My New Para!! Could It Be Peruvian??

Deandome · Post by **Deandome** » 12 Apr 2006, 22:06

Quick tank history: got a 12 gal Eclipse tank for my 5 y.o. at X-Mas. I cycled w/a cool, 1.5" (now at least 2"!!) irridescent chartruse killifish..it took forever to get the nitrites/nitrates in check, then I tried to add fish. The killi ate two neons, then killed a pair of larger tetras (THEN I heard that it's best to add them last so they don't get agressive!). In the middle of that, I added a small red-tail shark..he never got bothered. Algae growth was good...water quality too, so I was ready for my pleco & some other fish.

2 weeks ago, I got a pretty cool pleco for $12 and the second pair of soon-to-be-dead tetras. Kind of a zig-zag cream-on-black stripe pattern (I never got the official 'name')..he just sat on the back wall behind the filter tube...healthy n' all, but shy & boring.

This past weekend, I went back to find some fish that could hold their own againt my 'KILL-y-fish', and we decided to try some small cichlids, a baby Frontosa (yes, I know they get BIG, but he said it takes a LONG time), and a really cool, tiny Julidochromis marlieri: http://www.bigskycichlids.com/Jmarlierix.htm Mines about 1.5" long.

Then I saw this MUCH cooler yellow w/black dots pleco that wasn't there the previous week (aobut 2.5" long). He wasn't hiding and he looked much nicer, so I asked if I could 'trade up', ran home & did so that day (for an extra $20).

Well, he's been so much more 'fun'; active, visible, feeding...not a 'lump'!! I've got a cave & I'm adding a driftwood piece (I have plastic plants, too), but although he'll scoot off the front glass if you walk in the room, he'll then just move to the middle of the cave, in full view.

The killi TRIED to show the cichlids who's boss, but that was kinda funny...they just toyed with him, he wasn't used to quick fish who don't take no $#&@!! Nobody's really picked on anybody, but the baby julidochromis does indeed dominate the bigger (taller/wider, not really longer) frontosa. The killi stays up top, as they do, and it looks like I have a tank where nobody's gonna die soon!!

WHEW...now here's my question. The owner of the store said the pleco is a 'peruvian para', and while he is indeed a para, in researching here & google, I couldn't find anything 'bout paras ever coming from Peru. Do they?? Color-wise, he's clearly towards the yellow side, like the middle one on this page (maybe even a tad yellower): http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/2004_05.PHP

What should I feed him...I have a feeling this small tank won't provide enough algae..at least for a while. I'm sure he can/does scavange food that slips through the other fish..but should I use some pellets or, more likely pieces of pellets? I don't want him to grow too much/fast, and I plan on feeding the tank in general every other day (or VERY little every day.).

Anything else I should know/do? Will this bizzare, 'community' tank combo come back to bite me in the butt (I guess it's now a cichlid tank with a killi & red-tail shark moreso than a community tank with cichlids mixed in!!)?

Thanks!! This has been a great site to visit & learn from

Dean

suezbele · Post by **suezbele** » 13 Apr 2006, 00:29

i hate to tell you that it probably will bite you later,
not to mention those fish are gonna outgrow that 12 gallon tank in a minute!!!!

saraya · Post by **saraya** » 13 Apr 2006, 09:01

My friends Frontosas grew quickly. I think you will need a 100 gallon sooner than you think!

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 13 Apr 2006, 13:41

Algae will be pretty close to the lowest point on the culinary scale for . They may well scrape off the odd bit of algae, but algae-eater they are not.

A mixture of live food (blood-worms, daphnia, etc) and vegetarian food will be the right thing for this fish.

For more info on Home-made foods, read my article in Shane's World here.

You can obviously also feed various types of sinking foods, algae wafers, Tetra Prima/Bits, etc.

Oh, and I think Frontosas are very sensitive to high protein foods, so you'll have to watch them carefully when it comes to eating things like blood-worms, daphnia and such - this may become a problem.

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Mats

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 13 Apr 2006, 14:55

Oh, and I think Frontosas are very sensitive to high protein foods,

I think you are thinking of Tropheus there Mats. Frontosas are predators.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 13 Apr 2006, 15:30

Doh! Yes, Frontosas are fine with protein food - sorry [and thanks for putting me right].

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Mats