gravel substrate question

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Turion2112

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 17, 2009
108
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New Jersey, U.S.
I have a Salvini,
Carpintas (was sold at the lfs as texas) but think it is Carpintas the 1 that starts with the letter L....
6 Gouriams blue
2 tigar barbs
in a 55 g tank

I had to put in a seperator in because the Carpintas would not leave the Salvini alone, was chasing him all over the place.Once I did that both of thses cichlids started digging there own nest at least that what it looks to me. The gravel they moved out of the way and dug under the deco is alot and I am about to clean the tank. I am wondering I should fill the holes in when I clean the gravel. they would have to start all over building these nest. I need a bigger tank i know but cant do that right now but plan on it future.

It is my first tank set up and I like the blue gravel I put in bit after seeing diff. tank setups on here I would do it different next time.

I can post a picture i you like.

I use 2 aqua clear overhang filters the 110 and the 70
 
Cichlids love to dig, no mater what you do they will decorate the tank the way they want it. It's normal, weather you put it back or not they'll do what they want.
 
Why did they only start digging when I put the seperator in the tank. I guess they had they own space and territory. I liked the tank better with out he screen, is it possible I would be able to remove the screen once the Salvini gets a little bigger with them trying to kill each other or is all that chasing just normal.
 
Once all the chasing, running and aggression stopped they settled down in their own terrotory and started doing what cichlids do. In a 55 they may never get along, it's hard to say for sure the Tex is aggro and will get pretty big, so maybe not. I don't want to dissapoint you but at some point one may have to go.
 
yeah i would just clean it how you want to clean it, whether it messes with their holes or fills them in doesnt really matter they will rearrange it again how they want it, and yeah its because now they have their own territory and are decorating it to their liking, in a 55g they may never get along but you can try again once the sal is a little bigger and just make sure rearrange everything to break up their territory and i would do it during a water change when they are not paying attention so much to each other
 
if you can i would go up to a 90g as bigger is always better, especially with the 6 gouramis, and then you could also get a few more tiger barbs, because if you only have 2 then they will pick on the fins of your other fish really badly, they are such bad fin nippers when kept in small groups, you should have a school of at least 5-6 to keep them from nipping your cichlids and gouramis fins. in a bigger tank with plenty of sight breaking decorations they should get along fine, your carpintis is just feeling cramped in the smaller tank and so is taking it out on the sal, then again some fish just dont like each other but most likely when in the bigger tank they should be fine, how big are they right now?
 
I would say the carpintas is about 6"" and broad (thick) the Salvini is smaller about 5" but not a broad(thick). He is getting bigger now that he has his own space and can eat when he wants with the other not guy chasing him. I will have to load up some pics its hard to measure them for sure the gouriams are about 4" and I forgot to mention the Rainbow cichlid I have in the tank also about 4" but he is small in stature. He is also very dark colered not like the pics I have seen of rainbows were thet are very light in color

(I mave have over stated the sizes by n inch i am judging size by looking thru the glass)


I will get some pics and video as i want to learn tthis video uploading and sharing.


oh I had to move the GT out a few months ago i have him in an isolation tank for other reasons. but thats another story for later.....GT are awsome fish I think. like puppy dogs at the glass.
 
yeah thats why the carp is being so aggressive, if the gouramis and everything are that big then that is not leaving much room for him/her to have their own territory so he is going to kill the other fish to make room. get a bigger tank as soon as you can and they should be fine
 
how would a carp be rated in terms of aggression and ablity to fight and kill other fish his size?
could he kill a gt and the salvini if he had to ? In general terms I mean I was not aware the carps were that aggr when I bought him.
Although he chased the salvini all over the tank the salvini never had a torn fins or scars of an kind. Almost like the Salvini just did not want to be touched so he just kept away

sorry for all the questions just having fun here.
 
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