then use a turkey baster to suck a bunch up and squirt them into the tank. Everything goes nuts for them.

 

[cjdesmit]

If your getting worried about lack of eating, I’ve yet to find a cichlid that didn’t chow down on live brine shrimp. It’s actually how I treat for internal parasites.

Sprinkle alittle Metroplex into a bowl of live brine shrimp, let them filter feed abit to gutload then use a turkey baster to suck a bunch up and squirt them into the tank. Everything goes nuts for them.

Thanks for the input. Internal parasites are what I am afraid of, however, I have yet to see any white stringy poo. From the little poo I do see from them, it looks normal. They do sift the substrate quite a bit so perhaps they are getting a small amount of "food" from that, I just can't imagine it would be enough to be sustainable.

Worth nothing, they did get hit with both PraziPro and Paraguard during quarantine.

 

[Covetous]

Thanks for the input. Internal parasites are what I am afraid of, however, I have yet to see any white stringy poo. From the little poo I do see from them, it looks normal. They do sift the substrate quite a bit so perhaps they are getting a small amount of "food" from that, I just can't imagine it would be enough to be sustainable.

Worth nothing, they did get hit with both PraziPro and Paraguard during quarantine.

I’ve also taken nls algeamax and grind it up into a fine powder and fed that to the brine shrimp before feeding the brine shrimp to my fish. As a means to make sure their getting a good meal as they recover. Just an idea. I hope all is well, I’d love to keep some Robertsoni myself one day. Good luck!

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Chris,have you tried soaking their food in garlic?
Fish seem to love it. It's good for their immune system and can be good at getting fish eating again.