Is this overstocked or is it just me?

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Aweshade9

Aweshade9

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Oct 18, 2012
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USA
My friend has a 125 gallon tank. She wants to stock it with
2x jaguar cichlid
2x red festea
2x oscar
1x or 2x jack dempsey
She already has one oscar and one jack dempsey.
I'm trying to tell her that she should get rid of the jaguars and 1 festea or both jaguars and festeas and get some of the smaller parachromis species, but she is dead set on that stocklist. Am I overreacting or is that stocklist overstocked?
 
The fish will probably thin the ranks even if your friend doesn't .it might become a bloodbath. The oscars are not aggressive as the jags and red terrors...also if the jags pair off it will be disastrous for the others
 
Good filtration and good water changes like very good! I dont see a problem with this stock. But be aware two of everything can lead to breeding pairs and then you might have problems.


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I keep half that stock in more than double the tank and I'm becoming overstocked. As juvenile fish it could work, but as they put on size and mature the odds go down dramatically of it working. Every fish is different and every combo is unique, but I currently house an 7" festae, 12" jag, 12" Argentea and a 12" Midas and recently had to pull out a JD and a Freddy because the footlongers have begun beating on the weaker fish. This is in an 8" 300.........just my 2c.
 
Yes, it's overstocked IMO. It's not just the potential size of these fish that are a problem. The territorial behavior of Jaguars and the aggressive nature of Festae are other things to consider. Oscars, Jags, and Festae can grow pretty large, especially males. That will leave very little swimming room. As young and small fish the stocking could work for a while. It could even turn out to work out as large adults too. But I wouldn't recommend that mix of species in that size aquarium. Some people like overstocked tanks because it helps to curb aggression. But I think most look bad. You end up with a bunch of large fish bumping into each other with barely enough room to swim. I'd rather have fewer fish in a larger aquarium to see them exhibit more natural behavior. To me it is better to stock a tank with appropriate size fish and numbers. Successful overstocked tanks require frequent and deep water changes, excellent filtration, and I guess a little luck too.
 
I think it will end badly with dead fish,but it will take awhile.that probably makes people think its working.but as the fish mature,they change attitude.not always warning signs.males can look for females,territorial fish claim space and then the fish that a day before was ok to wander over to his spot,will get attacked/killed

from cel
 
I think one of everything in a 180 would be more manageable, I like the 6x2x2 a bit better than the 125.
 
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