210 gallon Frontosa build

[Caperguy99]

How much does he eat, for example within a week? Does he/she readily eat food that falls right in front of her or very nearby? I've always seen a big difference in growth rates of Moba within groups where the males eat alot every feeding (everyday) and some females eat as little as 2 or 3 times per week.

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Yes, this fish would eat if it fell right in front of him/her. When I fed some shrimp on Saturdays, for example, it’s a bit messier than the pellets and I could see it was picking off some pieces. It could be that you’re exactly right and that this is a female and just eating less. In which case, I wonder if my four who are always wiggling for more food are all males . . .

Would you be fussed about the more skittish behavior? Or does that just happen as they are outgrown by their more boisterous tank mates?

 

[ken31cay]

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Yes, this fish would eat if it fell right in front of him/her. When I fed some shrimp on Saturdays, for example, it’s a bit messier than the pellets and I could see it was picking off some pieces. It could be that you’re exactly right and that this is a female and just eating less. In which case, I wonder if my four who are always wiggling for more food are all males . . .

Would you be fussed about the more skittish behavior? Or does that just happen as they are outgrown by their more boisterous tank mates?

Are yours wild caught? Frontosa can have different personalities also so sometimes it's hard to nail down the issue for one in a specific tank. I think yours is a six foot tank, right? While they are still smaller it might help to have more Frontosa in there as they mature.

I've heard it said of other fish species to not put hands in the tank, and I know Frontosa are supposed to be fairly robust, but with the wild caught Frontosa I've personally found this to be a big issue in the past where putting my hands in the tank for anything over a quick few seconds has cause a significant disruption on a few occasions. For awhile now I simply don't put my hands in my Frontosa tank anymore. I simply make sure the tank is set so I just don't need to do that.

 

[Caperguy99]

Are yours wild caught? Frontosa can have different personalities also so sometimes it's hard to nail down the issue for one in a specific tank. I think yours is a six foot tank, right? While they are still smaller it might help to have more Frontosa in there as they mature.

I've heard it said of other fish species to not put hands in the tank, and I know Frontosa are supposed to be fairly robust, but with the wild caught Frontosa I've personally found this to be a big issue in the past where putting my hands in the tank for anything over a quick few seconds has cause a significant disruption on a few occasions. For awhile now I simply don't put my hands in my Frontosa tank anymore. I simply make sure the tank is set so I just don't need to do that.

F1s so not wild caught, but I try not to be mucking about in the tank too much really. You’re right it’s a six foot, but it’s a 210 so it’s so deep it’s hard to even reach down to meddle with anything even if I wanted.

I’ll try to give them their space and see what comes of it - thanks!

 

[ken31cay]

Sure thing. If the fish is eating then I suppose I would just watch for bullying. One thing that may or may not be a concern is that IME Moba prefer a good number in their colony and IME seem to be more reclusive when the numbers are too small. But my experience is mostly with wild caught so if the others besides the one not eating well are not shy and/or reclusive then I would say the tank is fine.

 

[danotaylor]

Agree with everything ken31cay had said especially to add more to the group as you’re able too mate

 

[Caperguy99]

Thanks guys - I probably won’t add any more fish, as I’d have nowhere to put them as they grow. I live rurally without even an LFS within a 4-5 hour drive, and don’t know anyone who keeps tanks. Although it looks like a big tank, from why I hear 5-6 full grown Frontosa will be maxing me out as-is, as it’s only a six foot tank . . . Unless I can make a convincing argument to set up a 300 gallon . . .

 

[ken31cay]

Thanks guys - I probably won’t add any more fish, as I’d have nowhere to put them as they grow. I live rurally without even an LFS within a 4-5 hour drive, and don’t know anyone who keeps tanks. Although it looks like a big tank, from why I hear 5-6 full grown Frontosa will be maxing me out as-is, as it’s only a six foot tank . . . Unless I can make a convincing argument to set up a 300 gallon . . .

I understand and agree. Although the small fish might be more comfortable within a larger group, I also wouldn't want more than what you have now as adults in the tank.

 

[troublesum]

I normally always buy 1-11/2 fry as i like to watch them grow. Once i bought a group of F1 Gold Barred Midas bought 6 Kevin thru in a free one. 6 of them grew really fast and really big they were around the 4-5in range and one was stuck at the 2 in range a pair quickly formed and i gave the other to my LFS so i dont know what happen to the runt.
2 years ago i got 8 1in F1 Festae fry, Festae grow pretty slow i had a female that out grew everyone by at least 1in in the last 8 months my female grew to about 8in all others were in the 5-7in range. BUT there was one fish that was still only 2in the female killed all others except that little 2in fish and another 6in female.
I moved the 6in female to her own tank and gave the 8in female a 10in Midas the little 2in fish was a female and tried to hook up with a 10in Midas it was funny watching a 2in fish slap tails with a 10in Midas then within a few days the big female killed the little 2in female.
So yeah every now and then there will be a runt

 

[danotaylor]

I have a friend who had 9 wild and 12 F1 adult gibb Mikula in a 6’ 240gal. He had a harmonious group and did large weekly water changes. They bred pretty regularly. Whilst I would not suggest duplicating his stock density, I reckon your 210gal could easily handle 10 adults, providing the M/F ratio was appropriate. 2M8F would be ideal.
I understand that is very difficult to achieve buying and raising fry, and you lack of proximity to a source makes that pretty much undoable. Once you know what you have in terms of gender, later on you could buy some vented females to add to your tank.
I had a smaller group of Mikula, 2M3F and the sub-dom male got harassed a lot, I think in part because there wasn’t enough females to keep the dom male satisfied
Hopefully you have more than 1 female in your group

 

[ken31cay]

I have a friend who had 9 wild and 12 F1 adult gibb Mikula in a 6’ 240gal.

I look at the 25 Moba (now 3.5" - 6") in my 10' tank right now and trying to visualize how the tank will look when they all pretty much double in size. Of course I'll need to wait and see but I'm thinking right now that the tank may be at capacity at that time, according to my personal preference. I've already ordered and paid for 16 more wild caught Moba that should be arriving from africa to my supplier any day now. Was desperately waiting for these to arrive but now I'm wondering where I'll actually put all of them...