75 with 14" jaguar cichlid

[MoJo]

Although it seems to fly in the face of all I've researched & understand, I'll defer to your success as an expert aquarist (I've seen & read your work)! :bowing: :bowing: That being said I don't know that I would advise the avg. novice fishkeeper that keeping a potentially 18/20" predator in a 75gl tank was OK. Some not so diligent or responsible novice might mistake that as a 'blanket endorsement' for keeping 'oversized' fish in 'undersized' housing. The only ones to suffer in that scenario is the fish. Maybe something like "I'm an expert folks, PLEASE don't try this at home" Again, thanx 4 weighing in & keep educating--we all can learn something!!!

Tony ~ First of all I am just a hobbist with a few morre years under his belt. This is NOT a blanket endorsement for ayone to keep an 18-20" predatory cichlid in a small tank. The key word here is defining "small". You could keep a three foot Lungfish in a 55 gallon...they just don't move around tat much...inthe tank or in the wild. A Dovii or an Umbee ABSOLUTELY need a biffer tank than most folk actually have in their home. THey are open water predators that are used to swimming long hard and fast.

I have been on a tear now for months about the number of folk who have recently purchased Umbe (sometimes four or five) and are housing them in 125 gallon tanks. STILL Not what is needed for an Umbee. Think 300+. Managuense are found in Lake Nicaragua...but generally confined themselves to slow turbid waters with rocky bottoms. The Parachromis we caught in Honduras two weeks ago came out of what...for lack of a better dexcription...looked like a swamp.

I don't care what you will read..most people do NOT have fish in the 18-20" range. I have had a fish tank with cichlids in my home for well over thirty years with friends with similar experience. There just are not a lot of them out there. Cichlid Scene had the biggest I have ever seen (22+) in an aquarium. I had one cichli that hit 19-20". My Pacu was 36" and 22 pounds when he died.

No matter how hard you try...no matter what you say...some aquarists will continue to overstock or under-maintain their tank. You...they...me...learn from experience and discussions among friends on boards like this and many others This is NOT the best board for info on the big CA/S cichlids. Scan the topic list and you will seee I am correct in this observation. There are a dozen or more boards I would recommend for better advice on these fish.

Buy the biggest tank you can/want to afford. Don't fool yourself into "convincing yourself" you are "going to upgrade" when the fish gets bigger. That's a recipe for disaster. I have six small Parachromis (an unkown species collected in Honduras) in a 75 gallon tank right now. They are all 1/2" long. When they hit three inches I will vent them and get rid of all but three (one male/two females) they will go into a 125 with some other dithers until the male picks a mate...then the third wheel will either stay in the tank to pi ss off the other two into breeding..or she's gone.

It's all about research and planning. Do the best you can with what you have and learn from the mistakes you make along the way....hopefully they are all small.

Be friends. It's hobby and it's all about having fun with people who enjoy the same.

Peace,

No

 

[reptileguy2727]

thank you for that.

 

[MoJo]

No problem. Enjoy the hobby!

 

[tonytheboss1]

Tony ~ First of all I am just a hobbist with a few morre years under his belt.

Mo, to be humble is truly the first of many steps on the long road to GREATNESS! You are one of the more knowledgable 'heads' in the hobby. If I was asked to describe you, I would have to say "Expert Aquarist"!! You don't have to carry a sign or puff your chest out cause your work & 'rep' preceed you.

Just so the record is clear, it was I who requested MoJo's input to this 'thread'!! I thought it was important so I called on him both as a moderator & (although he begs to differ) an expert w/ cichlids in general & managuense in particular. Experience is an extremely valuable commodity that is not easily aquired. :bowing: I hope to aspire to that level one day.

To "R/G2727" & the rest of the members, it was not my intention to offend, insult or mislead. I truly believe my sig!! Sharing any knowledge resources or info that I've aquired is only meant to help or assist & if it came off any other way (my wife's told me a 1000 times, I'm to d--- persistant!!) I appoligize!!!
Peace, TONY

 

[MoJo]

Mo, to be humble is truly the first of many steps on the long road to GREATNESS! You are one of the more knowledgable 'heads' in the hobby. If I was asked to describe you, I would have to say "Expert Aquarist"!! You don't have to carry a sign or puff your chest out cause your work & 'rep' preceed you.

Just so the record is clear, it was I who requested MoJo's input to this 'thread'!! I thought it was important so I called on him both as a moderator & (although he begs to differ) an expert w/ cichlids in general & managuense in particular. Experience is an extremely valuable commodity that is not easily aquired. :bowing: I hope to aspire to that level one day.

To "R/G2727" & the rest of the members, it was not my intention to offend, insult or mislead. I truly believe my sig!! Sharing any knowledge resources or info that I've aquired is only meant to help or assist & if it came off any other way (my wife's told me a 1000 times, I'm to d--- persistant!!) I appoligize!!!
Peace, TONY

Your Twenty Dollar bill is in the mail. LOL

Thanks man.

 

[mostlycichlids]

http://malawicichlids.com/mw01019.htm

This link may help.

 

[langlin]

Realistic please

:troll: ? seriously, just because you want something or think it is best if he's in your care in too small a tank, does'nt mean your right. theres better homes that that fish would rather be in.Today I saw a huge aqaurium at a bass pro shop that had native fish in it, and believe me, a lot of the fish there were at least the size of what your jag will get to if not more and they were using the space, and I doubt any one of them would be able to live anywhere near comfortably in a 75g.Your fish definetly needs at least a 200g no doubt about that, maybe a heated pond(of about that size) if you can't get a tank that size.

The guy said the 75 is all he can afford right now coupled with the fact that his parents won't allow an upgrade and you're suggesting a heated pond?!
perhaps you can all get this guy's address and donate some $ for the sake of the fish since that is what it's all about right? We all know the tank is too small. yes, fish are meant to swim not hover. Please don't get a 120 with 48x24x24 dimensions! A Managuense is not a Discus or Angel fish. Forego the two 20's. Save your $ and use it towards an upgrade. Bite the bullet; sell one of the other tanks in your room. save the cash to put towards an upgrade. Where there's a will there's a way. You said you'd like something bigger for the Jag. It's not as difficult as you think. It's all a matter of what you are willing to sacrifice. take care and plan well.

 

[reptileguy2727]

the 75 is good enough for him to thrive in and later if there is any evidence that that is wrong, it will be dealt with. its not ideal, but its good enough. i have only seen one or two jags doing any better than mine, and if i have one of the best jags out there, it cant be that bad.

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

My heart goes out to all the lives of the fish that have been "practiced" on in the seemingly "trial and error" nature of this hobby. I DO NOT agree with the statements persuading hobbyests to try it out for themselves to see if it works.... this forum amoungst others are here to help avoid that situation. Learn from others' mistakes. Realize that these are living creatures we are dealing with, whom may or may not understand what is happening to them.

Our hobby is a precarious one... tetering on the edge of animal cruelty in some cases (unfortunately many more then we are willing to accept). From the moment the fish (our pets... our friends) are removed from the wild it is up to us to provide them with the best care and environment possible... since it was us that removed them from thier wild home (which undoubtedly had equal dangers, I will not disagree) in order to better our own lives. And those that were bred in captivity? 10 generations will not negate what thousands upon thousands of generations have adapted to in the wild.

Watching a saltwater fish slowly waste away due to the effects of cyanide poisoning (and knowing the hundereds of other organisms that had to die in order for that one fish to make it to our home tanks) makes me SERIOUSLY reconsider what we are doing. Yes cyanide fishing is thankfully on the decline due to organizations such as MAC, but even with tank-raised fish, you have wonder how many actually survive until adulthood in people's home tanks. Not many. Not many at all.

Realize that most people here are three steps in the right direction for even CARING about the requirements of thier fish, and willing to sit down and ask for some help.

As I mentioned before I think its great you upgraded to the 75, whether or not the Jag is already deformed I can only speculate, but at least now he can more comfortably turn around. But I do think you should think of upgrading once again, maybe when you move out of your parent's house. Dont do it for your sake, it will actually probebly be a PITA for you... both money-wise and convienence (larger water changes, harder to move, etc etc). But do it for your friend, because he will need it.

-Diana
*PS- excuse the spelling*.