Tank upgrade size recommendations

[magpie]

I would just treat it with the same mindset as housing any other big cichlid. I'm admittedly ignorant on bichirs, all I know is they stay towards the bottom. But as far as the Polleni go if you got a 150 gallon, 180 or bigger would be ideal, you could do a harem of them; 1 male and 3-4 females.

I would also recommend davesfish.com and get your Polleni from him. Dave's awesome and his fish are high quality. Good luck with them if you pursue them they're amazing fish. African with the personality of an American, hardy- easy to take care of, and a joy to watch. I laugh out loud at my Polleni often, he's hilarious.

I love hearing stories about Polleni. I've read a lot on them here and have read about their personalities, and I just love how they look. I read the most about them being kept singularly , but will look into a group a bit more as that would be fun if I went big enough AND they wouldn't wreak havoc with the other fish. I'd worry about them starting to pair up or breed. I've had various dwarf SA cichlids - my favorites (Laetacara Araguaiae) started spawning and while it was amazing to watch, they just caused so much stress in the tank. They weren't killing anyone but were claiming a huge section of the tank and chasing constantly. Maybe they just needed more room than a 36" footprint. I sadly had to rehome them. (Should have set up my 30 gallon for them alone.)

I also had a pair of apistogramma where the female was such an ass that she harassed the male to death and then continued to be an ass to everyone else. It wasn't enough to rehome, but was annoying. I then more recently got a koi angelfish who was so cool looking (and I don't love angels in general) but he started to constantly chase my ctenopoma, who used to be his BFF. So I had to rehome him. I've just had some weird bad luck with my SAs in general, and my tank is densely planted with rocks, wood, etc. etc. (Rams were always fine, checkerboard cichlids fine)

I've had the SA community, trying to make it more interesting with random fish, but that is why I am ready for an african theme. I know there are always outliers with behavior but I'm hoping I can work out some kind of grouping of interesting, interactive, somewhat larger fish without a lot of stress in the tank. I worry most about the Polleni.

Thanks for the recommendation on where to purchase them. I currently live in Portland so I am lucky that my LFS is The Wet Spot and they have amazing stock. They have had baby Polleni in the recent past. I want to say they were even tank raised, but I may be wrong there. If they get them again it is just nice to be able to drive to get fish instead of ship. But.... you know how it is finding the fish when you want them!

I would recommend the African theme, my 2 African knives have a lot of character, i have one grumpy old man and a bouncy youngster

A well planted and decorated 5-6' tank could house a whole group of knives, a lot of wood and caves is ideal. I wouldn't recommend them with bichirs though due to the knives slow growth and skittish nature

I love planted so my new tank will be also. But... no knives with bichirs? Oh no! I had read that they can be kept together - the african browns in particular. So you think that the bichirs would bother the knives? From what I've read they don't tend to bother fish they can't fit in their mouths. The bichirs are a non-negotiable in my list. I love them too much.

I also had read that knives can be very aggressive with their own kind. How do yours get along?

 

[magpie]

You just answered your own question sir, the only place to put it would be your basement...I vote 300 gallon 6x3x27

wait wait wait you have a basement begging to turned into a man cave/fish room
with large tanks and you want to put a little tank in the house completely ignoring
that basement begging to be used? shame on you! go home! lol haha im jk wish
i had basement to turn into a man cave/ fish room.

I'll be moving, so I don't have a basement guaranteed.

And I'm a woman, but I still love me a good man cave, especially filled with aquariums. I can see it now.... a couch and a TV to watch MotoGP on while I have a beer, sew, paint my toenails, and watch the fish. LOL

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I'll be moving, so I don't have a basement guaranteed.

And I'm a woman, but I still love me a good man cave, especially filled with aquariums. I can see it now.... a couch and a TV to watch MotoGP on while I sew, paint my toenails, and watch the fish. LOL

hahaha you knew how to enjoy

 

[magpie]

I had to edit to add the beer drinking. Cuz man cave.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I love hearing stories about Polleni. I've read a lot on them here and have read about their personalities, and I just love how they look. I read the most about them being kept singularly , but will look into a group a bit more as that would be fun if I went big enough AND they wouldn't wreak havoc with the other fish. I'd worry about them starting to pair up or breed. I've had various dwarf SA cichlids - my favorites (Laetacara Araguaiae) started spawning and while it was amazing to watch, they just caused so much stress in the tank. They weren't killing anyone but were claiming a huge section of the tank and chasing constantly. Maybe they just needed more room than a 36" footprint. I sadly had to rehome them. (Should have set up my 30 gallon for them alone.)

I also had a pair of apistogramma where the female was such an ass that she harassed the male to death and then continued to be an ass to everyone else. It wasn't enough to rehome, but was annoying. I then more recently got a koi angelfish who was so cool looking (and I don't love angels in general) but he started to constantly chase my ctenopoma, who used to be his BFF. So I had to rehome him. I've just had some weird bad luck with my SAs in general, and my tank is densely planted with rocks, wood, etc. etc. (Rams were always fine, checkerboard cichlids fine)

I've had the SA community, trying to make it more interesting with random fish, but that is why I am ready for an african theme. I know there are always outliers with behavior but I'm hoping I can work out some kind of grouping of interesting, interactive, somewhat larger fish without a lot of stress in the tank. I worry most about the Polleni.

Thanks for the recommendation on where to purchase them. I currently live in Portland so I am lucky that my LFS is The Wet Spot and they have amazing stock. They have had baby Polleni in the recent past. I want to say they were even tank raised, but I may be wrong there. If they get them again it is just nice to be able to drive to get fish instead of ship. But.... you know how it is finding the fish when you want them!



I love planted so my new tank will be also. But... no knives with bichirs? Oh no! I had read that they can be kept together - the african browns in particular. So you think that the bichirs would bother the knives? From what I've read they don't tend to bother fish they can't fit in their mouths. The bichirs are a non-negotiable in my list. I love them too much.

I also had read that knives can be very aggressive with their own kind. How do yours get along?

That's cool that you're right by the wet spot! I've heard good things about them and they always have so many varieties on Aquabid. Someone else can chime in but I think Polleni and Bichirs would be fine together, you could have better success with the Polleni if you got them while still small too.

 

[Hendre]

Well. right now with my knives there is minimal aggression and the one is well into the mature stage. there is a little bit of chasing and a tad bit of nipping but nothing serious and there is plenty of hiding spots for them to choose from which i think helps. in a large tank a bigger group is preferable if anyone gets ticked off

You likely can keep them with bichirs, just get the knives established and feeding first since they are quickly outcompeted for food if they don't know when to look. i feed mine right after lights out.

here is the pile of wood with the smaller knife, the bigger one is more shy in daytime. they also come and look at me sometimes when i sit next to the tank

 

[magpie]

That's cool that you're right by the wet spot! I've heard good things about them and they always have so many varieties on Aquabid. Someone else can chime in but I think Polleni and Bichirs would be fine together, you could have better success with the Polleni if you got them while still small too.

I just love the wet spot. They are knowledgable, have a HUGE selection, a lot of captive bred fish (which I prefer) and their fish are so healthy and well cared for. They keep them in holding before they put them on the floor so you never see a sick or dead fish there. I am probably going to take heat for this but I have never quarantined a fish from them and have never had an outbreak of anything. I am very spoiled. It's easy to spend a lot of time staring in there.

Cool, I love hearing that I might be able to mix Polleni and bichirs. They are the two that I want the most. What do you think about the Polleni and Ctenopoma? I already have the Cteno - "Checkers" - he is 3.5 - 4" now. He has grown a lot actually. I got him in June and he was 1.5" By the move in a year or so I would think he would be full grown, and then I could add a small Polleni. Hopefully then Checkers wouldn't object.

 

[magpie]

Well. right now with my knives there is minimal aggression and the one is well into the mature stage. there is a little bit of chasing and a tad bit of nipping but nothing serious and there is plenty of hiding spots for them to choose from which i think helps. in a large tank a bigger group is preferable if anyone gets ticked off

You likely can keep them with bichirs, just get the knives established and feeding first since they are quickly outcompeted for food if they don't know when to look. i feed mine right after lights out.

here is the pile of wood with the smaller knife, the bigger one is more shy in daytime. they also come and look at me sometimes when i sit next to the tank

OK, so it's the feeding part you're thinking about. That makes sense, thanks.

How large is your tank with the knives?

 

[magpie]

Researching more in MFK on polleni groups/pairs and I think I'd be better off with a single fish to minimize aggression.... ?

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I just love the wet spot. They are knowledgable, have a HUGE selection, a lot of captive bred fish (which I prefer) and their fish are so healthy and well cared for. They keep them in holding before they put them on the floor so you never see a sick or dead fish there. I am probably going to take heat for this but I have never quarantined a fish from them and have never had an outbreak of anything. I am very spoiled. It's easy to spend a lot of time staring in there.

Cool, I love hearing that I might be able to mix Polleni and bichirs. They are the two that I want the most. What do you think about the Polleni and Ctenopoma? I already have the Cteno - "Checkers" - he is 3.5 - 4" now. He has grown a lot actually. I got him in June and he was 1.5" By the move in a year or so I would think he would be full grown, and then I could add a small Polleni. Hopefully then Checkers wouldn't object.

I have never kept Ctenopoma so I really don't know. Could be a problem if they just hang out at the top of the tank, that's where my Polleni hangs out 99% of the time. Oh and I forgot to mention earlier that you'd be awfully hard pressed to find a wild caught Polleni, as they're endangered in Madagascar. I would argue 99% of Polleni available are captive bred.