Champsochromis Caeruleus

[fishmommy]

Hi everybody http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

I have a group of Champs in a

180g Malawi Hap tank. I have one seriously dominant male who has outgrown the rest of the group.

Unfortunately, he really beat on some of the others so I removed all but one who I thought was

female.
Well, a week later I moved 'her' as well because the abuse got a little too

intense.

Long story short I have the one male in my 180, and four others in a holding

tank. Two in the holding tank have shown themselves to be male, and the other two are undetermined

so far.

My question is, what is the critical mass for Champs to spread out aggression?

Are subdom males ever tolerated?

Thank you!
-jen

[fishfarm]

Hi Jen, I have found that

removing the dominate male works better than moving the lower cast fish, By removing the dominate

male is seems to spread the agression out amoung the rest of the fish and you get a more stable

colony. Put big boy in the smaller tank and everybody else back into the big tank, I think

it'll work better for you. I have a group of 5 that all get along, but I got lucky and have

only one male to start with. Ken

[fishmommy]

You got lucky http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

I have five and three are

definitely male, one is probably, and the last one I can't tell yet. I need to trade some

males for females for sure.

Know anyone on the East Coast raising these suckers?

[TxCichlidBreeder]

Fishmommy you know

what the problem is? It’s that you have one of the most predatorily fish from Malawi and biggest in

that tank they will hit 13in. I have never had a Champsochromis Caeruleus also known as Lake Malawi

trout or as Haplochromis thola. But due to it's large size only large sand dwellers like

Fossorochromis rostratus or other natural predators can stay in a tank with them. 1 male I think

with them is all you can have. But those other males need to be sold or put into at least 150gal

tank and your next problem you have a big fish in a really big tank 180gal with only 5 fish? You

need more fish in there that’s not enough fish for that tank. He is making to much of the tank his

own. Go get some big Mbuna and put in there they should do well. Go down to a pet store and well

you most defiantly need some natural maintenance in there so go get you a 12in regular Pleco he

will not let that Champ. mess with him. Get you a couple pr of just suggestions but Nimbochromis

Livingstoni, Nimbo. Venustus, or Proto. Taeniolatus “Red Empress” all big fish not like the champ

though. My point is you don’t have enough other fish in there to keep him occupied. The female like

you said you had to move out it will not change until he has a couple of other fish besides his own

species to pick on. Him chasing 10 different fish around will slow him down enough for you to put

her back in the tank and he will have other things to do like impress her instead of kill her. But

1 more thing when you have the tank all settled down I have read which you probably have too, but

that when its time to spawn the male Champsochromis Caeruleus will circle in the gravel and make a

little pit. That will let you know that you are almost there. That is if you are planning on

spawning them bad boys.. Hope that helps a little.. Just get some more big fish their are plenty

that will survive with them except babies(FOOD). Yeah also another thing to calm them down. Go and

get their favorite natural food they love chasing them and that will slow them down too and that’s

the Engraulicypris sardella they are Malawi Sardines….. Good Luck http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif

[fishmommy]

Thanks for the advice - I

guess I wasn't complete in my description of the tank...It is pretty full of large haps. I

have six Protomelas Spilonotus 'Mara Rocks', a pair of Fossos, a VC-10, five Placido

Phenochilus, and a pair of Taiwan Reef (this male by far is the most aggressive fish I have, oddly

enough). I also have two very large plecos and a catfish. The fish all get along great, with the

aggression problem being only among the Champs themselves.
No blood was drawn, but it was

enough bullying to keep the subdominant/female fish in hiding right through a meal or two - which

is when I removed them.

I am now trying to get rid of all the excess males (I may have

as many as 5 now that they are starting to color and reveal their gender) and buy 3 females if I

can find them in the right size range. Either that or just keep a solitary male in the

community.

I can't believe I bought five juvie Champs and ended up with pretty much

all males! http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif