Tapajo Red Top

[gimlid]

Discussion and Information

I was involved in the Red Top Group buy a few months back that ADZ1 organized.
I started this discussion to see what other members had to say about their Red Tops. Either from the group buy or any other source. I would love to see photos of a fully grown specimen.
I would be interested in purchasing a few from outide the group buy, from a separate bloodline if any are for sale.

I have been enjoying the 5 that I acquired.
I am keeping mine in a 180 gallon SA community set up. Lots of manzanita stumps, pool sand substrate, java ferns, ph 6.8, weekly 40% water changes, low gh and kh.
Tank mates include 4 Keyholes, 1 Chocolate Cichlid, 2 Angels, 1 common pleco, 1 chocolate pleco, 2 L182, 2 clown pleco, 2 L66,
1 unidentified pleco, 8 various cories, 1 Otto cat.
Filtration is 1 FX5 and 1 XP4

I have noticed a few behaviors I thought worth noting.

I find mine fairly difficult to sex at 3"-4.5" in length.
Fin similarities lead me believe I have all one sex ,or that my fish are all immature ,or these fish are just very difficult to sex. Mine are all very indentical in fins and colouration.
There is obviously 2 that are 30% larger than the rest. The others are all fairly consistent in size at about 3". The 2 large ones are 4.5". I am starting to assume the 2 larger are males due to the rapidly increasing size differences.
None of mine have made an official mating, though the largest one does pair up from time to time and the pair defend their territory from other Red Tops. These pairing generally last only a few hours.
Though they constantly harass each other and posture for dominance, not one injury has taken place.
They do not seem to function as a cohesive unit except when they are feeding, or when they are startled or afraid. At these times they school up and form a tightly nit group and do not nip at each other. they almost appear to be comforting each other with the close proximity to each other.
They completely ignore other fish and have never displayed aggressive behavior to any other fish in my tank.

I really enjoy having a SA community tank. I am really happy with how well all my fish are getting along. I am adding a school of tetras (20+) this weekend, probably neons.

I have been feeding mine a large variety of foods:

Nls grow formula medium pellets.
mysis freshwater shrimp frzn
blood worms frzn
brine shrimp frzn
HBH algae flakes (mostly for my plecos but the Red Tops love them also)
Algae wafers
red wiggler worms live
Tetra Min crisp flakes
HBH sinking soft pellets
Cichlid Gold sinking pellets

Tapajos and Keyhole Cichlids


Male and Female? (lower is the larger of the 2, couldnt get the camera in sync with his fins being up)


Chocolate, Tapajo, and Keyhole Cichlids


About half tank view

[2wheelsx2]

Those guys look great. I really wish I had been able to jump into the GB. And you chocolate looks awseome. Better colour than mine, but slightly smaller I think.

[gimlid]

Thanks, she only has one working eye though. Her ex boyfriend used to beat her up and she was highly stressed. One day I walked into the room and she slammed into a filter intake and really busted her eye. She has no depth perception and is too dumb to realize she cant see on one side. Feeding her can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily I have alot of bottom cleaners to pick up after her.
Can I join the plecaholics? I own about 30 haha.

[Adz1]

Russ i believe you will know the male when he starts to grow trailers of his fins...
also i believe females are a lighter shade of red on the head area...
that said i am no expert this is just from having had them in my tank....

[2wheelsx2]

Thanks, she only has one working eye though. Her ex boyfriend used to beat her up and she was highly stressed. One day I walked into the room and she slammed into a filter intake and really busted her eye. She has no depth perception and is too dumb to realize she cant see on one side. Feeding her can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily I have alot of bottom cleaners to pick up after her.
Can I join the plecaholics? I own about 30 haha.

Ah...didn't realize she has lost an eye. Must be the left one. I lost one of my 2 when it someone lost a swim bladder. After watching it suffer for a month, I had to euthanize it, as it couldn't swim properly, and just lay on the gravel and then swim like mad when there was food around.

I got plenty of bottom feeders in my tank, since it's my cory/pleco tank.

Sure, anyone is welcome join PA. Just for the love of plecos, no requirements as to how many you keep.

[gimlid]

Swim bladder.....ouch. poor thing.
Luckily for my chocolate the eye never actually broke, it just whited over. I treated her with about 6 different meds in a hospital tank over about 4 months but it just stayed as it was.
The bright side is I can say "Ole one eye" in the living room without getting a dirty look from my wife.