75 with 14" jaguar cichlid
- Thread starter reptileguy2727
- Start date
the 75 took most of my tax return, most being what was extra had to go toward paying off my bill at work. i will be slowly saving money to get a fluval 405 for him, and i also need to save up for filtration for a pond for my snapping turtle. the biggest display tank at work is a 90 (only dif from a 75 is its 4" taller) and it has african cichlids in it, what a waste of a tank. i would love for the owner to get a HUGE display tank i could put a bunch of big fish in, but we dont exactly have a petsmart budget. he is struggling to get the saltwater system up and going.
tonytheboss1: "And yet after finding out that the fish could grow 18/20", you continued?? "
continued what? keeping him? yes. once i bought him i am responsible for doing everything in my power to provide what is necessary, and if i cant i need to realize it and get rid of him. i dont think he will be deformed in the 75. it is wide enough so that even if he hits 18-20" he shouldnt develop a deformity, and it will be maintained enough to prevent water quality from stunting him. i never compare what i do to what other people do worse as support for what i am doing. i simply brought up the diet because i feel strongly that cichlids shouldnt get live food, and from what i have found most people at least occasionally feed some sort of live food (including worms, shrimp, and crayfish). it would go against what i strongly believe in to give him to anyone who would ever feed him live. and i brought up water changes to show that i will be preventing that form harming him in any way.
again, everyone keeps saying this tank is too small. i heard you and agree that it is far from ideal, but what i am currently asking and open to is why exactly the 75 is as bad as some of you believe. the actual physical dimensions of it shouldnt deform him like the 55 did (mildly). a 125 is only 2' longer and 2" taller, would those 2' of swimming length make it okay for him, when jags arent even cruising fish? i have heard and absorbed all the reasons you guys have listed (unless i missed something somehow) and no one actually explained how the 75 will harm him. it isnt big enough and im not listening is all i keep hearing. please explain the actual harm it will cause.
tonytheboss1: "And yet after finding out that the fish could grow 18/20", you continued?? "
continued what? keeping him? yes. once i bought him i am responsible for doing everything in my power to provide what is necessary, and if i cant i need to realize it and get rid of him. i dont think he will be deformed in the 75. it is wide enough so that even if he hits 18-20" he shouldnt develop a deformity, and it will be maintained enough to prevent water quality from stunting him. i never compare what i do to what other people do worse as support for what i am doing. i simply brought up the diet because i feel strongly that cichlids shouldnt get live food, and from what i have found most people at least occasionally feed some sort of live food (including worms, shrimp, and crayfish). it would go against what i strongly believe in to give him to anyone who would ever feed him live. and i brought up water changes to show that i will be preventing that form harming him in any way.
again, everyone keeps saying this tank is too small. i heard you and agree that it is far from ideal, but what i am currently asking and open to is why exactly the 75 is as bad as some of you believe. the actual physical dimensions of it shouldnt deform him like the 55 did (mildly). a 125 is only 2' longer and 2" taller, would those 2' of swimming length make it okay for him, when jags arent even cruising fish? i have heard and absorbed all the reasons you guys have listed (unless i missed something somehow) and no one actually explained how the 75 will harm him. it isnt big enough and im not listening is all i keep hearing. please explain the actual harm it will cause.
You're just not going to be able to please some people, who believe the only solution to raising fish is having enormous tanks. I've learned this by reading this and other fish forums. You might as well tell those people that they're being inhumane by keeping fish in the first place, as fish are really only truly happy in the wild where they have millions of gallons of water in which to dwell. Your fish can turn around now, you take care of his water, and you feed him properly. I think that's pretty good. Great fish! :clap:
thank you.
but i am still honestly open to any actual info on how the tank will be bad for him. i have no problem taking advide from people, but i will not simply take their word on it, they need to back it up with some actual info and explanation.
but i am still honestly open to any actual info on how the tank will be bad for him. i have no problem taking advide from people, but i will not simply take their word on it, they need to back it up with some actual info and explanation.
While it's true that "more is better" in most cases (filtration, tank size, water changes) they're still just guides. I've talked with people who have fish breeding in tanks where the water is changed monthly or even less. I've also seen large cichlids in good health that were raised in tanks too small / too crowded for this forum's "tank envy" mindset. Just like my african cichlids, I take a fair amount of advice on this forum with 1 tbsp. of salt per 5 gallons. :joke:
mostlycichlids
Cichlid Specialist
Hey man no matter what size tank you put him in there will always be a bigger tank and more space is better. In my opinion fish of that size need as much space as possible but I do not think that they need a swimming pool size tank I think a 75 gallon is ok for now but an upgrade would be better. I do not think it is unhumaine. Keep doing what you are doing It is good to hear you love your fish and they are healthy good luck.
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mostlycichlids
Cichlid Specialist
I am over stocked but my fish are extremely happy. My Jag is much happier in the 120 gal He is actually not the most agressive and actually the jd is more agressive the Jag is good friends with the serevum.
120 Gallon
1 Jag
1 Green Terror
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Turquoise Serevum
1 Common Pleco
1 Gold nugget Pleco
75 Gallon
2 female Convicts
1 Female Firemouth
2 Pictus Catfish
2 Rubberlipped plecos
20 Gallon
2 Fancy goldfish
1 Rubberlipped pleco
10 gallon
1 Yellow Lab Juvi.
10 Gallon
Hospital tank
5 Gallon
Feeder fish tank
55 gal just sold
120 Gallon
1 Jag
1 Green Terror
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Turquoise Serevum
1 Common Pleco
1 Gold nugget Pleco
75 Gallon
2 female Convicts
1 Female Firemouth
2 Pictus Catfish
2 Rubberlipped plecos
20 Gallon
2 Fancy goldfish
1 Rubberlipped pleco
10 gallon
1 Yellow Lab Juvi.
10 Gallon
Hospital tank
5 Gallon
Feeder fish tank
55 gal just sold
thanks.
about the more water changes, i have seen many tanks that dont get the 50% weekly water change that mine get, even some that dont get water changes at all, and they still may look good, but that doesnt mean that more wont improve the well-being, growth, and health of the fish. if they are doing that well without the frequent water, imagine how much better they would do if they were getting frequent water changes. "more (volume, filtration, water changes) is better" may be one of the few things i would count as a rule, its many of the other 'rules' that are crapworthy. and good for now doesnt mean success. many fishes' lifespan will simply be shortened because of infrequent water changes and therefore lower water quality. and just because there arent problems yet doesnt mean you wont have a complete chemistry collapse that gets everythign in the tank sick, or wipes them all out (something i have seen repeatedly in tanks that werent properly maintained that looked very good for a long time, even years).
about the more water changes, i have seen many tanks that dont get the 50% weekly water change that mine get, even some that dont get water changes at all, and they still may look good, but that doesnt mean that more wont improve the well-being, growth, and health of the fish. if they are doing that well without the frequent water, imagine how much better they would do if they were getting frequent water changes. "more (volume, filtration, water changes) is better" may be one of the few things i would count as a rule, its many of the other 'rules' that are crapworthy. and good for now doesnt mean success. many fishes' lifespan will simply be shortened because of infrequent water changes and therefore lower water quality. and just because there arent problems yet doesnt mean you wont have a complete chemistry collapse that gets everythign in the tank sick, or wipes them all out (something i have seen repeatedly in tanks that werent properly maintained that looked very good for a long time, even years).
mostlycichlids
Cichlid Specialist
I feed my fish well and I agree water changes frequently are good. Just dont get so flusterd tank size water changes etc are just basic guide lines whos to really say what is right and what is wrong trial and error is the best way as well as following somewhat close to basic guidelines. Everyone says my 120 gallon is too small for the fish I am keeping but I think they are fine. You can take as much advice as you want but sometimes you have to trust your own judgement as well.
bigger is better, but if 120 is the best you can do and it isnt bad enough to warrant getting rid of some of the fish, there are things you can do to make the smaller tank not as bad, such as overfiltration and big frequent water changes.
