Tank Change, What New Inhabitants?

[kaivalagi]

Hi All,

My poor female Firemouth has been taking a beating (side on swipes mostly) from my male and is looking a bit weary so I have re-homed her in a friends tank - shes now seems at peace with tetras and danios

As such my 125L tank is very lightly stocked at present with the following:

1 x Firemouth Male Juvi (4" max)
4 x Peppered Cory (2 x adult, 2 x juvi)
3 x Oto

What would you all recommend to go in this tank alongside a male juvi firemouth, both short and longer term? I would prefer adding more cichlid varieties to my tank but am up for alternative suggestions...

On the American Cichlid front I like the idea of any of these additions:
Acara
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
Electric Blue JD get bigger than 8"?
Bolivian Ram
Honduran red point
Rainbow
[font="arial] [/font]I do not want Blue rams, or any fish that will grow beyond 8-10" when fully grown...


The tank has been cycled and running since the end of October 09, and has a PH of 7.5-7.75, temp set at 25C-26C.

I appreciate my tank being only 125L at present but I would introduce any fish as juvi's and would be moving to a larger tank in about 3-6 months depending on fish requirements. Looking at 350L+ next

So, anyone care to make any suggestions on fish based on compatibility with what is in the tank right now?

Thanks in advance

 

[kaivalagi]

My current thinking after trying to figure out general behaviours of the above is to add the following in that order over a month or so:
1) 1 x Male Blue Acara
2) 1 x Male Bolivian Ram / 1 x Male Keyhole
3) 1 x Male Cockatoo Apisto or similar

I was warned off EBJDs as they would be a problem for the cories and otos? Also do they reach 9" like a regular JD? I have this notion that they don't grow as large. I would love an EBJD but if it can't co-exist with the other fish then it's a no go...if there is a chance of it working out I would drop either or both of the ram/apisto to allow for it...

The tank has plenty of nooks and crannies and I am about to build a new slate section at one end to provide more "accommodation".

Oh and I have my eye on a trigon 350 corner tank purchase towards the end of April, when I have my birthday excuse I assume a bigger tank by then would acceptable?


Thanks in advance

 

[star4]

If you are getting a trigon 350 you may get away with a serverm.

 

[kaivalagi]

If you are getting a trigon 350 you may get away with a serverm.

I think if I was to go into that scale of fish, I'd just get a JD and/or Green Terror. They grow to around the same size right?

How do severums generally compare to these fish? more peaceful? more colourful? What's the attraction? Are all severum so tall in the body when fully grown, just curious?

 

[DRE]

I personally think that a blue acara is too big for 125 liters even though they are quite peaceful.

i also feel that you miss tha major feature with cichlids by onlky having oen male and not aiming for a pair. With a pair you get to see the magic of spawning, and the handling/protection of frys.

With Hero, andinoacara Pulcher and rivulatus you might see your corydoras and otocinclus eaten in a hurry

 

[kaivalagi]

I personally think that a blue acara is too big for 125 liters even though they are quite peaceful.

Is this even the case for a juvi? I do plan on getting a bigger tank in April, long before an Acara will get too big for it. I had read somewhere that Blue Acara can start out life in a 29G before they are adult?

i also feel that you miss tha major feature with cichlids by onlky having oen male and not aiming for a pair. With a pair you get to see the magic of spawning, and the handling/protection of frys.

I know what you mean, but for me I didn't see magic I saw bullying...and I don't have more than one tank to split off unruly tank mates going forwards. Isn't it a choice between a single species being paired off (if that works) or having several individuals each a different species getting, even in a 350L tank? Breeding pairs need a good deal of space don't they, ideally 4' of a tank? Maybe I am missing something? Can alternative species pairs co-exist in a 350L tank without incident?

I am not interested in breeding for the time being...I'm just not sure I want to go down that road now. Maybe if I had a bigger tank right now that wouldn't be such a bad move...I could maybe introduce females once I upsize in April? Would smaller juvi females be okay with larger males? If say in a ratio of 2 to 1 male?

With Hero, andinoacara Pulcher and rivulatus you might see your corydoras and otocinclus eaten in a hurry

I could understand a green terror causing trouble, but an Acara? really? I thought Acaras made fairly good community tank fish (for cichlids)?
Sorry for all the questions, it's just I obviously have picked up a feel for things off the literature around, which may not line up with your past experiences...

 

[kaivalagi]

I have just put a male Port Acara in my tank, along with a BN pleco (it might be male, it has a couple of stubs for bristles at present)

The Port Acara is about 2", approx half the size almost of my male Firemouth, but I have already seen him stand up for himself which the FM couldn't get it's head around...

Early days but I think the Acara will get on okay, next week I'll be picking up one male Blue Acara too so it will probably ease any tensions further....I think?

When I get a chance I'll post a pic or two

 

[kaivalagi]

My new addition to the tank, one juvi (male?) brown/black/port acara (Cichlasoma bimaculatum) - assume any of the common names is correct, I can now understand why latin names are used when so many common names exist for a fish



Edit: It has not even been 24 hours since I popped the Port Acara in there, and the FM seems to has taken control proper, he is chasing the little guy far too much for my liking. There are plenty of places to hide, and even if the FM can't see the Acara it's almost as if he goes in search of him to chase him...I think my FM is more aggressive than most I have read about. I am hoping that things calm down a little in the next couple of days...is that generally the case in situations like this?

If things don't calm down would adding a similar size Blue Acara (2") to the tank be a good idea, as that's what I was planning to do at the weekend?


Should I consider some dither fish? Would that help reduce the much chasing?

thanks for any suggestions

 

[kaivalagi]

Anyone got any suggestions/pointers on what I can do here to alleviate the aggression in the tank towards the new addition?

 

[star4]

You could try removing the firemouth, re-arrange all the decor then re add the firemouth once you have changed all the territories they may calm down. The firemouth is the more aggressive of the Thorichthys family.

Serverums are a lovely fish very gracefull and calm and come in some beautiful varieties from the more natural green, the Rotkeil or red shoulder, gold and red spotted colours.

 

[kaivalagi]

You could try removing the firemouth, re-arrange all the decor then re add the firemouth once you have changed all the territories they may calm down. The firemouth is the more aggressive of the Thorichthys family.Serverums are a lovely fish very gracefull and calm and come in some beautiful varieties from the more natural green, the Rotkeil or red shoulder, gold and red spotted colours.

I have already quite dramatically re-arranged the tank, but one end at a time whilst the fish were in - any recommendations on re-arranging in the tank, I can get more slate and granite bricks tomorrow - Pic below



Maybe split up the rocks and make several shelters along the length of the tank.....maybe I just need a bigger tank now, Juvi's or not...

So Severums are like the gentle giants - not as aggressive as equivalently sized Cichlids? sounds good to me, something I am starting to lean towards after just a pre-adult firemouth being aggressive...


Edit: Just re-arranged slightly, creating 2 "cave" structures at each end of the tank...here's hoping, the tank looks like this now (lights off, flash only):



just noticed the Acara in the new "cave" in the second picture

 

[star4]

You could try a large fake plant at one end or a mangove root ornament type of thing, I find my firemouth and ellioti prefer "hiding" in something that they can see out of all round rather than a cave.

Nice looking tank btw.

Something like this sort of ornament

Without the dopy plec attached to it though lol

 

[kaivalagi]

You could try a large fake plant at one end or a mangove root ornament type of thing, I find my firemouth and ellioti prefer "hiding" in something that they can see out of all round rather than a cave.

Nice looking tank btw.

Something like this sort of ornament

Without the dopy plec attached to it though lol

That's good to know, thanks. Since I started the hobby last October I have been looking around all the LFS for a nice natural root system like that, but none turn up. Do you know of any good online shops to get decent wood from? On the plant front, early on I did have some of that stupidly fast growing reed stuff that would have been perfect now, but in an error in judgement I got rid - I'll pick some of that up tomorrow.

I begrudge using fake anything to be honest. I have already bought ornaments such as a arizona rock with holes and a log cave, they now sit in a cupboard waiting for a new home...maybe I need to bite the bullet and buy plastic again just this once

Not sure about nice looking, there are so many things I want to get right still...live plants and algae control being the biggest challenges other than the fish right now...I'll never be happy with it - when I get my 100g I think I will be getting even more "obsessed" - the wife will not be happy, I'll never shut up

 

[star4]

I have been lucky with my fake stuff all of it has come from various tanks I have bought. I am the same as you I dont really like plastic and silk plants but had to add something to the tank to have some "middle" space hiding spots because real plants dont last 5 minutes in my tank with the plecs. You could try http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/recent.php usually some nice decor on here sometimes or good old fleabay lol.

My hubby knows how your wife feels I never shut up about my fish lol

 

[kaivalagi]

Thanks for the link star4, I'll go through the classifieds later. Thanks for your help generally, you've been a great help so far!

Well what a change this morning, gave them there morning feed (not much) and both fish were eating within a few inches of each other. The FM is still chasing but not all the time like before, and not when eating which is good

Just to dilute any aggression in the long term and to grow what stock I want in the bigger tank (when I get it) I'll be adding another male juvi Cichlid at the weekend. I want to add a Blue Acara to hang out with the Port if I can...I have read, and I hope its true, that Acara sub-species hang out together okay...more reading today on this though. If it isn't 100% the case then it will be a juvi male of a completely different species of CA/SA Cichlid....thinking Convict maybe...any other suggestions?

Do anyone have any ideas on compatibility of 2 male Acara of different sub-species in the same tank? Reading about it is one thing but I'd like to know if there are any member tanks past or present where this has worked just fine...any ideas?

or