occy colony

[thekrib]

i have 2 gold occelatus right now, and will be getting more from different places untill i have around 8, i would like them to be in a colony, but dont have a clue as to go about it. could i buy them and put them in the same area with 5 shells for each fish, and would they work it out? its a 6 ft. tank (129 gallons) with other africans. i would like it if the occies would just stay in 1 area, they are pretty grumpy, and i want some sandsifters, so i cant have occies all over the bottom. today my occy lip-locked my 4 inch buffalohead cichlid. the poor occy lost horribly.

right now i am planning on putting all the shells in 1 area, the left 2 feet of the tank (which i let clear of rocks) and just putting the fish in and seeing how they work things out.

does anyone have any tips, my 2 that i have currently are sort of together, but they still fight alot when one ventures too close. (their shells are about 7 inches appart, with 1 inbetween that they fight over.
-phil

[scholar]

Well. they are occl'!! Youmay want to have eqal number of shells in groups. so each would pick his quarters.

Clearing the rocks from their area is a great idea. If you could get a plastic dome with holes that only they can go into. that would be heavenly. But your set up should work. :)

Good luck,

[thekrib]

wouldnt 1 just chase all the others out of the dome?

and the leleupi might take it over, leleups are really skinny, as skinny as my occies right now, but they will grow.

my buffalohead would just dig an entrance then chase everyone out.

do you mean like 5 groups of 5 shells spread appart throughout the tank, or just in the 2 ft.?

thanks

-phil

[scholar]

in the 2 ft area. Close enough to become a colony. Apart enough so as not to fight over them.

The plastic dome was thought to provide additional seperation to prevent fights wuth bigger fish. The sides need to go to the bottom of the tank to prevent digging.

[thekrib]

oh ok, im thinking ill get 6 fish and put the shells about 1 per 3 inches, then they can work things out, ill be sure to have plenty of shells and enough space to escape bullying.

is it true that you can easily tell sex because females have white trim on the fins and males dont?