How to limit Convict Aggression?

[Frank Castle]

I don't think its overkill, ever since I started snorkeling with cichlids in nature, and saw how extensive their ranges are, I felt most aquarists (including myself) were clueless, and somewhat delusional as to the proper tank size.
And I find that others who have also actually spent time with them in nature are of the same notion.
An article by Willam Heijns in the latest Buntbarsche Bulletin of the American Cichlid Assn, echos much the same sentiment.

I mean any fish will do that though - I don't necessarily think that just because they DO occupy such a space in the wild that they will require the same in captivity, you gotta work with what you got. I can catch lunker Bass in a pond that's only an acre or even 1/2 an acre, but I can catch those same Bass in a 10 acre pond or lake as well. The size of the pond doesn't limit their size and you'd be AMAZED how many big Bass can live in smaller ponds and still be nice big fat porkers. I know Bass and cichlids are different, but I have yet to see any cichlids grow to 22lbs.............

 

[duanes]

I would agree that many fish can live in an 1 acre, but an acre of water 1 ft deep, is over 325,000 gallons.
Most average aquariums are about a large as a puddle, or a rut in a muddy road, and the only cichlids you might find in that amount of water would be stranded juvies, or maybe some Herotilapia multispinnossa that have moved on to a fllooded plain to spawn.
Most ditches where you might find adults are 6ft wide 4 ft deep, and hundreds of ft long.
The only kind of fish fit for the average 50 gallon aquarium are bettas that live it rice paddy ditches or some other tiny fish.
When I see someone say I rescued an oscar and put it in a 50 or 75 gal, that to me delusion.
My point to this rant, to to make people think how small glass boxes really are.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

I would agree that many fish can live in an 1 acre, but an acre of water 1 ft deep, is over 325,000 gallons.
Most average aquariums are about a large as a puddle, or a rut in a muddy road, and the only cichlids you might find in that amount of water would be stranded juvies, or maybe some Herotilapia multispinnossa that have moved on to a fllooded plain to spawn.
Most ditches where you might find adults are 6ft wide 4 ft deep, and hundreds of ft long.
The only kind of fish fit for the average 50 gallon aquarium are bettas that live it rice paddy ditches or some other tiny fish.
When I see someone say I rescued an oscar and put it in a 50 or 75 gal, that to me delusion.
My point to this rant, to to make people think how small glass boxes really are.

I get called delusional for wanting to put my betta in a 270ltr tank because, you know, they live in puddles in nature so they don't need anymore than a cup of water!

 

[Chaseg03]

I get called delusional for wanting to put my betta in a 270ltr tank because, you know, they live in puddles in nature so they don't need anymore than a cup of water!

I'd say Bettas need atleast 2.5 gallons to be happy, I have one in an 2.5. and he is fine. Many people hesitate with this size because they say it's hard to heat, I use a hydor 25 watt and is works great!

 

[Frank Castle]

I would agree that many fish can live in an 1 acre, but an acre of water 1 ft deep, is over 325,000 gallons.
Most average aquariums are about a large as a puddle, or a rut in a muddy road, and the only cichlids you might find in that amount of water would be stranded juvies, or maybe some Herotilapia multispinnossa that have moved on to a fllooded plain to spawn.
Most ditches where you might find adults are 6ft wide 4 ft deep, and hundreds of ft long.
The only kind of fish fit for the average 50 gallon aquarium are bettas that live it rice paddy ditches or some other tiny fish.
When I see someone say I rescued an oscar and put it in a 50 or 75 gal, that to me delusion.
My point to this rant, to to make people think how small glass boxes really are.

I don't disagree, just offering another POV, as I said I must just be lucky or doing something right to have had "success" doing thing the way I have. Believe me, I wish I had it like vincentwugwg and could buy 4,000g tanks but regardless you can still tell my fish are much better off with me, than 90-95% of the other people they could have ended up with.

I would even say "rescuing" an Oscar from a 10g or 20g, which we see all to often, and putting it in a 55g is better - the lesser of 2 evils, if you will. Also, I have seen a lot of those ditches you're talking about as I lived in Florida and have been all over the state, top to bottom, and some of those ditches are absolutely disgusting - like to the point im baffled how anything can survive in them, yet life still teems in them somehow.

I wish you could have seen the "cesspool" I rescued a Florida Cottonmouth from back in my early 20's - poor thing looked like he had been through hell and back.

 

[duanes]

I don't believe a 50 gal, or a 270 L is too large for bettas. When I was in Viet Nam I saw plenty of them in ditches 50 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 1 foot in depth (almost 300 gallons). The idea that a tank is too large, is ridiculous. In fact in "large" tanks it is possible to keep more than 1 male successfully. It may seem over kill to someone who wants to see the fish without trying very hard, but not too large to the fish. Just because people keep fish alive in a mason jar, doesn't make it healthy for them.
I have kept breeding trios of wild bettas in 60 gal tanks, very comfortably
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[Chaseg03]

I don't believe a 50 gal, or a 270 L is too large for bettas. When I was in Viet Nam I saw plenty of them in ditches 50 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 1 foot in depth (almost 300 gallons). The idea that a tank is too large, is ridiculous. In fact in "large" tanks it is possible to keep more than 1 male successfully. It may seem over kill to someone who wants to see the fish without trying very hard, but not too large to the fish. Just because people keep fish alive in a mason jar, doesn't make it healthy for them.
I have kept breeding trios of wild bettas in 60 gal tanks, very comfortably
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I can agree that a tank is never too large, but I believe for a Betta a 5.5 is ok. Although if you want it in a bigger tank, go for it!

 

[duanes]

I would agree you can keep a betta in a 5 gal, they are often found in puddles during the dry season.
I do however believe, if one doesn't have the proper size tank for a fish like a large cichlid, getting it anyway, is not humane. And believe dovii are some the most abused cichlids sold.

 

[cichlidfish]

I would agree you can keep a betta in a 5 gal, they are often found in puddles during the dry season.
I do however believe, if one doesn't have the proper size tank for a fish like a large cichlid, getting it anyway, is not humane. And believe dovii are some the most abused cichlids sold.

IMO is one reason you rarely see adult large cichlids. Many people buy them thinking they'll upgrade when the time comes. But rarely that time come. People want what they want now. A lot of people don't think about the long term. If you don't have the space now, you probably won't have it in the future.
I've been guilty of doing that in the past. Never again.

 

[duanes]

Before ending my fulminating, I think I should add a caveat, I do believe Oscars to be "the" most abused cichlid by keepers in general, and believe dovii and maybe umbi's (and any Parachromis) to be the most abused by cichlid keepers who should know better.