Venestus

[wednesday13]

Don’t think ive posted to this section in the 16yrs ive been here … squeaked a 37gal under my stairs just for kicks. Starting taking my 2yr old to the pet store for fun and my wife picked these guys out so y not. Never got into cichlids and never had these before. Started with a 6 pack in hopes of a pair or trio. $24 for the group. Can anyone confirm they are venestus or are they livingstoni?

 

[DJRansome]

Only if they were sold to you as Nimbochromis venustus. Unfortunately you need a 72" tank for these. They like to be in groups of one male to four or more females so the male does not kill the female if there are only one, two or three. This won't happen until they are a little older, but better to know before you get attached if their needs don't work for you.

 

[tlindsey]

Don’t think ive posted to this section in the 16yrs ive been here … squeaked a 37gal under my stairs just for kicks. Starting taking my 2yr old to the pet store for fun and my wife picked these guys out so y not. Never got into cichlids and never had these before. Started with a 6 pack in hopes of a pair or trio. $24 for the group. Can anyone confirm they are venestus or are they livingstoni?
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Welcome to the world of cichlids.

 

[wednesday13]

Only if they were sold to you as Nimbochromis venustus. Unfortunately you need a 72" tank for these. They like to be in groups of one male to four or more females so the male does not kill the female if there are only one, two or three. This won't happen until they are a little older, but better to know before you get attached if their needs don't work for you.

Much appreciated… should b more than fine spreading them out or setting up other accommodations. Have a 5’ 90g in my garage collecting dust. If they get big enough to not get eaten they can live large as a dither in a 450,500 or 650… Just lookin to have some fun with them possibly breeding and using the fry around the fish room. Hoping i have a decent ratio of M to F. Debating grabbing 6 more to make sure i end up with 1 M to 4-5 F like ur suggesting. Do you think 12ct is much better odds or let it ride? There on sale right now for $4.13

 

[wednesday13]

Welcome to the world of cichlids.

Thanks…I should be redoing some plumbing on another tank, but a bit of a fun distraction never hurts lol.

 

[DJRansome]

When I want 4 females and I'm feeling lucky I buy 8 unsexed juveniles. You will need to rehome extra males, and I would put them in a full 72" tank.

You might use them as dithers in large tanks with other fish? Suitable for Malawi haps?

 

[wednesday13]

When I want 4 females and I'm feeling lucky I buy 8 unsexed juveniles. You will need to rehome extra males, and I would put them in a full 72" tank.

You might use them as dithers in large tanks with other fish? Suitable for Malawi haps?

10/4 … ill pick up a few more just to be safe. And my idea of “suitable” may differ from urs lol… they can run the gauntlet in 450+ gal tanks as a nice display piece solo male…or get eaten … for example ive had peacocks survive a few years with a 42” lung in an 8’ tank. I think a 5-6” venestus will do just fine in a 10’ 500 with my albino ck’s. They live with a 5-6” filamentosus barb currently. And again, i have other accommodations in house not running to offer males and the breeding group more than a good life in.

 

[DJRansome]

Wait, surviving a few years is a good life?

 

[wednesday13]

Wait, surviving a few years is a good life?

Not tryin to be crude my man… most people would gladly stash 6 of these guys in a 55 with other fish for life. Have an empty 5’ 90gal that is more than suitable for a breeding group. Theres another thread here where a regular 4’ 90 was deemed ok. Im sure my sarcasm and jokes are being taken as seriousness. Its just my light hearted banter of the matter. Ive bred and sold stingrays around the u.s… kept some of the largest and rarest fish out there fresh to salt. Surely i can handle a few jiblets lol… i respect your concern and knowledge of this particular species. I keep 1 26” catfish in a 9’x4’ 650g on an autodrip system. Im not the guy to worry about housing some cichlids properly. Just wanted to know how many to start with to “do it right” and if they were in fact venestus as i like the look more than livingstoni. Ill keep a record here on the thread how things turn out and where they may end up around the fish room. Most my tanks these days are 1 fish per tank. Just trying to have a bit of fun with a group of something.