New Tank

[RoscoMcFish]

Hi there, ive just filled my tank a day or two ago and am crrently deciding the fish id like to stock it with. I currently have several Cichlids, two Oscars one Texas Cichlid and 2 Jaguars. My Cobalt Blue lobster is still large enough compared to the Cichlids to fight them off, though my Tetras are not so lucky, the Cichlids seem to enjoy themselves however when chasing them around, but it seems it will be only a matter of time before they are all gone, i used to have sixteen Black Tetras but they are rapidly being eatin.

In light of that i have ordered two Angel Cichlids and four Royal Red Discus to accompany my current Cichlids, if anyone could help with any other suggestions for additions to my tank it would be much appreciated. I was considering a school of clown loaches, would this be alright?

Cheers.

 

[erk628]

Hi there, ive just filled my tank a day or two ago and am crrently deciding the fish id like to stock it with. I currently have several Cichlids, two Oscars one Texas Cichlid and 2 Jaguars. My Cobalt Blue lobster is still large enough compared to the Cichlids to fight them off, though my Tetras are not so lucky, the Cichlids seem to enjoy themselves however when chasing them around, but it seems it will be only a matter of time before they are all gone, i used to have sixteen Black Tetras but they are rapidly being eatin.

In light of that i have ordered two Angel Cichlids and four Royal Red Discus to accompany my current Cichlids, if anyone could help with any other suggestions for additions to my tank it would be much appreciated. I was considering a school of clown loaches, would this be alright?

Cheers.

What size tank do you have, in gallons if you can because I'm from the states and don't use liters

 

[RoscoMcFish]

my conversions are pretty much on the fly, but its just shy of 100 U.S gallons, about 96 give or take a few a gallons.

I may replace one of the jaguars though with a Wolf Cichlid, as i often hear many good things about them,

Cheers.

 

[Aprilia997]

I would highly recommend not putting Angels and in particular Discus in with the cichlids you have. If they are not eaten outright they will be beaten and thrashed until they die. The wolf cichlids get larger than your fish you already have and are called wolf fish because they are hunter killers.

Your lobster is living on borrowed time as well, by the time the largest cichlid reaches 12 cm in total length the lobster will be torn apart when it molts.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I must have missed something. You said you just filled the tank a few days ago right? So it has not been cycled? Did you use filters from another tank already cycled, or are you planning to cycle the tank with all those fish in it? I hope not. Those are pretty cool fish to just be killing. Have you checked your stats since you filled it to see how it is doing?

 

[RoscoMcFish]

no worries about the filtration cycle thats sorted, no chance of anything untoward happening to my little buddies, but most of the compatability charsts ive saw or people ive spoken with obviously advise a certain degree of caution to this mixture of Cichlids, however ive had some very large discus and angels in the past kept with New Worlds and can be extremely aggresive at times. The lobster though[ill add more in good time] are more or less there to keep my Cichlids amused, i know they enjoy fighting crabs and such and enjoy the tasty meat even more, so it pretty much is just a matter of time. But at the end of the day, if my Discus or Angels should be killed then well, i hope they dont, but thats just the way its gonna have to be im affraid.

 

[LisaLQ]

Are you planning on upgrading your tank or getting another? If not, you may want to be - or you will need to rehome some of your fish, as you're going to be vastly overstocked. Your tank is too small for the oscars alone, as they will get to 14-16", and need at least a 100g tank to themselves. The jaguars get even bigger, and will kill any other species in their tank so need to be removed and housed on their own. Even the oscars and texas would be killed, jags are possibly one of, if not the most aggressive cichlid species available.

For your oscars and texas, I'd recommend a 180g tank, and keeping a very close eye on them. Texas cichlids are reknowned for being very aggressive, and may bully your oscars, even to the point of death. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, but it might be worth joining these oscar forums and asking about more suitable tank mates:
http/www.oscarfish.com/portal.php

http/www.theoscarspot.com/index.php

Obviously, even with these changes, there's a good chance you're going to lose some from not cycling the tank prior to putting them in. One fish alone on a cycle is hard going enough, but all these big messy cichlids are going to need daily big water changes until it's cycled, but even then you may probably get some losses.

As for the black widows, they didn't stand a chance I'm afraid. Nothing but a small snack for all of your cichlids.

 

[RoscoMcFish]

To be honest, if any other species are bullied or killed then its simple as that. Im not sure if this philosophy is carried over to many fish tank owners, however i am a firm beleiver in natural selection. If my stock is too weak to survive then they will not survive, some might, some wont. The ones that do are clearly meant to have been there from day one. Im sorry if this sounds somehow callous, or shows disregard to any form of life, but im not entirely sure you can sheild yourself from the reality that in an uncontrolled enviroment, things will surely be hunted and killed, for these reasons it is why i choose these paticular Cichlids. I do actually expect much of my stock to be potentialy killed off.

Though for Oscars alone, my tank is quite sufficient, and cycling as i said is not a problem, it has been dealt with.

My tetras though, nah i just put them in there for my Cichlids to enjoy, they seem to have fun chasing them down.

 

[LisaLQ]

Hmmm methinks we have a troll. Surely no-one's really so daft as to pay out for all those fish just to have them die within a day or two.

 

[RoscoMcFish]

Im sorry if the erroneous nature of your comment has led to you becoming so defensive im sure you were just trying to help, however i assure you i do not live under a bridge.

Fish though dont really costs very much though, im not sure why that is an issue.

 

[FishMasterPro]

Guys I dont see all the fuss here. His tank is definately big enough to house pretty much whatever kind of cichlid he wants. As long as the fish can fit in the roof of the tank then its all good yes? What more can they ask for? In my experience, jaguar cichlids have proven to be a charming, yet timid species. You will probably find the eccentric movement of your black neons coupled with the current from your filter causing great upset to your jaguar. They are very delicate fish, so probably keeping them with an oscar is a bad idea. I recommened you get rid of your oscar and buy some discus. They will accompany the Jaguar perfectly, although you may find he still retires now and then when it all gets a bit too much for him. As for this filter madness. Do the streams the fish come from have great heaving lumps of machinery fiddling with the water? I think not. Let nature take its course I say!

 

[LisaLQ]

PMSL *falls off chair*

Im sorry if the erroneous nature of your comment has led to you becoming so defensive im sure you were just trying to help, however i assure you i do not live under a bridge.

Fish though dont really costs very much though, im not sure why that is an issue.

I'm afraid the green skin and horns give you away. No-one, surely no-one, is so daft as to go out and get fish to watch them die. And if you're serious, you're not daft, you're in need of some help.

Money isn't an issue, but I thought that might appeal to your common sense, said in the loosest terms, as obviuosly appealing to your conscience about their welfare wasn't going to work. Why post if you didn't want advice? You posted in the beginners section - why post here if you think you know everything?

Trip trap trip trap...*trundles off to help someone who actually gives a sh*t about their fish*

 

[FishMasterPro]

So lisa, your saying people dont feed fish other fish, in particular, live fish? HMMMMM, I think it is you who is delusional.

 

[LisaLQ]

I'm saying you dont stock that many fish in that small a tank, otherwise some are going to get seriously hurt or killed. It is cruel and completely un-natural - these fish would not prey on each other in the wild, they wouldn't be so cram packed in the wild, and they wouldn't be purposefully put together to fight and cause amusement for some sad individual who either enjoys watching animals suffer or doesn't care. For a "FishMasterPro" you certainly dont know much about fish care

And another new user, trip trap trip trap. Go find an X-Box forum to harrass

 

[DarkEntity]

I knew i could smell something.....looks like a pair of trolls, go any annoy some PS3 fanboys!