Full tank
Right Side
Left Side
Aquarium - 72 x 18 @ 21 tall Oceanic 125 gallon
Stocklist:
7 Male & 5.5 Female Blue Dempsey
Approx 10 - 2.5~3.5 Blue Gene Dempseys
Approx 20 - 2.5 ~ 4.5 Breeding Colony of Red Head Tapajos
4 Male & 4 Female Elliotts Cichlids (similar to Firemouthes)
12~14 Black Ghost Knife
Filtration:
2x AC 110 HOB
2x Magnum HOT
Magnum 350 w/ 20W UV light (temporarily not in use)
The Dempsey pair are the ruling Cichlids of the tank. Together or apart no one messes with either one. The male is quite docile in this tank (but has proven himself capable with more aggressive tank mates) but the female is a snotty little b!tch. She likes to flaunt her authority.
The BGK spends most of its time in the back right corner but usually joins everyone to eat and goes on random adventures throughout the tank as he wishes. No one dare gets in his way. I highly suspect he is the reason I do not see fry in the tank
Everyone else seems to be on even ground. There is very mild inter species aggression, but basically no aggression between species (except the Blue female flaunting).
This has been meant to be a grow out tank and has already lasted longer than I suspected. But as long as it remains this peaceful Im going to ride it out. As a note I do have other tanks available to immediately transfer fish to if/when problems arise. I do not suggest pushing limits like this unless additional space is available.
Blue Dempsey Pair
Male is the strongest / prettiest out of a group of 10 grow outs purchased at 1 in Dec 07, female is only known/surviving female from this group
Male has bred with several Standard and/or Blue Gene Dempseys and has proven to make ugly babies and was therefore removed from breeding project Female has refused to spawn with any male Dempsey (several tried) except her brother. Despite apparent fertilization all eggs turned white. They rarely but sometimes attempt to spawn
Blue Gene Dempseys
Selected from a full brood for specific qualities
Breeding Colony of Red Head Tapajos
Most of these are siblings born Approx April of 08 from a pair I had then. This group has been spawning for about 3 months but due to the dense population of the tank females will not spit fry. There are 4 males with bold red humps who are potentially fathering broods. There are approx 6~8 females which spawn with males. Developed males have territories they prefer but they all move about the tank freely. Males have some very minor squabbles when displaying to females, but overall this is a very peaceful group of fish.
Pair of Elliotts Cichlids
I bought a group of 6 (I think) at a local auction last summer. They were fine together until they hit sexual maturity. Despite being in this 6 tank and having plenty of tank mates to mingle with, the two dominant Elliotts killed off the others. I never once saw any aggressive displays, but would occasionally find a dead body with its eyes eaten out. This pair has a nest staked out and are sometimes very fierce at defending it and sometimes hang out close by and allows others to do so as well. I suspect they have spawned but I have not yet seen fry from them.
12~14 BGK
Ive had this guy for well over 5 years. He was raised in this 125 gal for a year or so then moved to a 6 round 300 gal Rubbermaid tub. In less than two years time he grew to 12 and has slowly added size since then.
It has lived with many different tank mates from young docile Cichlids like now to Adult Oscars, Dempseys, Green Terror, etc, etc
It was once in a tank with a young (5 & 7) pair of Dempseys and every time the pairs fry became free swimming the BGK would fiercely attack the nest, fight both parents (and win) while picking off every free swimmer in the tank. When the fry were all gone the BGK would quickly escape back to its nest. This BGK has proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that BGKs are MUCH tougher than we generally give them credit for.
Additional Various pics
Red Head Tapajo - Holding Female
Group Grazing shot (eating sinking pellets off the substrate)
Nicer Male Tapajo with Blue Dempseys emerging from behind
Justa Pic
Nice Group Shot
and my Tegu just because its cool
Right Side
Left Side
Aquarium - 72 x 18 @ 21 tall Oceanic 125 gallon
Stocklist:
7 Male & 5.5 Female Blue Dempsey
Approx 10 - 2.5~3.5 Blue Gene Dempseys
Approx 20 - 2.5 ~ 4.5 Breeding Colony of Red Head Tapajos
4 Male & 4 Female Elliotts Cichlids (similar to Firemouthes)
12~14 Black Ghost Knife
Filtration:
2x AC 110 HOB
2x Magnum HOT
Magnum 350 w/ 20W UV light (temporarily not in use)
The Dempsey pair are the ruling Cichlids of the tank. Together or apart no one messes with either one. The male is quite docile in this tank (but has proven himself capable with more aggressive tank mates) but the female is a snotty little b!tch. She likes to flaunt her authority.
The BGK spends most of its time in the back right corner but usually joins everyone to eat and goes on random adventures throughout the tank as he wishes. No one dare gets in his way. I highly suspect he is the reason I do not see fry in the tank
Everyone else seems to be on even ground. There is very mild inter species aggression, but basically no aggression between species (except the Blue female flaunting).
This has been meant to be a grow out tank and has already lasted longer than I suspected. But as long as it remains this peaceful Im going to ride it out. As a note I do have other tanks available to immediately transfer fish to if/when problems arise. I do not suggest pushing limits like this unless additional space is available.
Blue Dempsey Pair
Male is the strongest / prettiest out of a group of 10 grow outs purchased at 1 in Dec 07, female is only known/surviving female from this group
Male has bred with several Standard and/or Blue Gene Dempseys and has proven to make ugly babies and was therefore removed from breeding project Female has refused to spawn with any male Dempsey (several tried) except her brother. Despite apparent fertilization all eggs turned white. They rarely but sometimes attempt to spawn
Blue Gene Dempseys
Selected from a full brood for specific qualities
Breeding Colony of Red Head Tapajos
Most of these are siblings born Approx April of 08 from a pair I had then. This group has been spawning for about 3 months but due to the dense population of the tank females will not spit fry. There are 4 males with bold red humps who are potentially fathering broods. There are approx 6~8 females which spawn with males. Developed males have territories they prefer but they all move about the tank freely. Males have some very minor squabbles when displaying to females, but overall this is a very peaceful group of fish.
Pair of Elliotts Cichlids
I bought a group of 6 (I think) at a local auction last summer. They were fine together until they hit sexual maturity. Despite being in this 6 tank and having plenty of tank mates to mingle with, the two dominant Elliotts killed off the others. I never once saw any aggressive displays, but would occasionally find a dead body with its eyes eaten out. This pair has a nest staked out and are sometimes very fierce at defending it and sometimes hang out close by and allows others to do so as well. I suspect they have spawned but I have not yet seen fry from them.
12~14 BGK
Ive had this guy for well over 5 years. He was raised in this 125 gal for a year or so then moved to a 6 round 300 gal Rubbermaid tub. In less than two years time he grew to 12 and has slowly added size since then.
It has lived with many different tank mates from young docile Cichlids like now to Adult Oscars, Dempseys, Green Terror, etc, etc
It was once in a tank with a young (5 & 7) pair of Dempseys and every time the pairs fry became free swimming the BGK would fiercely attack the nest, fight both parents (and win) while picking off every free swimmer in the tank. When the fry were all gone the BGK would quickly escape back to its nest. This BGK has proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that BGKs are MUCH tougher than we generally give them credit for.
Additional Various pics
Red Head Tapajo - Holding Female
Group Grazing shot (eating sinking pellets off the substrate)
Nicer Male Tapajo with Blue Dempseys emerging from behind
Justa Pic
Nice Group Shot
and my Tegu just because its cool
