Combining fish from 3 tanks into 1

[Ichtyus]

I have now 3 tanks going but had to move two of them in the basement (my kids are growing and need the bedroom that I had dedicated to my tanks). Therefore I want to close 2 of the tanks and only keep one tank going (33g).

I have a pair of melanochromis johannii, a male cichlasoma nigrofasciatum, 10 pelvicachromis pulcher and a trichogaster trichopterus. I was planning on keeping the pair of melanochromis.

Which of my other fish would you suggest I keep with them? I am not interested to get some other fish (from pet shop) since my goal in the medium-long term is to get a somewhat bigger tank and get a pair of symphysodon aequifasciatus.

 

[Cichlid Woman]

I confess my ignorance on most of the Latin names you mentioned--I go by common names unless I'm seriously into researching something. So I can't comment on most of them; but one jumped out at me: TEN kribs (pelvicachromis pulcher)?!

I've only happily kept one pair of kribs (male & female) in my tank, and it's a 38-gal. I wonder what ten would do in a space that size ...

-- Pat

 

[Ichtyus]

Melanochromis Johanni => I am not sure of common name
cichlasoma nigrofasciatum => convict
pelvicachromis pulcher => kribensis
trichogaster trichopterus => blue gourami
symphysodon aequifasciatus => discus


the ten kribs are in a 25g tank. I started out with one pair that had a fry; they grew so I gave some away and kept some. Had three breeding pairs with frys and gave some more away. they haven't bred for a few months now. Did not have too much problem with all of them: lots of hiding places in the tank, 3 caves, big section of the tank with java moss.

 

[famman]

2 Melanochromis Johanni, 1 convict, 10 kribensis, 1 blue gourami, and maybe 2 discus in a 29 gal? ARE YOU NUTS?

Ahem, I'm sorry,

I meant to say, that sounds a little over crowded. I guess I would drop the 10 kribs and the convict. The rest might be OK, but others would have to comment on discus/johannis/gourami relations.

You might add a few inverts to clean up and liven up the bottom.

good luck

 

[ewok]

http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0368&view_records=1

johanni mbuna

now...... as for advice..... since you say you want these fish (johanni) i would keep them. after that i would get rid of everything else. the johannis are more alkaline from malawi and the temperament says beware so they must get interesting like most other mbuna. discus are soft water and don't like aggression = out, kribs, same = out, convicts, softer water and very aggressive = out, the poor little gourami might be ok with the discus or kribs, but the cons and johanni are liable to kill it. sorry, none of them seem to fit good with the johanni. the best chance might be the kribs or the cons......

some of the best advice i have heard given as far as setting up a tank was basically: establish a fish you HAVE to have. in this case the johanni, and build around it. 33g isn't alot of space to work with at all either, personally i use 30g's *just* for a breeding pair of cons.

so my suggestion is going to be somewhat of an overstock probably, but it should keep things from looking too bare. i would do the johannis and then look into something like synodontis nigriventis for a bottom dweller and maybe giant danios as a dither fish. both the synos and danios school so you will need a few of each, and that will leave your johannnis as a "centerpiece".

just a suggestion.......

 

[Ichtyus]

Oops there seems to be a bit of confusion; my thoughts were NOT to combine everybody in one tank but to keep only a few. I think then that I will keep the johannis and find a home for the others.

The second part of my plan was not to ADD a pair of discus but, when finances get a little better, get a bigger tank (~50-100g) and find a home for the johannis then get a pair of discus. I had a discus before and I would not make the mistake of putting such a sensitive fish with the other aggressive ones I presently have.

However all the advice was good, thanks to all.