trophus dubosi

[lethalcustoms00]

im thinking about buying the pair of juvie t. dubosi from my favorite lfs. I need to know if they are compatable with smaller tangs though. I have a 55 with n. brichardi to put them in. there is just a pair, and thats all i want. other queation is, how would one do if i had to place it in my malawi tank?

[kaybee]

I'm not sure how t. duboisi would fare with n. brichardi, however when keeping multiple tropheus of the same species/type, they should be kept in large groups due to the type of aggression they exhibit. The odds are against a pair of them working.

A lone tropheus duboisi in a mbuna set up may work (very similar requirements and behavior). I've had a t. duboisi with my mbuna's for a number of years now with no issue (though at the time of introduction it was not a polka-dotted juvenile).

[lethalcustoms00]

thank you, that helps me tremendously!

[hybridguy]

I agree, if u do any tropheus u need large numbers of them, 15-20 would b good. If u do 1 with ur mbuna it should work well.

[toddnbecka]

Any species of Tropheus needs to be kept in a large group; 10 would be the minimum number, more are better. Many years ago (before the internet) I picked up 4 juvie duboise, not knowing anything about them. I ended up with 1, the other 3 were killed off before they showed their adult pattern.

[rhonin]

but heed the advice given by kaybee and hybridguy.

I started my juvenile Malawi setup and included 2 Tropheus red-saddle and 2 dubosi. This included juvie mbuna.

All was well until the Red-Saddles grew up - they terrorized one of the dubosi which I had to relocate (believe it or not he lives like Mutt and Jeff with my wife's 4" Tiger Oscar :hmm3grin2orange: Two dark peas in a 43g pod!)

One with Mbuna works.
Problem is they are so darn cute in the itty bitty stage with spots....

One should do well.
Two, maybe not so well.
Ten or so and let the fun begin!

:22:

[cichlideo]

I keep 5 Tropheus Duboisi with 14 Simochromis Diagramma and they are doing fine. Breeding actively. So it can be done. However I think the situation would be different if they would be on their own.