Kribensis fish size

[bumpers]

I've got 2 female Kribs in my 75 Gallon tank, and judging by their coloration, I'm guessing they're a bit older - about 2.5-3 inches. As a cichlid newbie, I've been doing my research and chatting with the folks at my LFS, and it seems like Kribs can make good community fish. However, I'm experiencing some bullying issues, and I'm wondering if introducing 2 males might help - assuming they pair off, of course. The problem is, my local LFS only has smaller Kribs right now, about 1-1.5 inches with less coloration.

Would it be a problem introducing these smaller males to my 2 older females? I'm also open to other suggestions on how to tackle the aggression - it seems like the aggressor is mainly targeting the other female Krib. I've provided plenty of hiding spots, but I'm not sure what else to do to help.

[creekdwlr]

Hey, just curious about your setup. What's your current stocking like, and do you have a handle on your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels? I'm asking because Kribs can be a mixed bag, sometimes peaceful and other times pretty aggressive, all depending on their tankmates and the environment.

[bumpers]

Hey, just curious about your setup. What's your current stocking like, and do you have a handle on your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels? I'm asking because Kribs can be a mixed bag, sometimes peaceful and other times pretty aggressive, all depending on their tankmates and the environment.

I'm currently running a 75-gallon tank with a pretty mixed bag of fish. I've got 11 Neon tetras, 8 tiger barbs, the 2 female kribs, a rainbow shark, 3 cory catfish, 5 mollies, and 3 goldfish. Yeah, I know it's not the most conventional mix, but I took over the hobby from my kids, so the goldfish kinda came with the territory.

My water parameters are looking pretty good - pH is around 7.2, which I've read is a bit on the high side for kribs, but they seem to do okay between 6-8. No issues with ammonia or nitrates/nitrites, thanks to a decent amount of plants that help keep everything in check. The aggressive krib seems to mainly target the other female, leaving the rest of the fish alone unless they wander into her territory.

[creekdwlr]

Definitely an unconventional mix you've got going on there. I'd agree that your pH is spot on, though. Considering the needs of your goldfish, I think they'd be better off in a separate tank with someone who can give them the care they require.

If you could share some pictures of your Kribs, that'd be great. We can take a closer look and confirm their gender. Given the size of your tank, I think you could easily keep multiple pairs of Kribs. Introducing two males could be a good idea - they should pair off with the females and create their own territories. Just make sure to distribute the caves evenly throughout the tank to give them all a chance to claim their own space.

[bumpers]

I'm thinking of rehoming the goldfish to my parents' pond, but I need to break the news to my kids first.

The attached pics aren't the best, I'll try to get some better ones when I get home. From what I can tell, both my Kribs are females - I'd love to pair them off with some males. The thing is, my LFS only has younger, less mature Kribs available, around 1-1.5 inches. Do you think it'd be an issue introducing them to the tank, considering the age and size difference?

[creekdwlr]

I'm loving the vibrant colors on these ladies - absolute stunners and definitely both females. Ideally, I'd suggest rehoming the two females and starting fresh with 6-8 juvenile Kribs, letting nature run its course.

You've got a couple of options here:

1. Hunt down some mature males elsewhere.
2. Grab 2-4 smaller males and see which ones the female takes a liking to - then rehome the remaining males ASAP.

The thing with female Kribs is they can get pretty feisty with males if they're not interested in breeding, so the more you add, the better the chances they won't get bullied or hurt.

[bumpers]

I appreciate the suggestions, thanks. I'll check with my LFS to see if they have any juvenile kribs in stock. There's one that I know carries them, and another that might have some available. The store where I got the two females is a bit of a drive, but I could reach out to them to see if they have any adult males - worth a shot if I have to make the trip out there.

I'm also planning to do a rescape and see if that helps with the aggression issue.

[creekdwlr]

I'd like to add, unless you're adding new fish to the mix, a new aquascape alone might not be the solution. Dominant fish tend to be dominant regardless, and a change of scenery will likely just reset the pecking order, causing all the fish to re-claim their territories.

[bumpers]

Hey, just curious about your setup. What's your current stocking like, and do you have a handle on your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels? I'm asking because Kribs can be a mixed bag, sometimes peaceful and other times pretty aggressive, all depending on their tankmates and the environment.

I followed up on the advice and picked up three male kribs that are indeed smaller than my current females. The person at the LFS assured me that the size difference wouldn't be an issue given my tank size, and that having an odd number of males could actually increase competitiveness, which might be beneficial for the females. I also decided to add a few more rocks and cave areas, and rearranged some plants to create more hiding spots.

I've noticed a pretty immediate change in behavior from the female that was being bullied - within an hour, she was swimming more freely and seemed more at ease. I've also caught a few instances of both females interacting in a non-aggressive way, which is a great sign. Hopefully this trend continues and things keep improving.

[creekdwlr]

To reiterate, as soon as a pair forms, you'll need to rehome the third male - he'll likely become a target for bullying or worse.

Keep an eye on their behavior and I'm looking forward to seeing some photos once they've paired off.