OW_Exotics

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Hi, I have the opportunity to purchase some Balzanii but want to make sure that I am 100% certain on their care before I make the purchase. I have a group of very young geo tapajos and I know that they prefer higher temps. I have heard that an artificial winter of 15-18 degrees is best for Balzanii for a few months each year. My questions are, will these species be compatible- along with potentially sveni in the future- and does the artificial winter still apply to captive bred individuals as these are what I have sourced. Thank you 🙏
 
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tlindsey

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Hi, I have the opportunity to purchase some Balzanii but want to make sure that I am 100% certain on their care before I make the purchase. I have a group of very young geo tapajos and I know that they prefer higher temps. I have heard that an artificial winter of 15-18 degrees is best for Balzanii for a few months each year. My questions are, will these species be compatible- along with potentially sveni in the future- and does the artificial winter still apply to captive bred individuals as these are what I have sourced. Thank you 🙏
I personally would do the Geo Balzanni with only fish species that can tolerate the seasonal changes.
Great thread here https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...us-balzanii-dead-next-day.578508/post-6872867
 
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duanes

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Because Geo pyrocephalis (Rio Tapajos) is a more northen, and " tropical species", compared to Gymnogeophagus balzani, a subtropical species,
I do not personally consider them to be compatible long term, unless you split them up for a temporary cool down period each season.

Lets consider that Sanatarem Brazil (on the Tapajoas river,) is nearly 2500 miles north Bella Union where many balzani are from, near Montevideo Uruguay .
The distance between Miami and Toronto is closer (only 1500 miles),
maybe that seems like apples and oranges, but climatic conditions, and seasonal differences are quite drastic between the 2 areas of S America.

When I first tried to house Gymnogeophagus in tropical temps year round, I ran into fungal and bacterial problems when not giving the Gymnos a winter cool down.
You might also consider Amazonian water parameters in the north can be different than in te south.

Because I have kept both species, but would not keep them together, because pyrocephalus prefers constant temps in the low 80s, balzani would like a winter cool down in the mid 60sF.
My balzani were the Uuguayan Bella Union varient, so If you can access a more northern Brazilian varient, it might be possible.
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OW_Exotics

Feeder Fish
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Sep 3, 2024
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I’ll give them a read, wasn’t sure as they are captive bread from Taiwan. Will probably go with a different species if they need to go to lower temps.
 
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OW_Exotics

Feeder Fish
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Sep 3, 2024
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I can get megasema, winemilleri, sveni, steindachneri, and tapajos both albino and standard. I have a small group of tapajos at an around 3-4cm. Which species would be the best mix for the future and would I be able to try and mix more tapajos either these at this size?
 
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