So after thought. If you were to add all the fish at once and have the "new" fish (ones that you just got, not the ones you've had in a smaller tank) just be small (2-3" ranged) with enough hiding, would they just hide and wait till they grew to the same size and that would work out better?
Logistics of growing out?
- Thread starter Buphy
- Start date
I'm not sure I entirely understand your question. But if you mean simply moving all of the fish into your one large tank with some being smaller then the answer is it could or could not work.
Hard to say things like this without sounding negative, but these fish were not meant to be kept this way. The "one of each" type tanks are unpredictable. You will have an odd mix of territorial fish. So honestly, nobody really knows if it will work or not. The large fish may bully and out compete the smaller fish, preventing them from looking their best. Or the large fish could simply kill the smaller one day. Not to mention, everybody's definition of what works is different. I have seen some threads on here where people post their tanks, say the fish get along, but there is obvious damage to fins on some fish. Personally, I would not like that in a show tank, but in their opinion it works.
So that was a longer way of saying, it could work!
Hard to say things like this without sounding negative, but these fish were not meant to be kept this way. The "one of each" type tanks are unpredictable. You will have an odd mix of territorial fish. So honestly, nobody really knows if it will work or not. The large fish may bully and out compete the smaller fish, preventing them from looking their best. Or the large fish could simply kill the smaller one day. Not to mention, everybody's definition of what works is different. I have seen some threads on here where people post their tanks, say the fish get along, but there is obvious damage to fins on some fish. Personally, I would not like that in a show tank, but in their opinion it works.
So that was a longer way of saying, it could work!
Haha, thanks =P I just like planning ahead. I have a JD, EBJD and a Bleekeri currently all around 5-6" and in the next year Id like to get a 125 and add either a GT or Lyonsi (or both, though that may be slightly over stocked). Consern is not being able to find those new fish at 6-8" so I'd either have to keep them in smaller tanks till they got that size or put them in small to the 125.
I sounded the same exact way when i first started posting here. I think ahud gave you great advice.... i am literally done with trying to get these fish to live together. I really did try allot of combos but in the end someone always claims the tank for themselves. Right now i am down to my last attempt with a pearsei and heterospilus. Pearsei acts like a douche to the het but totally ignores the bichirs.
Also think that a 125 maybe be too small for that many cichlids once they are full grown.
Something to consider also is the growth rate of each fish. Simply going by current size could come back to bite you as the fish grow
Edit some combos that i tried
In a 75 gal had argentea and heterospilus 2ish inches...1 argentea beat on everyone
In my 150
Tired oscar, metae, hrp - didnt work
Tried tried metae, hrp, het didnt work
Tried metae, het, pearsei didnt work
Now trying pearsei and het not working out too good.
Did the whole dither thing with silver dollars, rainbows ect never changed a thing
Also think that a 125 maybe be too small for that many cichlids once they are full grown.
Something to consider also is the growth rate of each fish. Simply going by current size could come back to bite you as the fish grow
Edit some combos that i tried
In a 75 gal had argentea and heterospilus 2ish inches...1 argentea beat on everyone
In my 150
Tired oscar, metae, hrp - didnt work
Tried tried metae, hrp, het didnt work
Tried metae, het, pearsei didnt work
Now trying pearsei and het not working out too good.
Did the whole dither thing with silver dollars, rainbows ect never changed a thing
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Some of the mistakes i made were not figuring growth rates, fish sexes, and in the end a 150 is a small tank for these fish. Imo it inly works in monster tanks
Some of the more experienced members get it to work.
Some of the more experienced members get it to work.
Ya, consern on it being too small. My 3 now seem happy in the 55 space wise but they still have growing to do (everyone 5-6" now). So far I've actually had good luck with the mixing thing but I think it's because I accedently got it right. Early heavy stocking at a young age with the least aggressive going in first and then thinning out stock as they grow. Clearly I haven't done it long enough to know if it actually works that way, but I'd do it again the same way.
Things always worked for me until one or more reached a decent size 125 gal seems big but 5 large cichlids even if aggression isnt an issue i would be worried about water quality
But then again all you would have to do is more wc. Good luck man hope you have more success than i did 
