Combining tanks

[toehead11183]

I"M POSTING THIS IN THE AFRICAN CICHLID FORUM AND THE BOTTOM DWELLER FORUM FOR IMPUT FROM BOTH FISHKEEPERS.
Here's the situation. I have a 150 and a 55 both with african cichlids, loaches and catfish. I want to make the 150 all AC and the 55 all loaches and catfish. Here's what i got...
150:
6 frontosa: 3-5"
leleupi:3"
3 julidochromis sp: 2-3"
1brevis/1cautopunctus: 1"
yellow lab: 2.5"
copad borleyi (redfin): 3.5"
10 clown loaches: 1-4"
2 clown pleco: 2"
mad tom catfish: 2"
4 apple snails

55:
ps socolofi: 1"
ps acei: 2"
ps zebra:2"
ps crabro 2"
m johanii: 2"
n. venestus: 2"
cobolt blue: 2"
kenyi: 2"
botia modesta: 3"

heres what i want to do...
150:
6 frontosa: 3-5"
leleupi:3"
3 julidochromis sp: 2-3"
1brevis/1cautopunctus: 1"
yellow lab: 2.5"
ps socolofi: 1"
ps acei: 2"
ps zebra:2"
ps crabro 2"
m johanii: 2"
n. venestus: 2"
Botia modesta: 3"
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55:
10 cl
2 clown pleco
mad tom catfish
apple snails
i also want to add some live plants, some yoyos, zebra loaches and maybe some smaller fish like tetras or something
--------
brevis
caudopunctus
may put in either tank.
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AFRICAN CICHLID PEOPLE:
I know i'll have problems with aggression in the 150. my wife wants to put as many of these fish in there and but will get rid of certain fish if it will minimize aggression. which fish should go?
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LOACH PEOPLE:
with the fish i have named, i should be fine for a few years(til i am out of college and can up grade) i want to give them a better habitat aimed more for loaches than ACs, mainly pH. i also want more loaches. how many more could i get before i am over loaded?
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Everyone:
should i make the transfer or leave them as they are. my biggest concerne is if i give the 150 to my wife and the 55 gets too crowded, she will probably gripe if i want to dump more of my fish into her tank. right now i still got room for more CLs but i cant get the other types of loaches because they are only availible in very small sizes and the ACs are already eating 2" platies. i really just want to make the 150 a neutral pH tank with loaches, plecos and small catfish but my wife doesnt want to get rid of the ACs i have in there.
what would you do.

 

[ikevi]

My advice for the 150 is to get rid of for sure johanii. Then you will likely have to get rid of the crabro. I don't know Tanganyikas much since I don't keep them but I assume there will be problems in the long run with fronts eating fish. But yah johanii really should be traded back or something for sure, and crabro will likely have to go. (Zebras are hit or miss, I have had miss with haps, but eh try them at least.)

Good luck, and be prepared for problems.

 

[toehead11183]

i figure the tangs will do fine together as they are except the shellies(they will be eaten) I just want to keep the loaches at a neitral pH and keep a few smaller fish. ive had africans for over 4 years straight and havent been able to keep smaller fish because my fish will eat them. my current fish in the 150 have killed spiney eels, hillstream loaches, mollies, platies, and smaller ACs ive put in there. and im pretty sure im missing one of my CLs.

 

[mike dunagan]

the way it is with the ACs is fine. I would not suggest putting the mbuna in with everything else... of course the shellies will go, but get a desk top tank and bang they can stay at work or in the office or kitchen counter fish...

As for the mbuna keep them as they are or let them go... far easier to replace comparatively to the price for the tangs

 

[JD_MAN]

As far as the loaches...I would probably only do 5 more loaches at most. Maybe ewurm can help you out a little more than I can. It sounds similar to one of his loach tanks.

I think the better bet would be keeping the 10 clown loaches that you have in the 55 and add some tetras or angel fish to balance the tank a little more. You are going to be overloaded with bottom dwellers, especially if you start using space with plants.

Overall, I do like the new stocking idea. I am not a fan of keeping clown loaches with AC's...I haven't had much luck with mixing them.

 

[ewurm]

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LOACH PEOPLE:
with the fish i have named, i should be fine for a few years(til i am out of college and can up grade) i want to give them a better habitat aimed more for loaches than ACs, mainly pH. i also want more loaches. how many more could i get before i am over loaded?
-------------------------------

I definitely think your loaches will fair much better in a lower pH. I have no idea about the madtoms, but I doubt they would be a problem. Those snails will be devoured. I would definitely make the move, and if you keep up on those water changes and have good filtration, you could add a few more loaches to the mix.

 

[Red Devil]

As much as i would like to offer advise i usually decline because i feel only you can judge your fish and know what goes on with them.. i have a pretty good mixture ..the plecos and flagtails and geos and fronts and electric yellows in together.. all doing great..and not to say it could not happen tommorrow but i have not lost any fish to aggression {except a couple of very small electric yellows who were in with older africans in over a year..my tanks right at present are very balanced ..changes may have to be done as time goes on and certain fish mature.. and different needs become established..but for years we have been lucky not to lose anyone from aggression ..if i do see anything going on i make no bones about changing the situation asap since once it starts it will get worse not better.. So as much as i feel somewhat experienced in fish keeping i only feel this way with my fish.. i do not believe the books you read ..i don't believe all the info on the internet.. but i take what everyone says and weigh it and then i make it work for me.. but no matter what changes are going to happen because i truly feel what works for one is not always true for another..

 

[tunerX]

Watch the Frontosa. They are pretty skittish. They will get bigger and might try to eat the smaller fish, but they aren't the best at catching little fish. They have good night vision and may be able to pick off the smaller fish when the lights are out.

The crabro can be a pain, gets pretty big, and will attack similarly patterned fish but you have to wait to see the fishes temerpment. He may not be a jerk.

The Venustus' gets pretty big and will also try to eat anything smaller, the difference between the venustus and the Frontosa is that the V will be more successful at catching the smaller fish. The V can also be a big jerk, but it depends on the individual temperment.

All three of these fish will have the ability to eat the smaller fish in the tank. Mbuna are quick and can evade most of the time if they have enough rocks, but they will have to be lucky every time, the larger fish only need to get lucky once.

 

[gazella]

well i think that the best you can do its make a frontosa set up..you have the space and the fronts and you can keep the leleupis..if your julies are of the larger species the can stay too but if the aren't they will probably be eaten.
i suggets that you get rid of anything else..and buy some calvus or copmressiceps also some big synodontis will be fine.

i'm not really into catfish but i think you'll have trouble cause all of them will be competing for the lower part of the tank..so tay with the one you have..and add the tetrass and maby some angel fish

just my opinion..and good luck with any decision you make..!

 

[jeremyc]

get rid of kenyi, crabo, and johanni. They are too aggressive. I personally wouldnt mix the 2 different lakes as there can be huge problems. The fronts will be very scared of the fast mbuna. And i think your shellies would get destroyed if left in the 150. Ive also heard horror stories about venustus when they reach maturity.