Keeping Crenicichla with eartheaters .

[eartheater3298]

For some years now I've kept Crenicichla (pike cichlids) , with Satanoperca and eartheaters.

Let's start with dwarf pikes. All dwarves can be more or less kept in the same conditions apart from C.compressiceps, which require slightly different water, C.regani etc need water that has a slightly low ph, and is fairly slow moving, whilst C.compressiceps need water with a ph of around 7 and it needs to be moving at a medium rate of flow.

Most eartheaters are fine with dwarf pikes, just make sure the pikes arnt too small to get eaten, bearing in mind Satanoperca can get as large as 15 inch t.l.
Feeding is important, I feed mine by using prima for the eartheaters and Mysis, bloodworm etc for the pikes. The foods can be mixed up, both species will be able to get some food.

Moving onto medium sized pikes, ie the saxatilis group, you'll find it easy enough to keep these pikes in with like sized eartheaters but only one species of pike per tank. Again feeding is straight forward , increasing food size will enable all to enjoy it,

The big ones. Pikes such as C.strigata, lenticulata and marmoratus, should only be kept as one species per tank. The sight of a pair of C.lenticulata going about their business in a large tank , mixed with Mixes of Satanoperca is truly memorable. I keep a pair of C.lenticulata in a 10ft tank, along with a group of 8 S.lilith, a pair of Uaru, a pair of H. Librifer plus others. The pikes are big at 12 inch for the male, but as long as the other fish are also large it's not a problem, my smallest fish in here are 6 inch so they mix well. Feeding these large pikes isn't a mystery , they should be fed around 4 times each week, on things that is too big for the eartheaters mine get large earthworms, whole sprats and whole mussels, which tend to be too big for the eartheaters to consume, . OK they will nibble and break pieces off but generally the pikes will get their feed,

Keeping large pikes with any other fish is pretty much touch and go, especially early on. Once pikes are settled they will generally be good tank mates to others, except when breeding.And they arnt bred very often.
basically you always need to have a spare tank handy, just in case.

[chester18]

Hi Graham, nice article mate. I have always liked the SA pikes myself but only ever kept one species, that being the dwarf C. compressiceps.

Fantastic little fish but with a massive character, last time I kept them they were with some big SA cichlids but were not bothered or intimidated by there size. Would like to keep them again one day or possibly some of the other dwarfs.

Never kept the larger pikes but may try one day.

Mark




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[eartheater3298]

Hi Mark,
Yes I would go and keep dwarf pikes again, although I would stick to Crenicichla regani, usually a few about and they are proper acidic water fish.

On the larger pikes, at the moment I have 2 pairs of Crenicichla lenticulata and a very nice pair of C.sveni. I hope once I've got settled that I can have a go at breeding the lenticulata, I would also like a pair of C.cincta and C.marmoratus ,