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hey, been checking out kribensis and i'm really keen on getting a few, got a single cockatoo cichlid atm
my question is simple - can i keep kribensis with my cockatoo cichlid together

cheers

Anyone got any advice on this, been looking for an answer.

I've kept Kribs with other feisty cichlids like Convicts and Firemouths without issues, as long as you give 'em space to claim their own territory.

ive got 180lts of water space and planning on adding some caves too

I'd be cautious with a 180L tank, to be honest. 220L is the minimum I'd consider for keeping Kribs. They need space to establish their territory, especially when breeding. It's not just about the volume, but the footprint. I learned the hard way with a 45G tank - a pair of Kribs and a pair of rams, and the morning they decided to breed, the rams were gone. If you're still set on keeping them together, I'd suggest adding a lot of wood and plants, way more than you think you need - at least 10 caves, and plenty of visual barriers to separate the tank. This will help reduce fighting.

Thanks, I think I'll hold off for now and just stick with what I've got, appreciate the advice though.

You might want to think about trying a different type of kribensis, like a matadi or teniatus - they're usually not as aggressive as pulchers. Nanochromis are another option too.

They might crossbreed with pulchers.

I wasn't suggesting keeping pulcher with one of its cousins. Re-read my original post, I was just throwing out an alternative idea.

bolt9x wrote: ↑Sun Apr 13, 2025 11:54 pm You might want to think about trying a different type of kribensis, like a matadi or teniatus - they're usually not as aggressive as pulchers. Nanochromis are another option too.

No worries, running on fumes here, zero sleep is kicking in