considering a pair for my aquarium

[velocity]

I'm really drawn to this cichlid, love the colors, and they seem to fit my water parameters perfectly. Anyone know the name of this fish or have more info on it?

http/www.tntaquatica.com/images/fish/frontosa.jpg

[duskgold]

You'll need a pretty spacious tank for these Frontosas, as they can grow up to 15" in length and become very territorial, especially with just two. A single one requires a 70-gallon tank to itself, while two would need over 100 gallons to prevent aggression and allow them to establish their own territories.

[velocity]

I'm actually in the process of upgrading to a 150gal tank, so space won't be an issue. Got a small 65gal right now, but the new one's gonna give me plenty of room for these guys to grow. And since I'm getting them when they're small, I figure it'll take years for them to reach their full size.

Thanks for the info, duskgold - that's exactly what I was looking for.

[flinta]

What are your other tank inhabitants, by the way? A 150 gallon, being 6 foot, would be ideal for these cichlids, in my opinion. They're best kept in groups, as well. cheers

[medic23]

Be cautious with plans to buy small, as most aquarium fish can grow rapidly in the right conditions, often within the first year or two - not the timeframe many people typically expect.

[velocity]

The tank will be empty besides them, just the cichlids to start with. I'm also considering some blue tursio cichlids, but I think that might be too much for now, till I get the 150gal up and running.

Two years is plenty of time for me, I've already got all the wood for the stand, just need to get the glass or acrylic sorted.

[duskgold]

I've gotta say, I'm not sold on the acrylic idea. A year or two down the line, you'll be staring at a haze of tiny scratches unless you and your fish are super careful. I mean, I've even managed to scratch my glass tank within a month - I can only imagine how I'd fare with acrylic.

[ridera]

Get the tank first, then the large fish - life has a way of derailing even the best plans, and it's the fish that'll end up paying the price.

I've got a few examples from my own experience - I've got a Giraffe Catfish, probably Auchenoglanis tchadensis, that I bought back in 2012 at around 5cm in length. Fast forward to now, and it's already reached 15cm, roughly half its adult size, all while living in a spacious 280-liter tank.

My Ornate Bagrid Catfish, Chrisichthys ornatus, has also been growing steadily - from 4cm in 2012 to around 8cm today, which is roughly a third of its adult size. It's been thriving in its 140-liter home.

I've also got a group of "African Suckermouths" from the Euchilichthys group that I picked up last year at around 10cm in length. They've only grown about a centimeter since then, but they've still got a way to go before reaching their full adult size of around 20cm. They're living in a large 300-liter tank, which gives them plenty of room to grow.

My Synodontis notata has also been doing well - I got it back in 2012 at around 22cm in length, and it's since grown to around 23cm. It's got a bit more growing to do, but it's got plenty of space in its 300-liter home.

The point is, I've got the tanks to accommodate these fish - a 6-foot tank and a spare 5x2x2 in the garage, among others. It's always better to have the tank ready before bringing home the fish.