It happened so fast... I'm changing to cichlids!

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ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
So it happened very quickly. I was at church, minding my own business, when I heard a woman talking to someone about how her cichlids spawned and she needed to get rid of them. This is our conversation.

Her: (Talking to other people) Yes, my cichlids spawned again. Petco won't take 'em, Petsmart won't either... I don't want to kill the babies! They already hatched. I didn't know they spawned until I saw the babies.
Me: Cichlids? Did I just hear "cichlids"?
Her: Yup! Would you like some?
Me: Sure, but what kind are they?
Her: Africans.
Me: What type, specifically?
Her: Don't know. Got them as "assorted".
Me: I see. How big do these get?
Her: My biggest are six or seven inches, my smaller ones four or five.
Me: Wow. What size tank do you have?
Her: I have a 150, 54, 55, 60, 65.
Me: WOW!
Her: What size tanks do you have?
Me: 29 gallons is my biggest. I'm not allowed to have bigger.
Her: That's fine, I bet you could keep some of the smaller species in there. What other sizes do you have?
Me: 10, 5, 2.5. Nothing too cichlid friendly...
Her: I bet you could fit some in the 10.
Me: I dunno...
Her: Don't worry, they only grow to their environment...
Me: Uh...
Her: So how many would you like?
Me: Three would be okay.
Her: What else do you have in the 29?
Me: Platies, gouramis, cories. I could move some out, and experiment with others.
Her: I see. I'll bring you three next week, ok?
Me: OK.

Well, she's obviously a freak but she needs a little education...

Anyway I'll have to sell some fish, move others. My questions are:

1. How many of these 4-5 in. cichlids could I move in to the 29? I see they are aggressive, so I'm going to have to redecorate this week.
2. Should I get some cichlid food?
3. Which of my fish (1 paradise gourami, a big fat meanie, I dunno if he could live with the cichlids though, 1 opaline gourami, I don't know about her, she's small and timid. I could grow her out, see if that'd work, 7 platies, yesterday one passed, poor girl, 7 cories. And the two tetras and female betta I could easily rid of) can live with the cichlids?
4. Anything else?

I feel awesome (I'm getting cichlids! And I get to redecorate!) and bad (I'll have to move some fish out, plus I was so... stupid I guess to get the cichlids w/o thinking.)
 

tarheels910

Malawi Maniac
Jul 6, 2006
1,065
0
36
30
Concord, NC
None. There are no 4-5 inch africans that will live in a 29 gallon. You could do one, but would have to get rid of the other fish. Also, they are most likely hybrids.
 

ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
Really? Why? Would it be overstocked or are they too aggressive? She has some together and they're fine.
 

ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
Hmm, she says she's given several (like 6) cichlids to people with 29 gallon tanks and the fish have been fine ever since... I'll have to examine these wonderful cichlids :D
 

tarheels910

Malawi Maniac
Jul 6, 2006
1,065
0
36
30
Concord, NC
Fine, when you end up with one, I told you so.

Besides, do you listen to everything this lady says? She told you that you could keep some in a 10 gallon. Thats equivalent of someone telling you to keep 5 oscars in a 20 gallon.
 

ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
I know that, but uneducation (as in "the only grow to their environment") is different from her saying that it worked. She isn't a lying person, I know her very well. She's not even charging me for them.

Alright tarheels, I'll let you know if they kill each other or not, I'll do a little experiment. Not all species are aggressive, some cichlids are semi-aggressive, as in a CAE (although these aren't cichlids, I'm just proving a point). Cory Lover has one in his tank, it never hurt a thing, but you hear of some who kill other fish. It just depends. I'll test the theory. If you're right, congratulations! If I'm right, cool beans for me. :)
 

tarheels910

Malawi Maniac
Jul 6, 2006
1,065
0
36
30
Concord, NC
I know that, but uneducation (as in "the only grow to their environment") is different from her saying that it worked. She isn't a lying person, I know her very well. She's not even charging me for them.

Alright tarheels, I'll let you know if they kill each other or not, I'll do a little experiment. Not all species are aggressive, some cichlids are semi-aggressive, as in a CAE (although these aren't cichlids, I'm just proving a point). Cory Lover has one in his tank, it never hurt a thing, but you hear of some who kill other fish. It just depends. I'll test the theory. If you're right, congratulations! If I'm right, cool beans for me. :)
Its an african cichlid. If youve never kept them, you cant compare them to any other fish. They will wipe a whole tank out.
 

ILOVEBETTAS

It's Cory Lover's cat!
Tarheels, first off I'm removing all other fish lol... and I know, I explained everything in the last post. Sure, African cichlids are different. I know that. I said...
It just depends. I'll test the theory. If you're right, congratulations! If I'm right, cool beans for me.
 

GirlieGirl8521

Planted Tank Collector
Dec 21, 2006
883
2
0
Alabama
If tarheels is right and the fish end up killing each other, then that means you let these fish kill each other........not very responsible IMO. I don't think its right to experiment when people are giving you advice, most likely based on their own experiences.

Even in a 55g there are aggression issues, no matter how much rockwork you have. There is always a dominant male that tortures the other fish...sometimes more than one dominant male. Luckily in a 55g, there are places to hide where they won't get killed. Thats unlikely in a 29g IMO.
 
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