Large peaceful cichlids

[carsonrm01]

Do you think I should get the fish when they are bigger or smaller?

 

[Rocksor]

Do you think I should get the fish when they are bigger or smaller?

bigger fish means lots of water changes in the beginning.

 

[carsonrm01]

I know that. Would ordering them as larger fish make them more or less aggressive?

 

[Rocksor]

I know that. Would ordering them as larger fish make them more or less aggressive?

Neither, aggressiveness changes with time and depends on the fish.

 

[carsonrm01]

Ok. So ordering them when they are bigger would have no effect then?

 

[carsonrm01]

Would raising them together help reduce aggression or does it not matter?

 

[Rocksor]

Ok. So ordering them when they are bigger would have no effect then?

Nope

problem with ordering, you won't always be able to get the fish close to size. The vendor doesn't have time to size up the fish.

Would raising them together help reduce aggression or does it not matter?

Raising them together doesn't reduce aggression. The effect is minimal. Many times, I have a really small cichlid on the bottom hierarchy, who stays timid when small, but as it grows and asserts itself, it will fight it's way to the top.

6 feet tank space isn't a lot, and that's what causes aggression in medium to large American cichlids.

 

[carsonrm01]

Ok. I will stick with one green terror and 6 firemouth cichlids
The green terror would probably be the tank boss
I don’t want many cichlids so that’s why I am only getting a total of 7

 

[carsonrm01]

Do you think 8 giant danios, 3 bichir, 6 fms, and a green terror has enough room in a 125?

 

[Rocksor]

Do you think 3 bichir, 6 fms, and a green terror has enough room in a 125?

I personally find that to be a high bio-load tank in the long run, say 3-5 years from now.