I just bought two Tropheus Duboisi

[PatrickTheArowana]

Yeah,just got these the other day.I was wondering cause I didn't find out till after I had already gotten them home that your suppose to have these guys in larger numbers or they won't do well.

But what I was wanting to know is if these guys would last for a month or so as just a pair in a community tank of Africans?Just until I buy a colony of them at the next fish auction?

 

[Chaitika]

If they're in a tank with lots of other fish, they might do fine as a pair. Duboisi can be housed in small numbers in community tanks, as opposed to sp. red tropheus. If they last a month by themselves, and there's a good chance they will, you may not need to get more.

Of course you may get a colony if you wish and it is what I would suggest, but you may not need to do so.

 

[duanes]

Make sure they get high veggie content and low % animal protein type foods,

 

[PatrickTheArowana]

They really seem to be doing well in my community tank as a pair (although now that I've been watching them for the past day or so,I wanting more of them) .I think they'll be just fine.Thanks for the info guys

 

[x0x0x0]

T. Duboisi at first seem fairly docile compared to other tropheus species. My first month of keeping them was pretty quiet. I had 20 of them swimming around in a 60 gallon tank (juveniles) until the 2nd month came around then i noticing that i lost 1 every week/other week. and it eventually stopped when I only had 14. Right now I believe I have about 10-12 of them. They're around 3 inches in length but they don't seem to be doing the killing spree any longer (knock on wood).

I've read and spoken to people who have been able to keep T. Duboisi as pairs. I'm not sure how they did it, try talking to people on cichlid-forum chats. they know their cichlids there. Good luck though. The only thing with keeping tropheus is that no matter what, there are always losses. Hopefully it's not the case with you.

 

[PatrickTheArowana]

T. Duboisi at first seem fairly docile compared to other tropheus species. My first month of keeping them was pretty quiet. I had 20 of them swimming around in a 60 gallon tank (juveniles) until the 2nd month came around then i noticing that i lost 1 every week/other week. and it eventually stopped when I only had 14. Right now I believe I have about 10-12 of them. They're around 3 inches in length but they don't seem to be doing the killing spree any longer (knock on wood).

I've read and spoken to people who have been able to keep T. Duboisi as pairs. I'm not sure how they did it, try talking to people on cichlid-forum chats. they know their cichlids there. Good luck though. The only thing with keeping tropheus is that no matter what, there are always losses. Hopefully it's not the case with you.

Losses do to what? Them killing each other?

 

[tropheus]

T. Duboisi at first seem fairly docile compared to other tropheus species. My first month of keeping them was pretty quiet. I had 20 of them swimming around in a 60 gallon tank (juveniles) until the 2nd month came around then i noticing that i lost 1 every week/other week. and it eventually stopped when I only had 14. Right now I believe I have about 10-12 of them. They're around 3 inches in length but they don't seem to be doing the killing spree any longer (knock on wood).

I've read and spoken to people who have been able to keep T. Duboisi as pairs. I'm not sure how they did it, try talking to people on cichlid-forum chats. they know their cichlids there. Good luck though. The only thing with keeping tropheus is that no matter what, there are always losses. Hopefully it's not the case with you.

they shouldnt be killing each other as juvies , unless you actully saw them with your own eyes , it was most likely a bout of bloat due to them moving , it useally happens around the second month that you get the losses , since no more have died ,they have probably now got through this , however when they turn adult you can expect the excess males to be killed off , until there happy with the ratio of male to female , dubosi are the most forgiving species of tropheus by far .

i have kept many true pairs of dubosi in with mixed tanks , as long as there male female and there enough room for female to get away when she needs to

cheers col

 

[x0x0x0]

they shouldnt be killing each other as juvies , unless you actully saw them with your own eyes , it was most likely a bout of bloat due to them moving , it useally happens around the second month that you get the losses , since no more have died ,they have probably now got through this , however when they turn adult you can expect the excess males to be killed off , until there happy with the ratio of male to female , dubosi are the most forgiving species of tropheus by far .

i have kept many true pairs of dubosi in with mixed tanks , as long as there male female and there enough room for female to get away when she needs to

cheers col

I'd have to agree that the first couple of losses seemed to be from bloat but the last 3 appeared to be out of attacks. I only say this because mine have noticeably become more aggressive. In particular, a few (unidentified gender) of them have more than doubled their size since I got them (originally at .75-1 in now at 3.25 in) and have picked on the smallest remaining duboisis. Those are the exception to the group and have staked out particular territories that they routinely chase the other fish out of. I've noticed them nipping but who knows maybe they didn't kill the last 3?

I suppose i'm just trying to warn the OP that it's best if you start with many fish since the possibility of having deaths is great whether or not it is from bloat or from attacks from other duboisis, especially for a beginner. I mean even respectable aquarists that i've spoken to (Pam Chin in particular) told me that no matter what, she'd always had losses in the past in dealing with tropheus.