Harvesting growouts/Culling bullys

[Frank Castle]

I have a couple tanks I set up all as temporarys, loaded .....I mean LOADED with juveniles mainly 1-2" about 6 months ago. While I'm stll working on pairing things up and not sure what's going in the huge tank I haven't decided which size to get yet or what is getting tanks of their own for pairs, I'm thinking about what is the best way to split them up for now. I have traditionally culled my nurseries by removing the largest individuals weekly or bi-weekly, but now it feels like I need more thought into moving things around.

My 55g growout has a very diverse group of fish however after ordering a Red Devil that was WAY bigger than the LFS told me it would be, as I predicted, she's starting to get Devil Genes awoken. There are a few others ALMOST as big as her, but they nothing just seems to have the stones to back her down. SO my plan is to move her to another tank, however I have considered giving her a tank to herself until I establish the next size-up growout for when I split and mix the batch. Would most of you agree putting the Devil in a tank FIRST will make it 10X harder to get her to allow other fish in it, or would you start the new tank with the next top 5 big ones and add her a few weeks/months later..........

OR would you split them into a CA-tank and an SA-tank until the next upgrade or what? Probably twice as many CAs then there are SAa, but consider another 1-20 catfish and bottom-feeders too as well as Mollys, Guppys, Platys, Danios, TBs, etc that I play mix-and-match with.

The other thing to consider is that because I have a ridiculous amount of tanks and supplies, I could technically give every fish it's own tank at least for a time so it's not like I don't have plenty of tools and tricks to work with. I can set-up a tank just about any day of the week if something needs to be moved in a hurry, so I don't "play it safe" most of the time - I'd like to succeed getting the most Cichlids I can to get-along in a single tank, and I'd like as many of my tanks to share that characteristic as possible.

So for now, step 2......share your thoughts on harvesting the fruits of your labor and how-to. We will talk about steps 3 and 4 in another few months when I rearrange everything all over again and buy more tanks!!

 

[Wailua Boy]

I would isolate her for a while and then add RD last. What juvies are you growing out?

 

[Frank Castle]

I would isolate her for a while and then add RD last. What juvies are you growing out?

Ok, so you're with me on the whole "let the other fish take over before adding the She-Devil" then....I didn't think giving her a BIGGER tank would make her aggression less.....if anything, I felt it would get worse from having more territory to defend.

 

[Frank Castle]

Red Devil female, 2 Synspilum, Surinamensis, 2 Convicts female, 3 JD, 2 Green Texas, 2 Jaguar, 2 FM, Blue Acara, Dwarf Pike female, GT female, Pictus cat, Striped Raphael, 2 CAEs, Clown Pleco, Albino Rainbow Shark, Albino Channel Cat, an Eclipse Catfish, and Polypterus senegalensis.

my other "growout" is actually a combo of growout/semi-aggressive community:

2 Geophagus brasiliensis, 1 Gymnogeophagus balzanii, 2 EBJDs, 3 TB (left), 2.3 Mollies, 2.3 Platys, 1.4 Fancy Guppies, 5 Zebra danios (left), 3 corydoras, albino rainbow shark, striped Raphael, rubberlip pleco, CAE, 4-lined Pimelodus, and I think that's it

I also have separate breeder/nursery tanks with pairs/clutches of HRP-convicts and "Blood Red" Jewels. As far as Jewels go, I have a 3rd-wheel from the initial group that idk what to do with since the other 2 booted him and he's in a breeder net packing on the size daily....IME, Jewels go better with SA/CA Cichlids than they do with ANY African I've ever kept

Also have a Kamfa FH in another tank... I'd LIKE to see him live in a tank with at least SOMETHIING else besides......itself. He's a little smaller than the RD, but certainly has a hump at only 4" and isn't afraid to attack my fingers already. Is it hopeless or can he still be trained to "get-along" or is he just gonna end up as one of those fish who "Plays well with self"?

 

[pelleeklund]

Put me in for the Red Devil last idea. That's a mean fish, it may never mix in if it has the size and knows it. If your FH is relatively the same size, and is male, while the Devils a female, you may have a slim chance on pairing them together in a new set up but I'd keep a close eye on it. You really have a hell of a lot of fish bud, odds are some of those will go to Jesus before they hit a decent size, some dice rolling may be in order. Good luck either way, hope you can pull it off.

 

[Frank Castle]

Put me in for the Red Devil last idea. That's a mean fish, it may never mix in if it has the size and knows it. If your FH is relatively the same size, and is male, while the Devils a female, you may have a slim chance on pairing them together in a new set up but I'd keep a close eye on it. You really have a hell of a lot of fish bud, odds are some of those will go to Jesus before they hit a decent size, some dice rolling may be in order. Good luck either way, hope you can pull it off.

Thanx man, I wouldn't be doing it like this if I haven't done several times before lol This is how I roll, mayne I have plenty of resources, including several friends who keep fish/fish stores who love getting a call saying "Hey bro, I got another fish for you".

TBH, I really DON'T want to pair the FH w/ the Devil....I have already bred FH to Midas and it's not a high quality clutch.....I have other ideas for him in the long run, but I think keeping him with other fish for now will make pairing him up easier on me, u know? I generally don't lose cichlids very often, my cave systems seem to work wonders and heavy WC weekly keep everything growing strong and fast. I use high quality foods and heavy filtration and it's all good

 

[FastFisher5]

I agree with adding the RD last.

 

[pelleeklund]

Don't worry buddy, to each his own. I do a lot of things differently myself so Im not trying to question your fish keeping abilities, I try to keep my mind open to trying all sorts of wild set ups and different combinations. You've got to do it how you do it.

 

[Frank Castle]

Don't worry buddy, to each his own. I do a lot of things differently myself so Im not trying to question your fish keeping abilities, I try to keep my mind open to trying all sorts of wild set ups and different combinations. You've got to do it how you do it.

uniqueness and diversity among people are as important as they are to wildlife

 

[pelleeklund]

Careful, that's a dangerous idea around here. Kudos for having a pair though, hope you have continued success with everything. Keep it weird.