I just got my first Tang today!

It is a transcriptus and I put him into
my 20 gallon tank for now!

He is in the tank with 1 syno. ert. and
1 BN pleco.

He likes to hide amongst the rocks quite a bit
so far.

What should I feed him? I know he is an omnivore
and I have quality flake and pellets.
I read the profile on this fish on CF and it said that
I can feed him mysis shrimp and mosquito larvae, etc.

What do you guys suggest and what package form should
I be looking to get?

Thanks for all your replies!

PS: Should I consider adding a couple more of these or not?

There is no way to sex these that I know of, unless you can
instruct me on this.

"Well, yes, sheriff, we actually did see him hanging out with local ruffians. You know, that Klaus kid and his tattooed friends who hang out down at Tang's Drive-In and Malt Shop. But we never thought.. how could we have imagined it? That such a fine young man would end up adopting Tropheusism."

Officer Mongo scuffed his polished shoe on the hot, sticky asphalt. "I just feel so bad for his family."

"They're good people, sheriff." Professor Trewavas looked into her friend's eyes and saw the pain there. "They'll get through somehow."

PS: We want pics! Bouncy We want pics! Bouncy

I can't even get this fish to come out of the rocks
for food, let alone a picture!

I am already frustrated by this tank, and now I am
getting frustrated and worried about this fish!

I need some help with type of food and strategy for
feeding a fish who is by itself!

Should I try live brine shrimp? Frozen brine shrimp?
This is day 2 since I put it in the tank and it still hasn't
eaten at all. Time may be running out for the fish.

I may just chuck the entire tank in the garbage can and
start over with a new tank!

I don't want to lose another fish. I really like this
transcriptus. dumb dumb

Any help much appreciated!

PB my friend, you seriously need to relax. B) B)


OK, are you relaxed now?????? Good, then let's see what we can do here. Good Job

First off, it is NEVER a good idea to keep a single fish. No matter which species, they all like to have company. The ideal thing to do with the Julidochromis species is to get about 5 fish, set them in a tank and watch them. Eventually a pair will find it selves. All Julies are cave brooders so you need to provide lots of small hiding places.
They are not fussy about food and will take just about everything. I feed my Julidochromis Marlieri flakes, different frozen foods like brine shrimp, krill and blood worms. Don't worry about 2 days without food. I have left my fish without food for a whole week without any problems.

My advise, get him/her some company, that will entice them to eat.

Keep us posted please Good Job

And I promise to stop goofing around until this tank is not worrying you.

Then I'll go back to being my usual obnoxious self.

Oh, this is giving me marunguensis flashbacks, preacherboy...Ask Klaus to be more specific about how that pair will eventually "find it selves"...

I'm gonna sit back and watch... :D

(You know that it means I don't know anything when I don't talk...)

Klaus, did you notice how people from Kentucky seem to get easily excited about stuff???

Kim

I really don't understand this. I always thought that the people from Kentucky are calm and layed back and that you Kim are the exception to that rule. Hmmmm Hmmmm Hmmmm

The people from the Kentucky Mafia are usually very
laid back folk, but not when it comes to our hobbies!

But I will relax for now and put myself in your hands!

I will try to get a few more fish tomorrow and I will let
you know what happens!

Thanks for the replies and I am now going to take a
"chill pill" and relax! Now this should be good!

Don, you have never been obnoxious at any time!
I appreciate your humor, even if your others don't! On the Floor Laughing Giggly

Oh, I forgot to ask Klaus "how they find themselves"? :unsure: :ph43r:

Peacherboy, keep us updated on this - I'm interested to see how it works out.

I've been looking at some of the Julidochromis species at my fish store and have been wanting some for a while now. They have a breeding pair of transcriptus raising fry and I find myself standing in front of that tank and watching them for long periods of time. They are a cool little fish.

Good luck with yours!

PB, it's love at first sight and they will be happy ever after Cloud 9 Cloud 9

Well, at least the two lovers. The wellbeing of the rest depends on the size of tank and how many hiding places you provide.

I bought 5 juveniles at approx 2". Two pair "found themselves" and the fifth one was killed by the others. I kept one pair and gave the other one to a friend. My pair lives in a 25g since over 6 years and they are one heck of a happy couple. They spawn regularly at least once per month.

Now your Transcriptus are much smaller then the Marlieri (my female is a good 5"). You should be able to keep two pair in your tank.





Good luck and keep us posted Good Job

Thanks Aura and Buntee for the replies!

These fish are little expensive; $22.95!

I guess I'll try my luck and add 2 more and
see if I get lucky and get a pair and then rescue
the other!

I didn't want to scare you with the "murder" part... :unsure:

Did I tell you that Kentuckians are also very tenderhearted, Klaus? :D

preacherboy is going to try to pull a "Kim" and get the unwanted ones out...

I'll be watching this thread closely, preacherboy. I've really been wanting to keep some of these guys, so I hope things go well for you.

Kim

At those prices I'll kep TWO sets of fingers crossed for this tank!

Don

Update:

I went and purchased two more transcriptus
today and so far, everything is fine!

I watched all three eat some flake and a few
pellets, but they are still pretty skittish at this point!

The first one I bought is about an 1/2 inch longer
than the two newest ones and seems to be in control
of the best cave!

So far, they are just doing the standard "posing" for
each other, with no real aggression yet!

I can't tell the sexes just yet, but from what I've observed
so far, I think I may have 2m/1f.

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you updated!

Thanks for the update PB. It appears that all is going to plan Good Job

Once they start breeding they will get a bit more aggressive because they will defend their fry. Nothing unusual because one of the main reasons we keep cichlids is that they protect their fry. No other fish do that.

pb, where did you buy them?

Hey, Yoda!

I hate to admit it, but I bought them at
Auburndale Pet Store!

It's not the best fish store in the world, but
they do have a large assortment of africans!

Update:

I must have the worst luck in the world when it
comes to buying fish and sex ratios. worry wart!

I'm pretty sure that I either have three males or
3 females. dumb dumb

It's been about 5 days since I added the last two
and the first one I originally had is dominating the
two new ones. Grrrr

He/she keeps the other two on one side of tank and
keeps one of them in a corner at the top! 4mongo

These are so expensive that I don't want to lose any, but
I don't want to add more of the same again! Help!

I don't know what to do just yet. The dominant fish is at least
eating now and one of the newer one (not the one in "time out")
is eating as well. :blink:

Any suggestions? idunno ohhh please ohh please

What do you guys think?

I am thinking of riding out the situation, if possbile, until
OCA Extravaganza in November and see if I can pick up
a few that is sexually identified by a breeder or keeper.

Maybe I'll pick up a pair or trio, or I could buy some females
for the tank.

Any suggestions? Hmmmm

I am not a good person to advise on this at all! I had a terrible time with the marunguensis trying to let them figure things out for themselves. When I see a fish being harrassed, my first instinct is to remove it from the tank...That's not always the thing to do.

I wish I could vent...I could save myself and my fish alot of trouble.

I have a really hard time determining whether harrassment is coming from a fish of the same sex, or if it's part of the pairing off thing...

I'd be interested in hearing how many Klaus thinks you could get away with in the tank size in order to allow the pairing more opportunities???

Kim

In the meantime, you might want to put a tall plastic plant or float a smaller one in the corner where the bullied one is trying to hide.

If I see one being harassed into a top corner, I do this to help them hide out and hopefully stay out of sight better, until they work things out.

Preacherboy, I have the same kind of luck that you do. My "pair" of brevis are two males that despise each other. I've had them for over a year now. They live on separate sides of the tank. If they meet in the middle, it can get ugly. bring it on!

You can also suspend a piece of pvc pipe at the top of the water line for harrassed fish to hide out in!

Kim

Re M/F and luck: I think my 6 Msobo's are either 1F/5M or 6M!

Misery loves company! Giggly

Update: I'm even more confused than ever!

However, all three transcriptus are eating and doing well. I'm happy
about that progress.

Recently, I posted that I thought the three fish in question were
either all males or all females, but yesterday, I looked into the tank
to observe them and someone has started to dig some areas around
the tank that looks like pits for laying eggs or spawning.

I just can't figure out yet whose is doing the digging and if I have a pair
forming or not! I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true!

Two of the fish pretty much stay on one side of tank, (the 2 latest additions)
while the original julie dominates the best cave on his side of the tank.

The pits begin dug are on the dominant fish's side of the tank around his/her
cave.

Any comments welcomed and I will post some pics soon!