Cichlids to comm.tank. Who to move?

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Weasel6

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Dec 17, 2002
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St. Matthews,SC
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You can see what setups I have below with my stock. I want to move the cichlids to the 75 gal. when they get a little bigger,only 1"-2" now. When I do,who needs to move out into the 10 gal. from the 75? I'd like to keep the severum, Red hooks, G. Jurupari, Red-tail, plecos and tinfoil barb if at all possible. If ya'll say they have to go then they have to go. I'm gonna be getting a 20-30 gal. tank in the next week or so so the 10 gal will be extinct.
I just like the Convicts and Firemouths personality and feel that they'd be better off in the 75 in the long run. I'd rather put them in the 75 than split them up between 2 - 20-30 gal. tanks and instead lighten the load in the 75 into the 20-30 so the newbies will fit.
Let me know because I'm ready to do something soon. I'll have the news tanks in a few days and the 75 is better viewing than the 10 and the cichlids are very intresting to watch I must say.
Yes, I know I already have cichlids in my 75 but they aren't Convicts or Firemouths.
 
Well then. No opinons?
 
My opinion is that your 75 gallon is already overstocked. You can move the Firemouths to that tank if you wish, but I would not even try the Convicts. When they get larger they will eat or kill your schooling fish and make life harder for the other cichlids.
 
How big's that severum now? I don't think I'd mix those cichlids in the 75 either. At best, someone's gonna get hurt. At worst, someone's gonna get killed, IMO.
 
Got a 28gal. now

So I have more room to distribute my current stock.. The severum is healthy and about 3 fingers in size. He's the current boss of the tank. Gonna start setting up the 28 soon because I need to split up the Firemouths and Convicts before to much longer.
Are they just not gonna mix with the severum at all? Neither of them? I was thinking of maybe the firemouths, convicts, severum, geo. jurupari, red hooks, redtail, bala, plecos and tinfoils in the 75. If not then maybe drop either the firemouth, convict or severum into another tank and the rest of the stock, barbs etc. to 10 or trade in for supplies. What ya' think on that.
 
Personally, I think you're asking for trouble if you put all those fish together. That severum's probably gonna get big and I would imagine he'll get more bossy (and more hungry) as he gets bigger. Though the 75 is not a bad sized tank, I wouldn't keep all those cichlids together, but maybe someone on here has had a similar mix and can provide their thoughts.
 
Unfortunately, there is no good long-term solution that includes all of the fish you have listed, unless you are planning to get a much larger tank. The 75 gallon setup could probably include the jurupari or the firmouths or the convicts, but the rest of the cichlids and the tinfoil barbs and the redhooks will have to go. The problem is that your tank is full now, but most of your fish are still juveniles. The tinfoil barbs, for example, grow to be over a foot long, the jurupari can get to be 10", the severum a good 8", and the firemouths and convicts and redhooks 6". And these fish are either territorial, or extremely active, or both, so combining them in a small space just isn't a good idea. (BTW, a 30 gallon tank is also too small for all of the cichlids you have listed once they reach maturity).

If you were looking to keep as many of these fish as possible, I'd still get rid of the tinfoil barbs and the convicts, but would get a 125 where you could probably keep the firemouths and the redhooks and the severum together, perhaps even adding a few more redhooks to get a nice school going. You could then leave the jurupari in the 75, and perhaps move your smaller schooling fish into the 28 gallon tank where they will be out of the way and safe.
 
Well, maybe I want to much. Here's the cichlid list and tank options and you plug them in where they need to go along with suitable, non-cichlid tankmates.
2 firemouths, 2 convicts, 1 severum, 2 Geo. Jurupari. Would like to get 2 Salvins also.Will they get along with anything or fit?
Tanks are 75gal, 28gal, 30gal and 10gal. The 10 gal. I was thinking of as a fry tank
the 28 and 30 are not up and running yet, still putting them together and getting equipment.
I'm willing to dump the rosey and neon barbs. and danios right off the bat if necc. The wife and 9 y/o won't let me get rid of the tetras, gourami or tigers. Gotta compromise somewhere I guess.
Let me know co if anybody has to go I can trade them in on some equipment and/or supplies for the 2 new tanks. Looking at hopefully having all up and running and possibly occupied in a month.
 
Well, maybe I want to much.
Click to expand...

I would say...yes. The problem is you still have too many fish. You can't even think about Salvinis without another 40+ gallon tank. They are too aggressive to be housed with the other cichlids you have anyway. This is how I would break it down:

75g - Severum, 2 Juruparis, 2 Red Hooks, 1 Pleco
30g - Either the pair of Firemouths OR the pair of Convicts
28g - Gourami, Tetras, Tiger Barbs, 1 Pleco
10g - Your fry tank for the 30g

All the other fish you should dump. At least with these tanks the inhabitants should get along and will be able to grow to their full potential. Compromises are tough but we all only have a finite amount of space.
 
Yes, its the newbies downfall. Been in it a year now and I still want to much but its getting better in that I understand better. It not just who'll fit, its who'll get along too. Orginally went with quanity and I did ok I think but now I've discovered cichlids and the 2 is not gonna mix. I'm a cichlid newbie and don't know them all that well yet.
So basically, the convicts and the firemouths are not gonna mix with anybody else but themselves I take it? Nothing.
I'm gonna lighten the load in the 75 and was hoping to get a green Severum later but don't know. He gets along fine by himself now. Might need to add another Red hook because 1 keeps aggravating the other and might need a third to break it up. That again drops my capacity and increases the number to dump.
NickH,
When you say to dump everything else, does that include the Red-tail shark and the Bala shark? I though I ead somewhere that they would get along with the cichlids but maybe I'm wrong. Dump them from the 75? I know the Bala is gonna eventually have to go due him getting bigger but dump him now?
Me and my impulsivness. Now look at me, to many fish, to many wants and not enough tanks or room. Is it me or every aquarists pitfall?
 
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