# Frontosa



## Doodles

Im thinking about getting a Frontosa but thought I would research first. So any info on them would be greatly appreciated.
So some questions that came to mind are:

Is a 75 gallon big enough for one frontosa? 
Can I have only one frontosa, will it be okay being the only frontosa in the tank?
How skittish are they?
What is their growth rate? 
How aggressive are they?
I think the answer is yes but do they eat small fish?


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## DUSTIN323

I used to want a frontosa really bad, I still do but no money right now for the tank and everything. A 75g is fine, one alone would be fine, I don't know about how skittish they are, I believe their growth rate isn't to fast. Yes they'll eat small fish and they are pretty aggresive but you can keep other fish with them.


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## Beerleader

Is a 75 gallon big enough for one frontosa?
It will be big enough for a while but I've always read that they recommend a 125 but thats for a colony of around 10, so it depends on how many other fish he will be with. I'd say at least 4 to 6 is what they'd like to be with, but not positive on this. 


Can I have only one frontosa, will it be okay being the only frontosa in the tank? 
I had four when I used to keep Cichlids, but I was told they prefer to be in a large colony cause that is how they are in the wild. Preferably one alpha male and one other male, the rest females. But they don't really like to be alone as far as the research I did on them after purchasing my first. But I also read you can keep 1 male to 3 females. But my first was alone for a while and seemed fine 

How skittish are they?
From experience mine were like little dogs, they were very personable and not skittish at all. They were sorta of laid back compared to other types of cichilds but also agressive of their tank territory..especially the alpha male towards the smaller male. They prefer caves especially the largest male. Mine was more shy than the rest unless his area/cave was interferred with, then he'd be quite aggressive. 
What is their growth rate? 
Not really sure I'd assume pretty slow due to their long life spans...but not positive of this at all. 
How aggressive are they?
They are supposed to be pretty laid back fish which most of mine were besides the alpha male who would mainly defend his territory, otherwise they were rather chill and calm fish 
I think the answer is yes but do they eat small fish?
Yes they will eat smaller fish if its a large Front anything less than 3inches shouldn't be kept w/ them, they recommend raising fry away from parents due to this. 


Hopefully someone else will also give you answers on this. I am by no means an expert on these fish. I kept them a few years back and loved them. I moved to discus but if I get another tank this is the fish I will more than likely get again. I enjoyed them a lot! They were beautiful fish w/ great personalities!  good luck!


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## ron v

A 75 would probably be OK for a single frontosa Doodles, if you really want to try it.. They are a beautiful fish but best kept in groups. They don't really have the personality of an oscar so they don't really fit the "wet pet" mold in my opinion. I wouldn't try to keep any other fish with it in a 75. They are not really aggressive except to other fronts. That is, if the other fish is too large to be considered a meal. A full grown frontosa ( they get well over a foot long ), can eat a fish 4-5" long. I, personally wouldn't waste a 75 on a single frontosa. There are soooo many other fish that would be more suited. Now a 150 with 6-8 fronts.....thats a different story!
Oh and Doodles, I'm sorry about the coat thing!!!


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## Georgia Peach

I beleive Cichlid Man has a front, doesnt he??


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## DUSTIN323

I agree a larger tank with a group of them would be alot better than a single one in a 75g. You could keep a calvus or two in there with it but you would need to put a big one in their because they grow alot slower than the Front pr a catfish or pleco. Here's a good link I was refered to http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=9


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## IloveCichlids

I have been looking into fronts for some time now. I am trying to get some Zaire Blue fry but am having a hard time finding them. You can keep fronts in a 75 gal. but you should be ready to upgrade the tank in the future as they get 12-14" in size for the alpha males. I want to start out with fry because they do have a slow growth rate and I can keep a few of them in my 55 for a while (untill it is time to put them into a larger tank) They will go in with Comps and Brichardi. I want the Zaire's because they are so much more beautiful than the Burundi, there is also a Kitumba type but am not for sure of the exact name. They are also harder to find and a bit more expensive. You should also know that sharp items such as rocks in your tank are not good as these are a bit clumsy fish. They are not aggressive until it is time to breed or another front in their territory. If you go to Cichlid Forum look for the ad for Toms Tanginyikans, he has several fronts to choose from.

Hope this helps


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## Cichlid Man

Georgia Peach said:


> I beleive Cichlid Man has a front, doesnt he??


You're right, I have a couple of colonies actually. I would always recommend keeping a group of fronts to see them at their best. 
You could get away with keeping one in a 75, but what would be the point in that? Like someone else said, there are so many other fish out there (including other beautiful tanganikans) that could be kept together in a 75g. If I ever see a tank with a lone cichlid, it always reminds me of an lfs that has been lumbered with an aggressive adult male cichlid which ends up staying there a few months before they eventually give it away free because no-one wants it.
Frontosas are aggressive, can be compared with an oscar in temperment in some respects, but this really doesn't apply to you if you're going to keep it on its own with no friends. 
Frontosas aren't usually a centre fish, usually an oscar, red devil, or wolf cichlid is more suited as a "wet pet".


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## Doodles

Wow, thank you all so much for helping me decide about the frontosa. 



> I used to want a frontosa really bad, I still do but no money right now for the tank and everything. A 75g is fine, one alone would be fine, I don't know about how skittish they are, I believe their growth rate isn't to fast. Yes they'll eat small fish and they are pretty aggressive but you can keep other fish with them.


I didn't think they were really aggressive. Is that to their own species or other fish?



> I have been looking into fronts for some time now. I am trying to get some Zaire Blue fry but am having a hard time finding them. You can keep fronts in a 75 gal. but you should be ready to upgrade the tank in the future as they get 12-14" in size for the alpha males. I want to start out with fry because they do have a slow growth rate and I can keep a few of them in my 55 for a while (untill it is time to put them into a larger tank) They will go in with Comps and Brichardi. I want the Zaire's because they are so much more beautiful than the Burundi, there is also a Kitumba type but am not for sure of the exact name. They are also harder to find and a bit more expensive. You should also know that sharp items such as rocks in your tank are not good as these are a bit clumsy fish. They are not aggressive until it is time to breed or another front in their territory. If you go to Cichlid Forum look for the ad for Toms Tanginyikans, he has several fronts to choose from.


There are frontoas (zaier blues) here and they are fry, too bad you didn't live here. I wasn't positive but I did think I remembered reading they are slow growers. That's kind of cute they are clumsy, LOL. Kind of like an Oscar a bit.



> Oh and Doodles, I'm sorry about the coat thing!!!


 I really took it as a joke. I new you were kidding so don't worry,

DUSTIN323- thanks for the link, very helpful.

This sucks but I don't think I will get them. I want one SOOO bad, but I am getting a 150 gallon for my bala sharks and don't know forsure if I can upgrade for the fronts. Im going to think about it for a bit because I don't like making snap decisisons especially if Im not 100 % I can house them properly. Reading all your comments tells me that I will really really have to think about it. Im bummed out now.  



> From experience mine were like little dogs, they were very personable and not skittish at all. They were sorta of laid back compared to other types of cichilds but also agressive of their tank territory..especially the alpha male towards the smaller male. They prefer caves especially the largest male. Mine was more shy than the rest unless his area/cave was interferred with, then he'd be quite aggressive.


I read that they were really skittish. I guess it just depends on each fish. I don't want any aggressive fish. I stopped buying cichlids because they were hard to keep because no matter what I did they started killing each other. So I was considering a frontosa because I thought they were not at all aggressive. This is another reason I need to think about it. I think from all your comments they would be better in a colony, and right now I can't do that so Im leaning towards not getting them.
Do bala sharks and frontosa's get along?


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## Beerleader

I don't know much about bala's but I know Frontosa's need a higher ph and I'm not sure about Balas and their specific needs. 

And yeah I was told they are skittish fish (fronts) but only one of mine was really kind of skittish, the rest were really personable. And they weren't very aggressive towards other fish too much besides their own kind, unless a fish took his little cave or invaded it, then he'd be a bit testy.


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## ron v

Everything is relative. Fronts are more comfortable in a group, so will be less skittish. I've never kept one in a tank alone so I don't really know, but I would think they would be more skittish that way. Agressiveness is also relative. Angels, for example... a group of six in a 30 gal. aquarium is asking for trouble. Six in a 55 is possible. In a 150.. no problem.


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