Mixed species enclosures and other changes for Burgers Zoo

[Mr Gharial]

Maybe some smaller catfish (although I don’t know many species) to clean the tank?

That reminds me! They have a small african (?) fish tank in the current aviary house. They have cleaner catfish in there

Edit: Nevermind, the bushymouth catfish in there is South American. I have no idea what other fishes live in there though. Anyone know?

 

[Mr Gharial]

Aquarium in the old pheasantry bird house (Sep 16th, 2018) - ZooChat

"According to signage home to Salvin's cichlid (Cichlasoma salvini) and long-finned cory (Corydoras longipinnis)"

All South American, sadly

 

[Westcoastperson]

Any other fish we could add, maybe some that are beneficial to the hippos?

Congo tetra should be small enough, also a few more species of African cichlid

 

[chaotic_froggie]

I think Polka Dot Catfish might be ok, but I don’t know if they would eat some of the smaller fish

 

[Mr Gharial]

Congo tetra should be small enough, also a few more species of African cichlid

What species of Cichlid would you suggest?

 

[Mr Gharial]

I think Polka Dot Catfish might be ok, but I don’t know if they would eat some of the smaller fish

Well, most of the species are around 8 cm, some are around 20, and the tilapia are around 40 maximum. So I'm not sure if the 60cm maximum predatory fish would work. But I'm not an expert

 

[DaLilFishie]

Freshwater Butterflyfish would be an interesting addition

 

[Westcoastperson]

What species of Cichlid would you suggest?

The kenyi cichlid Maylandia lombardoi or electric yellow cichlid Labidochromis caeruleus both because they are beautiful and easy to come across

 

[Westcoastperson]

Freshwater Butterflyfish would be an interesting addition

I agree but you would need to get rid of any species that are known to bite

 

[Mr Gharial]

The kenyi cichlid Maylandia lombardoi or electric yellow cichlid Labidochromis caeruleus both because they are beautiful and easy to come across

Both certainly pretty!

I agree but you would need to get rid of any species that are known to bite

Why is that? Are they particularly vunerable?

 

[Westcoastperson]

Both certainly pretty!



Why is that? Are they particularly vunerable?

Ok, I've been involved in the home aquaria for a while which is why I knew about those two cichids. In both freshwater and saltwater tanks if you want a fish with long tails you are always told not to mix them with fish that could/would bite them off some examples I have heard are freshwater pufferfish or clownfish. I used to have three bangaii cardinalfish with two good sized clownfish and they all died because the clowns bit off tails. So I would watch what fish you mix if you add freshwater angels.

 

[Mr Gharial]

Ok, I've been involved in the home aquaria for a while which is why I knew about those two cichids. In both freshwater and saltwater tanks if you want a fish with long tails you are always told not to mix them with fish that could/would bite them off some examples I have heard are freshwater pufferfish or clownfish. I used to have three bangaii cardinalfish with two good sized clownfish and they all died because the clowns bit off tails. So I would watch what fish you mix if you add freshwater angels.

Well, I don't know how bitey WA Black forest turtles are, but in my experience turtles are the bitiest creatures of all. So maybe we should take out the freshwater angels then

 

[Mr Gharial]

So then the water species are:

True big-scale tetra (Brycinus macrolepidotus)
Peters elephantnose fish (Gnathonemus petersii)
Redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii)
Konye (Konia eisentrauti)
Azureus cichlid (Copadichromis azureus)
Angolan tilapia (Oreochromis angolensis)
Aurora cichlid (Maylandia aurora)
Bumblebee cichlid (Pseudotropheus crabro)
Pindu (Stomatepia pindu)
Red top Ndumbi cichlid (Pseudotropheus spec.)
Congo tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus)
Kenyi cichlid (Maylandia lombardoi)
Electric yellow cichlid (Labidochromis caeruleus)
(More cichlids?)

And the Semi-aquatics:

Pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis liberiensis)
West African black forest turtle (Pelusios niger)
White-faced whistling-duck (Dendrocygna viduata)

Along with some small wading birds

 

[animal_expert01]

Alright, I wanted to add some fishes to the indoor river of Burgers Congo and this is the species list I have so far:
True big-scale tetra
Peters elephantnose fish
Redbelly tilapia
Konye
Banded cichlid
Utaka
Angolan tilapia
Aurora cichlid
Bumblebee cichlid
Pindu
Red top Ndumbi cichlid
Altum angelfish

Can these go together and be safe with the free-roaming animals and pygmy hippos (Congo peafowl, Crested guineafowl, Great blue turaco, Speckled mousebird, White-faced whistling-duck, Snowy-crowned robin-chat, African swamphen, Greater African jacana, African lemon dove, Green crested turaco, Black-faced go-away bird, Egyptian plover, Hamerkop, Red-crested turaco, Congo dwarf clawed frog, Blue-throated agama, House gecko, West African black forest turtle)

Bumbleebee cichlids would kill the majority of those species.

 

[DaLilFishie]

More fish you could add if you want
- African Arowana
- Reedfish
- False Upside-Down Catfish
- Kribensis
- African Knifefish
- Malawi Squeaker
- West African Bichir
- Vundu
- Yellow-Tailed African Tetra
- African Moon Tetra

 

[Mr Gharial]

Bumbleebee cichlids would kill the majority of those species.

Naughty bumblebee!

More fish you could add if you want
- African Arowana
- Reedfish
- False Upside-Down Catfish
- Kribensis
- African Knifefish
- Malawi Squeaker
- West African Bichir
- Vundu
- Yellow-Tailed African Tetra
- African Moon Tetra

Aren't arowanas really aggressive?

Malawi squeaker is a bit too out of range and the vundu is a predatory giant, but the rest are good, I think

Would the Saddled bichir work too? Purely for aesthetic purposes

 

[DaLilFishie]

Aren't arowanas really aggressive?

Some are, yes, but as far as I know the African Arowana is one of the least aggressive of the bunch. Of course, keep it away from fish smaller than it is but it should get along with larger species (that aren't big enough to eat the arowana). Well actually, the African Arowana isn't really an arowana, it's actually more closely related to the arapaimas.

Would the Saddled bichir work too? Purely for aesthetic purposes

I see no reason why not, it is found in Africa after all.

 

[Mr Gharial]

Of course, keep it away from fish smaller than it is but it should get along with larger species

Almost all other species are smaller than the arowana

 

[DaLilFishie]

Almost all other species are smaller than the arowana

In that case it would probably be best to keep it by itself or omit it from the exhibit entirely.

 

[Mr Gharial]

In that case it would probably be best to keep it by itself or omit it from the exhibit entirely.

Well, there isn't a main focus aquarium. It's a large river inside the tropical dome, with one viewing panel in the Pygmy hippo enclosure