# Dicrossus Filamentosus and other dwarf cichlids



## Shane Puthuparambil (7 Jan 2017)

Hi!

I am inquiring about various dwarf cichlids in large communities. I plan on keeping anywhere from 10-25 in a 75 gallon heavily planted tank in the future, with warm temperatures (80F) and lots of driftwood.

I am planning on having either Dicrossus, Mikrogeophagus, or Apistogramma

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Dicrossus Filamentosus. I want to hear your experiences and inputs on this project.

The tanks base dimensions are 120cm long * 45cm wide * 60cm high.

-Shane


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## KipperSarnie (7 Jan 2017)

I do not know your species but wonder if fighting may be a problem.  
I have 6  Cleithracara maronii (Keyhole cichlid) & fighting breaks out every so often between the males which leads to them all hiding & taking on their dark fright colours for a while.


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## dw1305 (7 Jan 2017)

Hi all, 





Shane Puthuparambil said:


> I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Dicrossus Filamentosus.


They need <"very soft water, live food and lots of cover">. If you can supply that they are a stunning fish.

cheers Darrel


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## Eboeagles (7 Jan 2017)

Just bought a pair of these for my tank.  I have hard southern water I cut with 60% rain water. Been in for a week and seem pretty happy.

Had never heard of them before but Greg at ADC swore by them and said they were his favourite fish and said they would be fine in my water (I've been going to ADC for 5 or so years). 

I've been lurking on the Apistogramma forum (sorry UKAPS): http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/threads/my-experience-with-dicrossus-foirni.20371/

I love the look of Apistogramma baenschi and actually went to ADC for a pair:
https://www.facebook.com/aquascaper...583173484985/1265580506818585/?type=3&theater

Seem pretty hard to come by though.


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## Shane Puthuparambil (7 Jan 2017)

Cool! I actually live in Portland, Oregon, USA, so I don't have access to ADC. Rather, I shop at "The Wet Spot Tropical Fish", and they sell each for 5 USD, which is a great price for a dwarf cichlid. Usually, they range from 20-30 dollars.

I love the way the A. Baenschi look!


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## dw1305 (7 Jan 2017)

Hi all, 





Shane Puthuparambil said:


> and they sell each for 5 USD


I think you can find them cheaper in the States because they are <"by-catch" with wild collected Cardinal Tetras">. In the UK we don't tend to get as many wild Cardinal Tetra, so they are usually more money to buy here.

I kept them years ago, but I was never very successful with them, I think as a general rule they aren't easy fish to keep in the longer term. In more recent times I've kept <"_Dicrossus maculatus">_ which started really well, but still ended in tears.

cheers Darrel


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## alto (8 Jan 2017)

I've kept 9 - 12 _D filamentosus_ in heavily planted with wood/rock scapes (forming hollows/crevices), fish were sourced in very different places, some years apart, both projects began with small grey fish 
The 1st group comprised 4-5 males & 5-6 females - they formed a distinct school configuration & patrolled the tank as a group, as the fish matured, there was minimal aggression, even when they began to spawn, the group dynamic remained. While there was an apparent hierarchy within the group, I never saw anything approaching a "fight", some posturing/flaring but no physical damage.
Fish were smaller than the Seriously Fish species report, & stunning to look at as they matured (unfortunately I never took any photos)
Local tap water was the sort that produces a good "limescale" with tank pH ~6.8 (CO2 + substrate effect as tap was pH ~7.5), I had these fish ~18 months before losing most of the tank after an apparently normal water change - nothing measured out of the ordinary but there was a local crew working on a nearby water main ... so like Darrel my experience ended in tears (I tore the tank down & set up Tanganyikans)

I kept looking for another chance with these amazing fish (which led to group 2 finally)

The 2nd group was also quite balanced in male/female ratio, but this group never formed an interactive shoal, they might move in a group at times but behaviour was completely different (boring in comparison), the females were very secretive, the males more visible - the females could be quite nasty to each other & to the males; males did some sparing as well - I could glance over & often see an apparently empty tank.
There was considerable size range within each sex with the dominant fish being significantly larger (previous group was much more uniform in size/development)
I tried removing some fish, placing different combinations in various tanks ... finally I just traded them on after a year or so
Unlike the first group, there was little spawning activity, they went through the motions a bit, but nothing really definite; this group was physically larger, & less colorful than the first.
Local tap water at this time was very soft, pH ~6


Both groups were listed as wild caught with no location information.

I didn't find these fish difficult or particularly sensitive (though I'm a frequent water changer), they ate frozen food, flake, micropellets  (I pre-soak any dried foods for a few minutes) - if I started with 10 juveniles, I still had 9 or 10 a year later BUT I seldom add fish to a tank "community" & quarantine any new additions. 
Other tankmates were some upper level schooling fish (small rasboras, tetras etc), otos, some shrimp (that 2nd group was rather hard on the shrimp population )

If you pick up a group I hope you post photos - perhaps the Wet Spot has source location details


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## Sonsey (12 Mar 2017)

Eboeagles said:


> I love the look of Apistogramma baenschi and actually went to ADC for a pair:
> https://www.facebook.com/aquascaper...583173484985/1265580506818585/?type=3&theater
> 
> Seem pretty hard to come by though.



You may well have sourced some by now, but if not Maidenhead Aquatics often have them or can order them in for you. I got a pair last year from my local MA, they describe them with the common name "Inka 50".


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