View Full Version : Snakehead and africans?
Cyclop3000
11-18-2005, 2:00 PM
Hey all. I just bought a small snakehead (i think Channa pleurophthalma, was labeled 3-spot snakehead at lfs) which is approx. 3 inches. I put him in a 130g tank with large fish (JD, oscars, shovelnose, etc...) and they all tried to eat him. So to grow him up a bit I decided to move him to a 55g which contains about 6 juvenile african cichlids, including an agressive frontosa (all below 5").
I know it's not the best, but nobody wants to take my africans and I don't have another free tank. I figured he could get beaten up a little, but better that than being lunch in a split second.
What do you guys think? I have a 20g I could setup but the cycling will take forever, I don't want him to die. Basically I want him to gain some lenght, so my big guys don't try to eat him. Then I will move the sh with them for a while, until he is about 9-10", at which point he will get his own 100+ gallons.
It's either that or I get rid of my africans and give him the 55g...
Thanks for any advise.
woolfie
11-18-2005, 2:05 PM
just use some water from your big tank you should always quarinteen your fish before adding them to an already mature tank
cheers woolfie
beblondie
11-18-2005, 2:07 PM
Setup your 20 then take some gravel or old filter medium from an established tank and add it to the 20 you should be fine its kind of instant cycling-Anne
venwu225
11-18-2005, 2:14 PM
YOU have a Channa pleurophthalma!!? where are you located and where is that LFS?
That FISH deserves a species only tank, they are one of the most beautiful snakeheads
Cyclop3000
11-18-2005, 3:41 PM
Anne - right i know that, but i find the water to be rather unstable for a while, so i'm always scared for my fish, and I don't know SH well enough to know if they are hardy fish when it comes to water quality...it's my first try at those. I guess i'll listen and setup the 20 :)
venwu225 - lol i know and a species-only tank is just what he's going to get as soon as he is big enough. I live in mtl, canada, and bought it at a lfs called Big Al's (none in the US tho...). For 20$. And i agree, he is gorgeous :D
I guess I got lucky :thumbsup:
Oh and thanks for the replies...greatly appreciated.
Anne - right i know that, but i find the water to be rather unstable for a while, so i'm always scared for my fish, and I don't know SH well enough to know if they are hardy fish when it comes to water quality...it's my first try at those. I guess i'll listen and setup the 20 :)
venwu225 - lol i know and a species-only tank is just what he's going to get as soon as he is big enough. I live in mtl, canada, and bought it at a lfs called Big Al's (none in the US tho...). For 20$. And i agree, he is gorgeous :D
I guess I got lucky :thumbsup:
Oh and thanks for the replies...greatly appreciated.
Roadtrip :)
Just kidding :)
Cyclop3000
11-18-2005, 9:44 PM
How long you guys think I could keep the pleurophtalma in the 20g before he needs more room ?
contender
11-18-2005, 10:43 PM
dunno, but lets see some photos of yourcool fish !!!
Cyclop3000
11-18-2005, 11:22 PM
dunno, but lets see some photos of yourcool fish !!!
Sure ! I don't know how to post pictures in threads, so i placed one in my personal gallery. Just hit the link to your left below my avatar...
Cyclop, there is a sticky in the "frequently asked questions" forum that will show you a way to post pics into threads.
Most snakeheads can take poor water conditions for a while,in fact they are very intollerant of chlorine and metals in water,so many end up being killed by heavy water changes.They need aged water preferably for water changes so above suggestions should be fine.Pleurophthalma are one of few snakeheads that can be kept in a group and they stay mainly together especially when feeding.We have 5 and it is comical to see all 5 suddenly dart to the surface for air at the same time.
Cyclop3000
11-19-2005, 1:36 PM
Most snakeheads can take poor water conditions for a while,in fact they are very intollerant of chlorine and metals in water,so many end up being killed by heavy water changes.They need aged water preferably for water changes so above suggestions should be fine.Pleurophthalma are one of few snakeheads that can be kept in a group and they stay mainly together especially when feeding.We have 5 and it is comical to see all 5 suddenly dart to the surface for air at the same time.
Thanks for the tip. And I was actually thinking to go back monday and get his little brother still at the lfs to keep him company...would that be a good idea? I mean sometimes fish are ok in larger groups, but when you stick two together they rip themselves to shredds...
Guppy: Thanks for the info.
Here is my baby pleurophtalma (the glass is deforming the fish a little...i'll try to get him again, but he comes out at night mainly):
Roseroar1
11-20-2005, 6:41 AM
How CUTE!! Lucky dawg...I wanna snakehead!! There used to be a very cool lfs in my town. About a year or so ago, the DNR showed up, and confiscated her mascot, a HUGE snakehead. I called to complain about it, and was told it was confiscated and to be destroyed because a) she might be breeding it (with ONE??????), or b) she might "get bored" with it and flush it (she was given it from someone who didn't want that to happen to it, and I'd like to SEE the toliet that puppy would have fit in!!).
I understand the reasonings behind the regulations against them - I just wish that intelligent folk who care for their critters could still be able to have them, once they proved they knew what they were doing, and what they were in for (adult size, care requirements, so forth)
Sheryl
Thanks for the tip. And I was actually thinking to go back monday and get his little brother still at the lfs to keep him company...would that be a good idea? I mean sometimes fish are ok in larger groups, but when you stick two together they rip themselves to shredds...
Guppy: Thanks for the info.
Here is my baby pleurophtalma (the glass is deforming the fish a little...i'll try to get him again, but he comes out at night mainly):
definitely need more studies on channa. never knew there is a nocturnal species..cool pic :) thanks for sharing, all i can do is be jealous :thumbsup:
Cyclop3000
11-20-2005, 10:15 AM
definitely need more studies on channa. never knew there is a nocturnal species..cool pic :) thanks for sharing, all i can do is be jealous :thumbsup:
Thanks for the good words. This is not a nocturnal specie, but there are african cichlids in the tank for another couple days, and he's kinda afraid of them...
Tomorrow the africans leave the tank, so I will see him swim freely.