# New owner of 3 Kribs!



## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Well I'll add some pics too
But anyways I cant seem to tell which are male and female, they are not very big maybe an inch. If I go by red bellies I have 2, if I go by the spot on the tail and the top fin I have 2 boys I think. I honestly dont know. 
I also want to know what else to add to this tank. Its a 29G with 6 neons (not expected to live) and the 3 Kribs, red gravel...

I'd like some upside down cats


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

more


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Make that 2, one died last night...
Whats strange is the neons are swimming along doing fine but the Kribs stay on the gravel on the bottom.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Thats what kribs do. They are not top dwellers.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Ok well the Kribs tend to be breathing really fast. They also sit and scoot along, kinda like puffers. 
I still cant tell which is male and female and have checked out many a website trying to figure it out. I'm thinking 2 females but one chases the other a lot

And how would Yellow Labs go with Kribs? Or blue rams?
I want to make sure I have bottom, middle and top covered so there is fish to look at.

Well I wanted Brichardi but it looks like they inhabit the same space as the Kribs and are kinda aggressive. POO POO! but the way it looks the kribs arnt doing so hot.

My 29 is NOT going the way planned... oh well.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

srry to hear your loss


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

Kribs are actually quite easy to sex once they get a little size on them. Females get the pink/red belly and have a round tail. Males get larger and have a spade shaped tail. I would not mix yellow labs or rams in there. I would actually suggest some other fish in your 29 if you want to see movement. Either get another type of small tetra or danio, or maybe some sort of livebearer for your tank. Any other cichlid you get is either going to be too aggressive or want the same territory as the kribs.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

"And how would Yellow Labs go with Kribs? Or blue rams?"

Kribs are riverine, theyd like thier pH lower than the labs, so i'm not sure how the pH would affect the egg developement. Mine spawned en masses ad nauseum for 3 years in a 52 with a pH of around 6.4. And i never kept labs in a pH of less than 8. About 7.5 would be about as low as i'd want to go personally. The kribs would do ok there too, but again, for egg developement, i can't say.

Rams i think might get slaughtered. I have one male now in my 46 and he'll chase my 2 juripari all over the place if he gets a hair across his butt. And juripari are way more rugged than rams. 
It may be enough room, but then i may be jaded because of how fragile rams have been for me.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Well I think I have 2 Females, and I must say I'm not thrilled at all with them. I'm either taking em back or throwing them in my community. I read they are fine in a community, but correct me if I am wrong. 

I contacted a local breeder and probably am going to get some juvie yellow labs instead. Colorful and active! Grr... cause I really wasnt planning on another community tank. BLAH back to the drawing board... but I think Im going back to my original cichlid tank


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

I *think* you have a male and female. To be honest, i came into the post all full of myself thinking it would be an easy judge. I have kept kribs for a long time now and figured it would be a cinch.

From your pics (no comment on thier quality btw) i just couldn't bring myself to say definitively one way or another. I *want* to say m/f, but i'd just wait a bit for em to grow a bit more before giving up.
As far as a community candidate, caveat emptor 

They are dwarf cichlids, but they are also africans, and as a general rule of thumb anything out of africa is A) rugged, and B) Mean, or at least able to handle itself.
So with that in mind i think i'd just say have a plan B ready in case of disaster.

Mine killed off my pigeon blood, altho that was partially my fault as my son was just born and i wasn't able to pay attention to my tanks as i had been able to prior.
By the time i noticed a problem it was far too late.

So if you do keep em, just fill the tank with the more rugged community suspects like congo tetras, synodontis eupterus for a catfish (gorgeous AND rugged) or maybe bosmani rainbows or whatever rainbow suitsyour fancy.
I'm a HUGE fan of bosmani's, but they are pretty expensive comparatively.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

I dont think I'm a fan of these Kribs, all they do is lay on the bottom all day long. Blah! So I got some more neons, dont know what else to do...  :x

anyways how do i tell their sex? From what I've read they seem to be both female. thinking the male died...

I think I'll have to sell them back or just wait and see if they kill things.


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

females have a red belly, but kribs are hard to sex until about an inch-ish long.

I think males get bigger than females, but I cant remember which is bigger than which. most fish, the female is bigger, but not these guys i think. I have 2, a male and a female, they are very active. I keep them with guppies. they shouldnt be laying, they will hide in caves and under ledges. actually, when i first got them they layed on my caves. they will lively up.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

I read females are smaller... I sure hope they liven up! urg! :roll:


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Lisachromis @ Fri Mar 25 said:


> Kribs are actually quite easy to sex once they get a little size on them. Females get the pink/red belly and have a round tail. Males get larger and have a spade shaped tail. I would not mix yellow labs or rams in there.  I would actually suggest some other fish in your 29 if you want to see movement. Either get another type of small tetra or danio, or maybe some sort of livebearer for your tank. Any other cichlid you get is either going to be too aggressive or want the same territory as the kribs.


Ok so you are saying that the Kribs will get along fine with the neons I bought? (I thought I'd try them because they were cheap and never could get them to live in my other tanks) 

Would you suggest me getting a male to put in there too and have a trio?

I really don't want this to be another community tank :|


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Thunderkiss @ Sat Mar 26 said:


> I *think* you have a male and female. To be honest, i came into the post all full of myself thinking it would be an easy judge. I have kept kribs for a long time now and figured it would be a cinch.
> 
> From your pics (no comment on thier quality btw) i just couldn't bring myself to say definitively one way or another. I *want* to say m/f, but i'd just wait a bit for em to grow a bit more before giving up.
> As far as a community candidate, caveat emptor
> ...


So maybe yellow labs wouldn't be so bad after all? I would be getting juvies, so maybe they could all grow up together? minus the neons??

From what I can gather YL need less aggressive tank mates... my one from awhile back used to get harassed all the time by the other mbunas.


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

Well I Am going to start buy saying, I didn;t look at the pics, to big of file for one, don;t want to take the time to load them,
Second, I am going to disagree somewhat about the Kribs are bottom Dwellers,
I have 13 I got from SueS and they know when it;s time to feed, the pumps go off, I have 40 fish right there at the top of the tank waiting for the Hand Of God to drop the food in the tank.
The also don;t spend all their time on the bottom, they all swim all over my tank, bottom, mid, top, everyplace, allot of them spend allot of the time Mid tank.

I don;t understand why you had a Krib die so fast, mine was shipping from alaska, all in one big bag together, Only one didn;t make it, the rest I floated for about 15 minutes os so, and dripped for a good 45 or so minutes, it wasn;t 2 full minutes after I dropped um that the color was coming out in them and they all been doing grait sence, 
I even have a make and Female paired off and going through the spawwing signs.

Just a glance over, 5 of them right now mid tank just hanging around that been there for some time now.

This is a Male N female, Male being the longer one.......Some males will not have that spot on the tail, my other male does not have it..


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

Aye, it *should* be ok, minus the pH factor for3 very different fish and thier water reqs. The only real issue i would think to occur would be the pH and maybe the neons getting thrashed on.
I have glo lites in with mine and they seem to do well, no casualties in many many months.
Labs are definately on the low end of the territorial scale for africans, and should hold thier own with the kribs.
Some of this of course is speculation as i have never tried that mix so i'm hesitant to say YES or NO, but given adequate space, should be fine.
Like i said tho, have a plan B, as kribs can be real pricks when they want to be.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

Excellent pic man! perfect.


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

I won;t repeate that, but Kribs are far from a mean fish, One of the calmest fish I have eve had, the only thing they do is chace off anything when they are ready to spawn, they will beat on plecos and stuff just to get them away from there breeding spot but not harm anything. This is my list in my 75g right now, been this was sence I got my Kribs several months back,
13 Pulcher Kribs 
5 White Clouds, 4 Zebra Danios, Glow Light, Head Lite Tail Lite,
, B-Pleco, 2 Blue Gouramis, 
4 Angel Fish, cory cat, Spotted Rafael, 2 bettas
2 Mollies, 2 Platties /////

Mollies and or platties will acually hang out with the kribs,
And another note, Kribs If they are Happy, Do not sit on the bottom of the tank and do nothing all day, Mine are all very active.....
my tank when the pumps go off, they know it;s time to eat, it;s worse then that now, all the fish are trained to it.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Well I lost another one today.... I think the tank is cycling.... :? The tests come out right but ya never know. The rate im losing kribs I'll prob go all yellow labs in 2 weeks


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

that stinks! sorry for that. my one krib has been hiding behind a plant all day gasping for air..hmm.


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

I honestly wouldn't keep yellow labs in only a 29g. Depending on how you aquascape it, it may work, but it's not a very large space for them. Malawians love to swim around (well most do), and there's not much room for that in a 29 as well as keeping out of other fishes territories. Labs are on the lesser aggressive side for Malawians, but do remember, they are Malawians.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Well, I am plannin on only having the labs in there. I'm gonna move the others. I wish I had a bigger tank for a big cichlid tank. These guys I plan on gettin are juvies and are brothers and sisters. I'm not interested in breeding or anything, just something pretty. They only get to 4-6 inches correct?
Will a 29G be that horrible for a species only tank?


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

Laying on bottom gasping for air sounds like nitrite posioning I think


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## Guest (Mar 28, 2005)

i like that tank Lexus. those kribs are really pretty too. they'll get along w/ the neons?


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Yes they are getting along, the krib isnt acting like a normal fish. I have read you can keep them in community tanks, until they pair off.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

not to throw this off topic, (srry lexus) but we tested today and there are no nitrites, and this krib is the only fish acting strangely


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Last krib died, :roll: oh well, time to wait for a week, do a water change, test the water and get some new fishies.


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

Lets go on this one, what does your water test now? Both of you I guess.
What size is the tank?, what Filter are you running? Air stones? Any info right now would be allot of help.
All of it in one post if you would, water temp, lights, how long they are on and off, All of that.........Are you on Well Water or City Water?

I Think are Pretty dang tuff fish myself, So there Has to be something we are missing.
A list of fish to, n plants, rocks, decor, anything else I can;t think of.....
There has to be something wrong someplace for Kirbs to just up and die off like that.
Have you had anything else in that tank that has died? Reason for asking, maybe something was dragged in from a LFS that was sick to start with.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Mr Aquarium @ Tue Mar 29 said:


> Lets go on this one, what does your water test now? Both of you I guess.
> What size is the tank?, what Filter are you running? Air stones? Any info right now would be allot of help.
> All of it in one post if you would, water temp, lights, how long they are on and off, All of that.........Are you on Well Water or City Water?
> 
> ...


Well I havnt tested it for awhile, and cannot now as i am back at school. 
29G, Aquatech filter 20-40G capacity, no air stones.
Temp 76-80
natural light during week from window, lights on and off on weekends 8-12 hours
Well water

Bought 3 Kribs and 6 neons first trip
second trip 3 days later bought 12 more neons
after i bought more neons i thing 4-6 died... which is usual for me cause I cant keep neons alive. 
The fish came from the same store same shipment different tanks. 

I believe I am going through a cycle. 

The whole time I had the kribs they layed on the bottom and were inactive.


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

What did the Kribs Act like in the LFS tanks?


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

they were with cichlids such as electric yellows, zebras ect... they were on the bottom, 2 were timid the other seemed to swim around. I figured they were intimidated by the others. It was a new fish shipment too.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

> Bought 3 Kribs and 6 neons first trip
> second trip 3 days later bought 12 more neons
> after i bought more neons i thing 4-6 died... which is usual for me cause I cant keep neons alive.
> The fish came from the same store same shipment different tanks.
> ...


3 kribs and 6 neons are a LOT of fish to add day one. and to add 12 more neons 3 days later is neonocide (hehe). First, it takes approximately 6 weeks for the nitrogen cycle to complete, so don't exacerbate things by adding fish in the middle of a cycle ... bad things happen.

And i always recommend adding neons last, and by the 3-4s. They like thier water clean clean clean, and that is the exact opposite of what you'll ever have cycling a tank. Which i think is exactly why you aren't having any luck with them.

And yep, if you filter isn't 6 weeks or more old with fish in the tank, you're cycling 

So add the neons last, and when you do, add em by the 3-4s, only feed em every 3-4 days or so, and do one if not 2 water changes a week for em til the tank settles down.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

> Bought 3 Kribs and 6 neons first trip
> second trip 3 days later bought 12 more neons
> after i bought more neons i thing 4-6 died... which is usual for me cause I cant keep neons alive.
> The fish came from the same store same shipment different tanks.
> ...


3 kribs and 6 neons are a LOT of fish to add day one. and to add 12 more neons 3 days later is neonocide (hehe). First, it takes approximately 6 weeks for the nitrogen cycle to complete, so don't exacerbate things by adding fish in the middle of a cycle ... bad things happen.

And i always recommend adding neons last, and by the 3-4s. They like thier water clean clean clean, and that is the exact opposite of what you'll ever have cycling a tank. Which i think is exactly why you aren't having any luck with them.

And yep, if you filter isn't 6 weeks or more old with fish in the tank, you're cycling 

So add the neons last, and when you do, add em by the 3-4s, only feed em every 3-4 days or so, and do one if not 2 water changes a week for em til the tank settles down.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Ive never had success with neons even in an established tank. The tank has the old filter pad from the 55G on it and a pot with algae on it in there. 

I knew the neons would keel off during the first few weeks, but I still have 12 living. 

Oh well least I got the cycle going. I realized I was going about it the wrong way, but was impatient. 
I should have added a cup of gravel from the established tank and the oldfilter pad right away then let it sit for more than a week. 

I'll have to test it when i get home on friday.


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## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

hehe impatientgirl  i hear ya tho, i get the same way sometimes. then i lose a bunch of fish, kick myself a few times and do what i'm 'posed ta do


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