2 GT's in one tank? Also, Temperment experience...

[Cohazard]

I have 2 male GTs in my SA/CA community tank; the larger is around 9-10" the smaller(and older) is around 7". the tank they are currently in is 255gal but they were raised for 2 years together in a more modest 135gal 6 foot set up. There has been some aggro between them esp as the younger overtook the older one in size but now they mostly ignore each other. As far as their overall aggressiveness towards the other fish is concerned they are somewhere in the middle, don't go looking for fights but can hold their ground...

Very interesting, that's the experiences I've been looking for = )

So, are their fins beat up at all or kinked from past damage being healed? Do you have any pics of your GT's?

I may have to just divide my 180g, but I would prefer to keep the two together.

Thanks for your help.

 

[scarysdad]

sorry for the delay in getting back to you cohazard.....Photobucket website was down.....anyway rooted out a few pics for you...

my big guy

another(colors not great in this pic; don't do him justice)

here are the two GTs together(crap pic)

one of their tank with a few friends..

and finally what to expect if things do kick off....

both fish look great no permanent damage......

 

[Cohazard]

Wow!!!!

First off, Gorgeous fish you have there! Second, thank you very much for sharing your pictures.

I'm worried I wont have the success you had because I don't have as many cichlids in my tank to disperse aggression.

I can't get over how gorgeous your tank is... that plec is huuuuuuge!

 

[scarysdad]

Thanks for the comments Cohazard; yes you are right getting the perfect number of fish is the trick; there are around 17 cichlids in my 255; before I set this tank up over Xmas all of them were living together in my 135 but they were on top of each other; in your 180 you could get away with at least 10 8-12" fish I would reckon....it's up to you....

The Plec in that pic is one of 4 in the tank he is my biggest at around 16"; i also have another Common @ 10" a Red Gibbiceps @ 10" and the 'baby' my 7" Adonis......

Here are some more pics...

 

[GregRM]

Absolutely gorgeous!

 

[tankmates]

Beautiful tank. Do they dig up your decor?

 

[scarysdad]

Thanks for your comments guys.....

Tankmates....YES they are constantly moving things around....my pair of Oscars have claimed a large section at the front for their eggs(2 spawns so far...eggs never make it tho'...plecs usually get them), so that area is usually bare of sand

 

[Cohazard]

Thanks for the comments Cohazard; yes you are right getting the perfect number of fish is the trick; there are around 17 cichlids in my 255; before I set this tank up over Xmas all of them were living together in my 135 but they were on top of each other; in your 180 you could get away with at least 10 8-12" fish I would reckon....it's up to you....

I had an apiphany last night lol

How do you think it would work out if I kept 10 GT's in the tank?

My guess is that it would turn out like the RD display at the Shedd aquarium, where they all just sort of chill once they get used to each other.

I've got a blue dempsey in there too, so maybe I'll keep 5 GT's and 5 blue dempseys....

 

[Cohazard]

I introduced the smaller GT into the 180g with the slightly larger GT.

They flared at each other... circled... tail slapped each other.... then just seem to quit after a few minutes.

They didn't nip each other or do any harm other than some frayed nerves.

So, I went to one of my fav LFS's and bought another juvie of equal size and color intensity, as well as two very very small oscars.

Introduced them after I did the weekly water change, and so far things are still great. The new one looks so much like the second GT I bought, that the small one didn't even flare at it when it saw him. When the two equal sized ones saw each other, they started following each other flaring their gills slightly once in a while, but still no major aggression or fighting.

I know they'll get more aggressive as they get older, but by then, the two oscars will be much larger than them, sort of establishing dominance by default size, and I may even buy one more GT to make an even four, and see how that goes.

If things don't work out, I'll be posting some brilliantly colored juvie GT's in the classifieds for $5 lol

 

[scarysdad]

You just have to take the plunge....a 180 is a big tank, try to make as many caves/hiding spots as necessary. another tip I have found useful for mixing the bigger species is to buy female fish; the tand to be a lot more mellow in my experience and with SA/CA cichlids the females are usually as good looking as the males if not better(Salvini, Festae eg). I would also get some 'dithers', silver dollars work best for me 4 would look great in your tank...

The worst aggression in my opinion in a tank is when you have either 2 or 3 fish. 2 fish you get constant aggro, 3 and the smallest always gets bullied by the rest....

Good luck