kribs

[MAM]

been working on a 20 gal tank. i know i want a clown or other 4 inch pleco. then i want a couple of larger fish. i was contemplating apistos, but haven't seen any in the lfs lately. so i did some research on brichardis and kribs. i've set my sites on kribs. i've read some confusing things so i just wanted to clear some of it up with you krib owners out there. now, they like rocks/caves. for substrate, do they prefer rock/gravel or sand or a mix? what number could i have in the 20 gal (with a pleco), and what should the male/female ratio be? live plants a no-no correct? if i had a pair or a trio, any other fish that could accompany them (seeing as from what i've read they tend to middle-bottom dwellers, any top swimmers that might be okay with them)?
thanks!

 

[CFC]

I keep mine with a sand substrate with bogwood and rocks for decor, the tank has live plants (anubias and vallis) which they do not touch. You can only have one male female pair in a 20g, any more and there will be violence, any tankmates must be above 1 1/2 inch or they will be eaten.
Mine have congo tetras and upside down catfish as tankmates.

 

[MAM]

thanks for the info cfc. mmmm, maybe a school of bloodfin tetras then with them................ (finally, a way to get some bloodfins)

 

[Morrgan]

CFC, congo tetras really get along with kribs? Cool. I have been thinking about an African tank with exactly those fish that you have, but wasn't sure if the tetras would be ok with a pair of kribs. What size tank are they in?

 

[EddieW]

At last - I can disagree with CFC

I have what started as a pair of kribs in a tank with smaller fish (threadfin rainbows) and they haven't touched them. The main thing to remember is that kribs are generally bottom/mid dwellers so if the smaller fish are generally top dwellers they are less likely to get eaten.

Mine are in a planted tank with bogwood and a sand substrate and a spawning cave. I really think that they will always prefer a sand substrate as they love to rearrange things around their spawning area.

HTH, Eddie

 

[CFC]

At last - I can disagree with CFC

Hnmm yes I should have worded that differently, tankmates under 1 1/2 inches MAY be eaten. Fish like people come with different personalities, while one pair may be gentle and leave tankmates alone (some may even accept other non related kribs in the territory) others can be absolute swines that try to kill everything.

Morrgan, my african tank is a 40g and the kribs and congos get along fine, the upside down cats get picked on a little but its their own fault for trying to hide in the kribs cave. The tank isnt finished yet as i want to add some dwarf distichodus and african butterfly fish, may add some yellow congo tetras and a small polypterus when the other fish have grown a bit too.

 

[joshua]

if you just wanna get kribs only i would suggest coral sand as substrate as it will raise n maintain pH and hardness

 

[CFC]

if you just wanna get kribs only i would suggest coral sand as substrate as it will raise n maintain pH and hardness

Why would you want to do that? Kribs are a West African river dwelling species and prefer medium hard water with a pH of 6.5 to 7, coral sand will push the hardness and pH higher than that and is more suited to use with cichlids from the rift valley lakes which need the high carbonate hardness provided by coral sand and the high pH that comes with it.

 

[joshua]

okay sorry i didn't know that coral sand is so effective. thanks