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Re: A moody cow in my krib, how can i help it?
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 9:44 am
by duskyfish
duskyfish wrote: ↑Fri May 02, 2025 9:58 pm
I made a bit of an impulsive decision and added a female krib to my 200l tank - I'm not proud of it, but I took the advice of the woman at the fish store. She assured me that a single female would be fine in a community tank and wouldn't be aggressive without a mate. I was aware that kribs might pick on long-finned or slow fish, so I rearranged the tank to give her some space.
However, this morning I found that two of my platy's fins had been nipped. I'm not saying she's definitely the culprit, but it's pretty obvious who might be responsible. I've done some research and thought that kribs and platies would get along, given that they occupy different swimming levels.
Is it possible that this is just a settling-in period, or do I have an aggressive fish on my hands? Should I consider moving her to a separate tank? If so, are there any small fish that I could keep with her safely, or would she be okay on her own? We're planning to set up a planted tank, but we haven't finalized our stocking plans yet.
I've finally got a 125 set up for the feisty female Krib - now I'm faced with the dilemma of who to put in with her. I'm pretty sure platies are a no-go, given her previous antics. Should I move the platies to the 125 and give her back her old home, or is there another fish out there that can handle her attitude?
Re: A moody cow in my krib, how can i help it?
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 10:54 am
by ridera
I think you're asking the wrong person, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my solitary Krib. As for tankmates, I've been warned off smaller fish like platies, and I've already learned the hard way about mixing her with them. I'm considering bigger, more robust fish that can hold their own against her aggression. I've got a 125l tank to work with now, so I'm open to suggestions on who might be a good match for her.
Re: A moody cow in my krib, how can i help it?
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 1:01 pm
by duskyfish
Empty 125 tank, just her for now.
I've got a few other tanks going on, so thought I'd give you the lowdown on the inhabitants - my 200l has a mix of danios, cardinal tetras, peppered cories, dwarf gourami, a baby bristlenose (new addition today), and platies. Then there's the 65l with neptunes, platies, pygmy cories, and a clown plec.
Now I'm at a complete loss - any ideas on tankmates for my feisty krib? I'm thinking of starting a thread in tropical discussion to get some input, as I'm stumped.
Re: A moody cow in my krib, how can i help it?
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 2:13 pm
by ridera
By Danios I'm assuming you mean Zebra or Leopards. They're probably your safest bet from the fish you've got, as they'll stick to the surface, especially if you create a strong current up there. They're also pretty fast, which should help them avoid any aggression from the Krib.
If you do decide to move the Danios to the 125l tank, I'd take the female Krib out and put her in a bucket for a bit while you rearrange the tank. Let the Danios get used to the tank without the Krib for a few hours before releasing her.
Can you tell me the dimensions of your 125l and 200l tanks? I'm curious, do your Platies usually stay in the upper water? Is there a powerhead or filter creating a stronger current lower down in the tank that might be influencing this?
Re: A moody cow in my krib, how can i help it?
Posted: Sat May 03, 2025 3:13 pm
by duskyfish
The 200l is 100 x 40 x 55 cm, really packed with plants and bogwood - it's a lovely environment, just not for my feisty krib, it seems. The 125l is 80 x 35 x 45, and it came with a 3D background that I'm planning to build on to create a more rocky setup.
The danios are indeed zebras - lovely, active fish. I'm not planning any more upheaval tonight, I've already had to shift one tank to make space for the new one and get it set up. For now, the krib is in a temporary home, just a small edge, but it's heated and filtered, so she'll be okay for a bit.
I have to admit, I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to keeping her separate - she's such a beautiful fish, but I also don't want to see her maiming her tankmates. I might have to consider rehoming her, which would be a shame, but I don't want to waste a great tank on a fish that can't get along with others.