Stocking Ideas

[bonzo]

We have got a 6x2x2 crying out for some fish. We plan to set it up as a CA tank. We have got a pair of parachromis loisellei about 4" which we need to work round. We're used to SA and know very little about CA so all help appreciated.


As you can see they've been liplocking

 

[Rocksor]

CAs are generally more territorial and aggressive than SAs, especially considering you have two loiselli in your tank. Loisellei have pretty strong jaws and have actual teeth, unlike SAs. Both of the ones you have can get up to 10"-12", thereby reducing the workable volume of water in your tank to about 60 gallons. I wouldn't recommend another parachromis like managuense or motaguense.

You could do 1 of the following big cichlid types:

Texas
Midas
Red Devil
Jack Dempsey
Vieja/Paratherap species
Nicaragua

Or add a couple of the following cichlid types
T-bar
Convict
salvini
rainbow

 

[bonzo]

How many other fish would you recommend in a tank this size

 

[Rocksor]

How many other fish would you recommend in a tank this size

It depends what you are looking for. Remember that parachromis is a predator, so anything that can fit in its mouth is potential food. Are you looking to make a CA cichlid tank or something else?

 

[bonzo]

We want a cichlid tank but we,re open to ideas if there's anything else you can suggest

 

[Rocksor]

We want a cichlid tank but we,re open to ideas if there's anything else you can suggest

If you are doing a CA cichlid tank, I generally allow for 60 gallon (227L) per 12" (30cm) of fish. What are your options were you live?

What SA fish do you have experience with?

 

[Wills]

Fair enough guidance from above I would say it seems a little excessive but got nothing to back it up and no reason to doubt it really.

Interesting to see where it goes

Worth looking up Lee Nutal and maybe get some ideas from his tanks

Wills

 

[bonzo]

Our only options in NI are getting fish brought in from England or driving to the ROI.


We have heros severus, Heros sp Rotkiel, Heros Notatus, angels, Daemons, geos, festivums, chocs, wavrini, some dwarf cichlids and we also have convicts and sajicas. Not all in the same tank of course.


Wills, will check out his tanks. Thanks guys

 

[Wills]

We have heros severus, Heros sp Rotkiel, Heros Notatus, angels, Daemons, geos, festivums, chocs, wavrini, some dwarf cichlids and we also have convicts and sajicas. Not all in the same tank of course.

Must be such a struggle with only being able to find such common fish...

 

[bonzo]

We have heros severus, Heros sp Rotkiel, Heros Notatus, angels, Daemons, geos, festivums, chocs, wavrini, some dwarf cichlids and we also have convicts and sajicas. Not all in the same tank of course.

Must be such a struggle with only being able to find such common fish...

If you knew the lengths we had to go to to get these fish Wills. Sweat and blood we shed

Saying that a few of them species did come into our lfs labelled as something they were so obviously not. For instance the wavrini were being sold as metae

 

[bonzo]

Fair enough guidance from above I would say it seems a little excessive but got nothing to back it up and no reason to doubt it really.

Interesting to see where it goes

Worth looking up Lee Nutal and maybe get some ideas from his tanks

Wills

We're still none the wiser what we want. Sad as it may seem we would like something thats colour co-ordinated with the loisellei

 

[Wills]

What about some kind of Vieja? Some great coloured ones out there, I know someone who kept a pair of RTMs with a group of Belieze Shiney Spots which looked great Vieja melanura the yellow ones from Lee Nutals blog look great as well. Do Oddballs Express post out to you?

Wills

 

[bonzo]

What about some kind of Vieja? Some great coloured ones out there, I know someone who kept a pair of RTMs with a group of Belieze Shiney Spots which looked great Vieja melanura the yellow ones from Lee Nutals blog look great as well. Do Oddballs Express post out to you?

Wills

Yeh they do. We seen the vieja regani on Lees magazine and they look quite nice

 

[bonzo]

Have decided to give them their own tank. could I use a 100g uk to keep them in and give my SA the bigger tank

 

[Wills]

What are the dimensions? If its 2 foot front to back it should be okay (presuming the length is good as well)

But sounds like a plan!

Wills