Changing up my tanks a little - advice on stocking

[LBDave]

Wise words Joe. You are right in that its the most logical and best option long term. The Geos and SDs would be really happy. I just feel a little "empty" inside myself when I think of getting rid of my Jar. He has grown so much, and he does have such a great personality.

I was going to mention the jardini but I assumed it was your "centerpiece". I don't know if a jar would attempt to eat silver dollars. Maybe when it's big enough. As far as geos, my pbass has already tried to eat one. This is what happens if you skip feedings! So a hiding place is needed. But I only have 2 geos.
Your geos look great and if you are willing to just have them as the "centerpiece" and get rid of the jar you should be in good shape. May want to thin down on the SD's though.

 

[mattybecks]

Thanks for the advice. It is much appreciated. Although I know the logical reasoning would be to rehome my Jardini, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
So I rehomed 6 of the silver dollars.
Tank now consists of 9 x SDs, 7 x Geos and the Jar.
As of now, the SDs follow the geos around while they do their thing. The Jardini didn't seem to notice or care about the geos. Didn't seem to even look at them. I know this may change in weeks to come, but I am keeping a close eye on them.

The below video was taken straight after I put the Geos in. You can see they are a little dazed and adjusting to the new tank. Just a quick side view of the aquarium. Sooner after I took the video they started sand shifting and exhibiting their normal behavior.

 

[mattybecks]

I was going to mention the jardini but I assumed it was your "centerpiece". I don't know if a jar would attempt to eat silver dollars. Maybe when it's big enough. As far as geos, my pbass has already tried to eat one. This is what happens if you skip feedings! So a hiding place is needed. But I only have 2 geos.
Your geos look great and if you are willing to just have them as the "centerpiece" and get rid of the jar you should be in good shape. May want to thin down on the SD's though.
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Yeah he is my center piece There are 7 Geos, and the SDs tend to stick around them. So I hope there is enough not to incite to much interest in any one individual in the future from the Jar.

 

[Nm1]

Long run your tank is to small for the jar.

If you refuse to rehime the jar.

Cut back to 6 SD, Geo’s and Jar and you will be ok for a while longer. Honestly thou your jar could at any point turn the tank upside down.

 

[duanes]

I agree with the others that say the tank is going to be too small for the Jar, unless alone.
If it were me, I'd be thinking about getting it a 300 gal or larger tank, or even better, building it a 500 gal or larger pond, if there was enough space.

 

[mattybecks]

Yeah mostly likely I will land up just keeping the Jar in his own system long term. I was thinking I would mostly have the bottom of this future tank covered in a growth of Anubis plants, with lots of little shrimp living amoung them. Then the Jar would have the rest of the whole tank to himself.
A larger tank may be on the cards, but Ill have to wait for Dec/Jan time and see what happens. Hopefully all stays peaceful until then so I can make a decision about the Jar, or keeping the others instead. If not ill have to rehome the others sooner

 

[mattybecks]

So just an update on the above.
Two days ago I had 9 x Silver Dollars, 7 x Geophagus Tapajos, 1 x Jardini aro (I thought my Jar was around the 32 - 34cm mark, turns out he was closer to 40cm when I actually moved him out the tank) in my 720L aquarium.
As briefly discussed above it was suggested the Jar may need to be rehomed due to aggression issues. This turned out to be true, but not as you would think.
The aggressive fish in this case turned out to be the silver dollars.

My Jar was quite placid, and hasn't ever troubled any of his tank mates. Until about two weeks ago I started to see my SD's nipping at his fins, and he was slowly getting more and more damaged. Eventually the poor guy bashed himself into a rock and damaged his eye trying to swim away from them, and then it seemed like the SDs were starting to go after his gills for some reason. They too were looking ragged.
Eventually my Jar was hardly eating, and stayed in the bottom corner of the tank whilst the SDs and geos had full run of the tank.

The geos remain untouched as often the SDs like to shoal together with them. Making it near impossible for the Jar to fight back against any single target. I will post a video of them soon, I cannot believe how thick the SDs have become. My thickest is approx. 2.5cm now (must be all the shrimp they were stealing from the aro haha)

So the Jardini has found a new home. And I am planning my next fish to try out with the SDs and Geos, also known for its aggresive nature and see how it does with the gangsta group.
Tilapia Butterkoferi. I have found a 5 - 6 inch specimen to try out. I am hoping it works out with them.
Ill keep you guys updated!

 

[mattybecks]

Here are the new editions. I only wanted one, but the guy I bought it from gave me two. He was moving and his power was cut off so the tank had been left sitting with no AC, no oxygen and no filter. The smaller one wouldn't have lasted long. He/she has some very unique patterns.
The chap I bought them from thought they were frotonsa the whole time.
They came from a 3 foot tank, with 3 Oscars, 4 parrots, 2 green terrors and 2 severums. You could almost see the relief when I released them into a bigger, cleaner tank.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Here are the new editions. I only wanted one, but the guy I bought it from gave me two. He was moving and his power was cut off so the tank had been left sitting with no AC, no oxygen and no filter. The smaller one wouldn't have lasted long. He/she has some very unique patterns.
The chap I bought them from thought they were frotonsa the whole time.
They came from a 3 foot tank, with 3 Oscars, 4 parrots, 2 green terrors and 2 severums. You could almost see the relief when I released them into a bigger, cleaner tank.

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Awesome. That smaller ones markings are pretty wild. I didn't know they could be mottled like that.

 

[mattybecks]

Awesome. That smaller ones markings are pretty wild. I didn't know they could be mottled like that.

Neither did I. I made a separate thread discussing the Buttikoferi, I asked about the patterning on it too. Havent seen it before.

Sexing Buttikoferi

Hi Guys, Recently picked up two Buttikoferi (I only wanted one, but the guy I bought it from gave me two. He was moving and his power was cut off so the tank had been left sitting with no AC, no oxygen and no filter. The smaller one wouldn't have lasted long.) I have been looking online for...

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