Whether you decide to keep frontosas in separate tanks individually filtered, or systemised tanks with central filtration is purely dependent on personal facilities and finance.

It really does not matter which, but for the more advanced hobbyist there is a tendency to use central filtration along with its techniques that allows massive water changes keeping nitrate levels to below 5ppm and the fact of there being a larger volume of water available there is a better dilution of the fish urine & solid waste, which carries growth reducing pheromones, thus allowing quite rapid growth of the frontosas.

Single tanks can be treated in a much similar fashion, with perhaps more frequent water changes, maybe three times a week if you have time, otherwise once a week really is the minimum. The amount of water changed can be anything from 10%-70%.

Single tanks can be biologically mature in a matter of six weeks to two months. Central filtration systems can take anything up to 9-12 months.

For a group of 6-8 four inch plus fish you should consider a tank size of 4'x18"x18"(120x45x45cm). Please bear in mind it is not the overall size of tank that really matters, but the capacity of water it can contain, obviously the more water the better.

Nitrate is the most overlooked, insidious of pollutants in fishkeeping, and only by addressing ways of reducing it can you realise the full potential of how quickly your frontosas can grow. I realise that most municipal water has a much higher nitrate content than 5ppm. Only by investing in equipment for removing nitrate can you really start to get to grip with re-shaping the quality of your water. For consistent breeding success, if that is your objective, the pH needs to be over 8.0. and the temperature needs to be around 25 degrees Celsius. Hardness should be of an electrical conductivity of 600 microSiemens or 18GH.

Water treatment plant will be dealt with in further detail in the equipment page.

visit Frontosafish | Continu to part 2 | part 3