Controversial stocking?

[Deleted member 149562]

My aquarium hooligans are completely up the pole. Controversial - definitely, ecclectic - absolutely, downright insane - without question.

Somehow it works, not a clue how....no fighting, no nipping, no illness, no disease.....zoomies every day, many times a day, silliness daily.

Some of the hooligans I have had several years, others moved in after my neighbour died last year. The aquarium is almost definitely overstocked (two large internal filters and bi-weekly water changes handles that with ease)

Numbers of each....hmmmmm....not entirely sure on the Cories cos they refuse to allow me to count them

Bronze Cories - at least 8
Pepper Cories - at least 8
Various Danio - at least 6
Cardinals - 5
Neons - 6
Honey Gourami - 2
Gold Ram - 4
Blue Ram - 1
Apisto - 1
Otto - 4
Pristella - 6
Harlequin - 7
BN - 3
Flame - 1
Platy - 1

I "think" that is everyone...apart from the pesky snails and Assassins.

On paper they shouldn't live together, but for reasons best known to themselves, they have been awesome together. Everyone was spread tween my original 5 small aquariums before they moved in together into my 53 gallon aquarium. There are no temper tantrums from anyone, no aggression or anything untoward. They live in 7.2 bottled water. They play and have the zoomies together, there are loads of hiding places....they are happy enough to breed without any effort. They eat well, they are looked after well and they are all healthy.

I guess they enjoy life in my aquarium...there are plenty babies being produced, so I must be doing something right.

(Will now take cover in my air raid shelter for the incoming remarks that this or that shouldn't be together etc )

 

[itiwhetu]

My aquarium hooligans are completely up the pole. Controversial - definitely, ecclectic - absolutely, downright insane - without question.

Somehow it works, not a clue how....no fighting, no nipping, no illness, no disease.....zoomies every day, many times a day, silliness daily.

Some of the hooligans I have had several years, others moved in after my neighbour died last year. The aquarium is almost definitely overstocked (two large internal filters and bi-weekly water changes handles that with ease)

Numbers of each....hmmmmm....not entirely sure on the Cories cos they refuse to allow me to count them

Bronze Cories - at least 8
Pepper Cories - at least 8
Various Danio - at least 6
Cardinals - 5
Neons - 6
Honey Gourami - 2
Gold Ram - 4
Blue Ram - 1
Apisto - 1
Otto - 4
Pristella - 6
Harlequin - 7
BN - 3
Flame - 1
Platy - 1

I "think" that is everyone...apart from the pesky snails and Assassins.

On paper they shouldn't live together, but for reasons best known to themselves, they have been awesome together. Everyone was spread tween my original 5 small aquariums before they moved in together into my 53 gallon aquarium. There are no temper tantrums from anyone, no aggression or anything untoward. They live in 7.2 bottled water. They play and have the zoomies together, there are loads of hiding places....they are happy enough to breed without any effort. They eat well, they are looked after well and they are all healthy.

I guess they enjoy life in my aquarium...there are plenty babies being produced, so I must be doing something right.

(Will now take cover in my air raid shelter for the incoming remarks that this or that shouldn't be together etc )

I don't see anything wrong with what you have, apart from the platy (So be it). You have a few individuals but that is fine, we always get a few of those, and they are simply happy to be alive.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I don't see anything wrong with what you have, apart from the platy (So be it). You have a few individuals but that is fine, we always get a few of those, and they are simply happy to be alive.

The Platy is one of the neighbour's fish that I rescued, the only survivor out of over 20 of them in their aquarium

Oddly it has struck up a close bond with one of the Gold Rams, they follow each other everywhere and the Ram sees off anyone who tries to mess with the Platy (its a blue wagtail)

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I forgot the 3 baby BN's off that list....I say three but I'm not completely sure it is three....might be more than that.....

 

[itiwhetu]

I forgot the 3 baby BN's off that list....I say three but I'm not completely sure it is three....might be more than that.....

Now those three babies might just through your tank completely out of balance but someone with more experience than me will tell you what you should do next.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Now those three babies might just through your tank completely out of balance but someone with more experience than me will tell you what you should do next.

They are about 1.5 inches max at the moment, all BN babies will be collected by an LFS on the other side of the city once old enough....within the next 6 to 8 weeks. So they shouldn't cause any issues but if they do I can get them moved earlier if need be. Their mother was the BN who died as a result of the badly prepared rock with netting on it. The other female is so far totally disinterested in the males who pretty much ignore her anyway.

 

[itiwhetu]

They are about 1.5 inches max at the moment, all BN babies will be collected by an LFS on the other side of the city once old enough....within the next 6 to 8 weeks. So they shouldn't cause any issues but if they do I can get them moved earlier if need be. Their mother was the BN who died as a result of the badly prepared rock with netting on it. The other female is so far totally disinterested in the males who pretty much ignore her anyway.

I was pulling your leg,

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I was pulling your leg,

Maybe so...but incase anyone else wondered, I do have it covered

 

[gilpi]

On my first tank I had a couple of them lay eggs and to my surprise a

If I was you ide at least double that number of cichlids

I actually would like to not so much double it but bring it to around 20 and though I love the overstocking of certain fish like the African cichlids, these guys get pretty big giving them space and plenty of water changes considering the size of tank. I'm thinking you might have to eventually re-home some of yours? The Frontosa is a gorgeous fish and they get BIG.

 

[gilpi]

I entered tank of the month this month but I’ll attach the photos for you, let me know what you think

I'm curious, I see you have peacocks, the frontosa, maybe some mbuna and I can't make out the others, there is a smaller one from lake Tanganyica?

 

[AmyKieran]

On my first tank I had a couple of them lay eggs and to my surprise a

I actually would like to not so much double it but bring it to around 20 and though I love the overstocking of certain fish like the African cichlids, these guys get pretty big giving them space and plenty of water changes considering the size of tank. I'm thinking you might have to eventually re-home some of yours? The Frontosa is a gorgeous fish and they get BIG.

Yeah I’m aware of the frontosa Will need rehomed, which other fish from lake tangiyaka?

 

[gilpi]

Yeah I’m aware of the frontosa Will need rehomed, which other fish from lake tangiyaka?

2nd picture top left corner full side view? If it is, they are usually smaller cichlids or are they all just mbuna and peacocks?

 

[AmyKieran]

2nd picture top left corner full side view? If it is, they are usually smaller cichlids or are they all just mbuna and peacocks?

Mbuna and peacocks, I still don’t know which one you mean lol

 

[gilpi]

Mbuna and peacocks, I still don’t know which one you mean lol

It's most likely a peacock, a light colored with vertical stripes to the top left. I love these fish and the overstocking aspect. I like lots of cichlids but once I tried these, I can't go back, they're my favorite.

 

[AmyKieran]

It's most likely a peacock, a light colored with vertical stripes to the top left. I love these fish and the overstocking aspect. I like lots of cichlids but once I tried these, I can't go back, they're my favorite.

Is it not a bumblebee cichlid?