Searching for the perfect Trimac
- Thread starter DMD123
- Start date
@lloyd378, yeah that trimac keeper posts tons of pics of his Neanderthal fish, lol. There are some awesome 'yawning' pics of it out there but it is kind of an ugly trimac.
Yesterday was supposed to have some time to work on my tank divider but with the loss of my hairy puffer, I kind of just finished up water changes and worked on other projects around the house. Did some hard core yard work so that helped me refocus. I've got my eggcrate panels mostly cut to size but need to figure out how I want to secure them. The fish will likely not get big enough to push them over since the goal is to separate them to get them healed up and then to start selling off at least two with in the next month or two. I think the current male/female combo will stay in a 90 by themselves, then move the littlest one with the awesome pattern into a 65B to itself and take the other three and put them into a 90 divided into thirds.
Yesterday was supposed to have some time to work on my tank divider but with the loss of my hairy puffer, I kind of just finished up water changes and worked on other projects around the house. Did some hard core yard work so that helped me refocus. I've got my eggcrate panels mostly cut to size but need to figure out how I want to secure them. The fish will likely not get big enough to push them over since the goal is to separate them to get them healed up and then to start selling off at least two with in the next month or two. I think the current male/female combo will stay in a 90 by themselves, then move the littlest one with the awesome pattern into a 65B to itself and take the other three and put them into a 90 divided into thirds.
With a 65B open to move fish over to, I decided to take the littlest trimac that had the cool pattern and move it over. It had taken a hammering from the other 4 fish in the 90 so it needed a reprieve. The pair seem pretty compatible but they are going slow, not sure if they are mature enough to breed.
The 'pair' are terrorizing the tank, lol. The other two trimac are getting forced up into the upper corners of the tank. I feel as if I were to remove them there is a possibility that there would be trouble in paradise and that the dominant male might hurt/kill the female. He flips pretty quickly when things change. I noticed when I removed the smallest trimac, he started to 'rethink' the pecking order and aggression and actually went after the female for a bit. I threw food into the tank and that messed with his mojo and he ate instead. Now that he is used to the current situation he seems fine again and swims around with the female a lot. Im close to setting up a divider and moving out the rest of the trimac but fear leaving just the pair to themselves right now. Dont know if that would encourage aggression or induce spawning. Might need to get a couple target fish like convicts or something.
90g is probably too small for a pair of trimac, the male will seek and destroy
I wasn’t thinking of the pair long term. Was thinking to let them breed once at this small size and then raise out a batch of fry and check off the breed fish box of my fish bucket list. I would probably separate them afterwards and grow out the female a little to pass along for someone else to breed.
I like that female
I am having a hard time seeing, but there may just be a batch of eggs. They look to have laid them in a hollow on the large Mopani log. I could not really see it well since blue lights were on and its facing away from me. Was hoping to have a little more time to ‘baby proof’ the tank. Was going to add foam covers over the Aquaclear intakes. Will check on them tomorrow during the day and see what I can see.
Looked in the tank this morning and no eggs. So either the BN pleco got to them at night or what I saw in the blue moon light was reflection of some sand in that hollow of the Mopani. At least this gives me time to put on the sponge intakes on the aquaclear to protect from fry getting sucked in.
Jexnell
Well-Known Member
I used AC50 sponges cut in half for my pre-filters. Hallow out a little bit for the cone section of the intake to fit.
Well I already own them and they are sitting around doing nothing so I might as well try and save a few potential fry this way. lol
Trimac updates:
The largest one that got moved first due to hurting itself from possibly getting stuck under decor has been in a 65B with a small L001 pleco. It seems to be doing quite well with all it scrapes and tears in fins looking healed up. It spooks a bit but overall seems pretty comfortable being a solo fish. Likely the fact that it has a cave to retreat to is the difference. The tank was supposed get my female RTM but works for this guy for now.
The second trimac to get its own tank was the smallest one with the awesome pattern. I had my other 65B open up due to the puffer passing so I moved that one in. This one not doing well at all. Well physically seems to be healing up since its not being picked on but mentally its off. It very dark and hiding in the upper areas of the tank, like right under the output of the Aquaclear filter. I had all the original decor in that tank but the thing was hiding in one of the wood pieces in a way that worried me so I removed it. This guy needs some dither/target fish to help it relax. Not bold at all. Its in this tank (Minus the puffer)
The 90 gallon currently has the pair that seems pretty well bonded but at times if anything changes, like me removing a fish, doing a water change, or toward evening with the blue night light on, the male kind of 'snaps'. He will go after his female like she is one of the other two trimacs in the tank. All seems fine during the day however. Its funny but the other two target/dither trimacs are doing pretty well just sitting up in the corners of the tank afraid to come down, unless it feeding time. Then one of the trimac is especially a quick eater and gets to food right away. Ive been busy with work and outside in the yard right now so I have not set up the divided tank yet but I fear for the female if she is solo with the male. He just turns when the situation in the tank changes.
The largest one that got moved first due to hurting itself from possibly getting stuck under decor has been in a 65B with a small L001 pleco. It seems to be doing quite well with all it scrapes and tears in fins looking healed up. It spooks a bit but overall seems pretty comfortable being a solo fish. Likely the fact that it has a cave to retreat to is the difference. The tank was supposed get my female RTM but works for this guy for now.
The second trimac to get its own tank was the smallest one with the awesome pattern. I had my other 65B open up due to the puffer passing so I moved that one in. This one not doing well at all. Well physically seems to be healing up since its not being picked on but mentally its off. It very dark and hiding in the upper areas of the tank, like right under the output of the Aquaclear filter. I had all the original decor in that tank but the thing was hiding in one of the wood pieces in a way that worried me so I removed it. This guy needs some dither/target fish to help it relax. Not bold at all. Its in this tank (Minus the puffer)
The 90 gallon currently has the pair that seems pretty well bonded but at times if anything changes, like me removing a fish, doing a water change, or toward evening with the blue night light on, the male kind of 'snaps'. He will go after his female like she is one of the other two trimacs in the tank. All seems fine during the day however. Its funny but the other two target/dither trimacs are doing pretty well just sitting up in the corners of the tank afraid to come down, unless it feeding time. Then one of the trimac is especially a quick eater and gets to food right away. Ive been busy with work and outside in the yard right now so I have not set up the divided tank yet but I fear for the female if she is solo with the male. He just turns when the situation in the tank changes.
I’ve found that most amphs absolutely hate tanks lower to the ground until they hit about 12”
anytime I’ve tried to place them in my lower tanks, they hide the entire time and just continue to get more scared . Just a thought, but I’ve had to ( numerous times) move fish to different tanks until they reach adult hood).
you may want to move the little keeper to an upper tank and see if his behavior changes. For me, it typically takes about 2-3 weeks for them to snap back
anytime I’ve tried to place them in my lower tanks, they hide the entire time and just continue to get more scared . Just a thought, but I’ve had to ( numerous times) move fish to different tanks until they reach adult hood).
you may want to move the little keeper to an upper tank and see if his behavior changes. For me, it typically takes about 2-3 weeks for them to snap back
