Can I Have 2 Yellow Labs In This Tank?

[sara19]

I really want some yellow labs, there beautiful fish and ever since i fish laid eyes on them i knew i had to have them, but before i got spending some of my mooola on em id like to know if theyd be happy!
Im my 3ft tank? (might be too small but it cant go in my 5 foot! bards and anglefish etc)
in my 3ft i have - 1 black ghost knife fish - 3 senegal birchirs, 1 delhizi ortapinis and 1 ornat birchir.
There are bottom fish unless there coming up for air, the ghost comes out when its pitch black (or when he smells blood worm)
I hand feeding the senegals now ... well , trying too haha, they took from me once!

WORRIES:
When we first got the 3 senegals we got told they were lovely and dont kill anything, so you could imagine my surprise when 4 bards got chunks taken from them and were dead, and a male molly and i eve saw them murder an anglefish! so they can be evil, but as my partner loves them we decided not to give them back.
Im worried that if the labs are too small theys get killed but i know that if a senegal starred at them the labs would show em what for!
BUT our friend gave us a tank with a few fish in (the 5 footter) and he gave us a delhizi with it (was the condition of sale im afraid) and she is BIG about 2 cm thickness, and id say about 15cm in length (pretty impressive)
So should i not even be thinking of my beautiful fish ive wanted for SO long or should i just snarl at the senegals and leave em be?
I just thoguth that they stay at the bottom with my ghost fish and the labs would stay up top! id make them a rockery etc.

Would love the replies , thank you!

 

[Curiosity101]

To answer your first question, yellow labs in that set-up is a big no no. They should only go with other similar temperament cichlids and in something along the lines of 55gal. Which I'm guessing the 3ft tank isn't...?

Black ghost knife fish - Grow to 20"+ and need a 4ft tank even as a juvenile. As an adult they need a 400l tank.
Senegal Birchirs - Grow to 20" and need at least a 4ft tank
Armoured Bichir - 17" and need a 4ft + tank
Ornate Bichir - At least 20"! And need a 5ft tank pref more

All the bichirs are carnivorous and will eat anything that they can get hold of. They also need to be fed purely meaty food such as dead fish, prawns, mussels, etc etc.
PLUS, as they grow they will become more and more aggressive with eachother in that set-up. It just isn't big enough to support even one of those fish. Nevermind 5!

How big are they at the moment? I'm guessing not even 5" yet?

 

[sara19]

WELL
My pets at home sold me these obviously didnt know what they were talking about lol they told me there harmless, dont hurt anything and would stay the same size and / or wouldnt get much bigger, when i complained to the ocmpany i didnt get a reply funny isnt it haha

 

[Curiosity101]

You get varying reports from different pets at home. Some are good, some are bad.
Sounds like you have one of the bad ones

Basic rule of thumb is to do all your own research, don't trust the fish shop, and go to the shop knowing what you want to buy. Don't just go on a 'fish shop trip'.

Also I always do my own research before I go. But I also only go to fish shops that are actually run by hobbyists. I tend to find that they give better general advice and are less scupulous.
Ie. If you don't have a tank big enough for a fish then they wont sell it. They will advise you on something more suitable.

 

[sara19]

Funny you mentioned that we have now got a brilliant shop down basildon town theyve been a famliy run business for 15years and there always letting me read there books etc i dont know why i havent really done my own research its a blimmin good idea haha, i feel like such a noob but i guess we all have to learn, atleast i can tell the different between white spote and velvet disease now haha.
thanks alot for your help!

 

[Curiosity101]

The main problem I had when I started keeping fish was that my dad had kept them when he was younger.
So I went and did lots of reading. Then got pressurised into a fish-in cycling situation because him and a family friend (who had also kept fish for years).
Went 'Oooo I don't know about putting ammonia in....ooo no. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Adding ammonia...ooooo no.' and who was I to argue? They clearly new more than me

So that's another note. Don't let people bully you into doing something you think is wrong.
If you've read the same piece of info several times then don't let fish shops or family convince you otherwise! Hehe.

 

[sara19]

HAHAHA love the story.
i gotta say for my first posts and you the only to reply. you really seem like you know quite alot abotu thefish!
i mean just this conversation has got me in a whirl but im glad i asked now, normally i dont like to, i joined another fish forum and my post was on there for 4 days and not 1 person helpped and i was so scared my fish was going to die lol but this site is brilliant haha
p.s the fish was fine

 

[vinylman]

Sara, as many people coming here for the first time have found, LFS aren't always the best to be giving advice, especially when they want you to keep coming back to give them more of your money. Now you're here, the best thing to do is to take your time and read the pinned threads and topics. Read, read then read some more. And never buy a fish without doing lots of research - both into the fish you're looking at buying and the ones that it will be (hopefully) living with. Shops want your money, no one here wants a single penny. Oh, nearly forgot -

 

[sara19]

hahaha. thanks alot vinylman, i think its for the best now, incase i cant find what im looking for on the internet i can just come here and ask you lot for advice, i dont believe i didnt find this place sooner haha, andpeople reply very fast here.
Guess what .... i dont think your gonna get rid of me lol!
Thanks again for the warm welcome