# tank buddies for kribs



## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

All right. After researching and deliberating my wife wants to do swords and kribs in her 46 bow front. In order to hopefully assist with krib agression, we have their caves set up in one corner of the tank, the rest of the tank is heavily planted (thanks to SA) to give cover. Stocking will be as follows

2 Kribensis (breeding pair hopefully)
4 female red tux swords
2 male red tux swords
4 emerald cories
1 bristlenose

AqAdvisor gives the requisite warnings on krib breeding agression, and to keep swords @ a 1:2 ratio. It has me at a 79% stocking level, with water parameters well in my range. Here is my question. I would be fine with leaving the stock as-is, or adding additional female swords. Or, should I consider adding some small and quick "dither" fish to distract the kribs? Or am I bonkers and there is no way to make this setup work from past expierences.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

Way to not see the edit link there Champ.


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## Bacchus (Mar 8, 2010)

i have a set up very close to what you are planning:

i have a pair of Pelvicachromis taeniatus or Nigerian Red Dwarfs...they are _very much_ like Pelvicachromis pulcher or Kribensis. i also have a school of 12 Brochis Splendens, which are very similar to your Emerald Corys....i also have a BN, all in a 46-gallon Bowfront. our tanks are very similar, except i just have a few platys instead of swordtails. 

that said, i would avoid buying the Corys or other bottom dwellers if i were you. your BN will be fine...but your kribs will quite possibly bully the corys whenever they go near their territory. they like to be in charge of the tank's bottom.... they may seem fine together at first; it may happen when they are a little older or when they decide to pair up, but it will probably happen, and if they have a spawn, they will get really nasty and may terrorize them. 

i think swordtails would work just fine...how about a dozen cardinal tetras? i eventually want to put about 18 of those in mine.

*edit

maybe since your tank is heavily planted the corys would be fine. my tank has fewer things blocking their line of sight. plus i have a dozen of them, not four. still, it is something to consider


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## dylan94 (Jan 15, 2009)

In my experience, kribensis do very well with swordtails. I have kept a total of 13 kribs with a trio of swordtails. If you want to get a breeder pair I would suggest getting at least 3 or 4 and let them pair off. Also keeping the caves close together might pose problemms as the fish have to get away from each other at times and considering their close proximity to each other, they will probably prefer to hide in the plants. As for the cories, I had a shoal of peppered cories with my kribs, but as soon as they bred they started picking at the cories fins. Cories don't understand territory boundaries very well so they end up wondering into the kribs territory and end up getting hurt  Even if you did keep cories, I would reccomend at least 6 of them as they like to be in larger numbers. I have never kept bristlenose plecos before but i am almost positive they will be fine with the kribs, however I heard they can become territorial (especially the males) so just be aware of that. You may want to add a school of rainbows or barbs, schooling fish always look good  I hope this information helps XD


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

I've kept breeding kribs with peppered corydoras. I had similar experiences to dylan; basically, the cories aren't really bright enough to learn not to wander into the krib territory and do get picked on. That said, my kribs never picked at fins or eyes or anything and just nudged them in the sides and the cories would swim off. I think "softer" fish might've been damaged but due to the cory's armor plating they were never injured.

If that were my tank, I would probably add a couple more cories to the school and then maybe add a school of quick mid-level dithers. Dwarf rainbows would be nice.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I think the swordtails and Kribs would do well and perhaps some barbs. Would not go with corys for reasons already noted. They are incredibly stupid or persistent with respect to nesting areas of other fishes.
The pair of Kribensis I kept were near five inches for the male,and a bit smaller for the female. They thrashed the Skunk corydoras I attempted to keep with them until I finally moved the corys, lest their dorsal fins became stubs.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Not having had Kribs YET but maybe the Bronze Cory's like I have in the 55g would be a option due to their size? Mine aren't even fully grown yet and already at around 2" each... Just a thought...


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

Thanks for all the suggestions! Since the corys have plenty of cover, I'm going to give them a shot. If they start getting bulllied I'm going to move them over to a different tank.

As for the barbs/schoolers... would brilliant/blackline rasboras work?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe. They're a bit on the small and timid size. I'd look for something a little larger and more robust.


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## Bacchus (Mar 8, 2010)

my brochis splendens are a good size and they still get bullied by the male. i am planning on moving the pair to my 29 instead.


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

I'm convinced. I'll move the corys to my tetra 30. =D


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

*EDIT*
Answered my own question.


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

Final Stocking:

Equipments:
Tank (LxDxH): 36 x 15 x 20 inch (46.8gUS)
Filters: Eheim 2213

Selected species:
4 x Swordtail [Female] (Xiphophorus hellerii)
1 x Swordtail [Male] (Xiphophorus hellerii)
4 x Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)
1 x Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.)
8 x Cherry Barb (Puntius titteya)

Recommended temperature range: 75.2 - 80.6 F. [Display in Celsius]
Recommended pH range: 6 - 7.8.
Recommended hardness range: 5 - 15 dH.


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## spoot (Feb 4, 2010)

The Kribs and Barbs were introduced to the tank yesterday. I have 3 red tux females at the moment, having trouble finding more. We wound up getting gold barbs instead of cherries and 10 instead of 8.

I am pretty sure we have 1 male and 3 female kribs. One could be an immature male, but I'm 80% sure that it's a female. The male went straight to the cichlid stone cave at the front corner, which is pretty awesome. That way he won't be hiding in the back 24x7. 

Pics will be forthcoming when the fish settle in and color up.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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