Mix & Match...Large tanks=Large cichlids=Large problems

[DarthV]

All of my fish are from Tangled, well other than the haitiensis, but they came from Rapps' supplier. We do a group order once a spring or summer.

Large tanks with large aggressive fish can work, but I think the second you introduce females & get pairs, I think it'll go downhill pretty fast.

You may be able to find all those fish, but I think you'll have a hard time finding them all at once. I'd start to work on getting some tanks running and starting your collection. So much easier to separate small fish when there's trouble in a 75g compared to a 500

And yeah, I'm in Fredericton, NB... about as far away from good stores as you can be in Canada. But we have a group of 6-8 people who do group orders from Oliver or Rapps and a aquarium group that does orders with Spencer.

 

[thefishguy7]

Thanks for all the input!!!!!!

So here is my wish list: (I think I'll put a mussel on the umbi)

All breeding pairs.....
Tank 1 - 700 gal - (10ftx4ftx30inches high) ;
umbi (20inch long), Black nasty (18inch long), Festae (18inch long).

Optional: Jaguars (18inches long) I don't think they are mean enough.
Optional: Fenustratus (18 inch long)


Tank 2 - 500 gal - (10ftx3ftx30inches high) :
Midas (16inch long), Bifaciatus (16inch long), Cuban (12 plus inch long),
Trimac (16inch long).


Tank 3 - 240 gal - (8ftx2ftx2ft high) :
Labiatus (12inch long), Carpinte (12inch long), Motaguense(12inch long).


Does this have a hope in hell?????:

1.) There is no hope in keeping a breeding pair of umbie with anything, it's hard enough keeping male and female together.

2.) You don't want to breed fish from the same line, this would weaken the strain and it wouldn't be right to sell them. This will force you to buy from numerous different people, adding on to the availability problem.

3.) The umbie will grow much faster than the other cichlids when introduced. The umbie can reach over a foot before a female festae reaches 6", unless you have tons of hiding places planned, that's just 1 very expensive snack. I would switch the trimac and the festae to avoid this.

4.) Mota's are extremely aggressive and tough in my experience, it may not be wise to keep a pair with other pairs, especially something like a red devil. Adding natural barriers might allow you to try it though.

Basically, I see a lot of problems because of all the breeding pairs. You can try, but it's extremely risky. If you succeed though, that will be one amazing tank!
What are your plans for the fry?

 

[terrors r us]

Hello, I am bringing an old post back to life, I realize the combinations of fish that i was thinking of, back in my youth, would be almost impossible, I have made some combos work, i found i had success with introducing vieja species in the mix. Now lets get one thing straight, No Buterkofrie,dovies,umbies,beanies,grammods,red pikes,lent pikes or others of this caliber.
I succeeded with Midas, Festea, zonontas, guatlums ,fenestrutus,zonantus, bifaciatius,synspilum,melenuras,carpinte,bourcourti,zebrina pikes,large leporinas,asian arowanas, some algae types and thats it for now. Took a lot of trial and error but finally made two established tanks.
Now I'm changing it up........i do admit that the three viejas (zonantas, fenestratus and gutalanus were extremely aggressive)..
I will keep you updated.....also Motaguense are extremely viscous.
Later

 

[MP_cichlid]

I say go...
700- Community- any non-pairs pretty much, you can have so much live in there happily.

500- Umbee pair, i mean how can you not lol

240-Festae pair, I'm die hard for festae so this would be my setup.

OR....

700 - Festae pair + any other pair not in the parachromis family, let's be honest here, a tank with a 10 x 4 footprint, huge tank, plenty of space. As well as some dithers.

500- Dovii pair or Umbee pair. With a big tank how can you refrain from a big ol' beasty pair

240- Community or maybe non cichlids

 

[terrors r us]

These are the grow outs I have at the moment, all about the same size in a 600 gallon. I know i will be continuously moving fish, lol.
Also the tanks I have now are, one 750gal, one 600gal, one 300gal and two 150gal.
Grow outs are at least six of each, more for the weaker species.
Black Umbies, Rio Mag Umbies, Honduras Jaguars, Amarillo,Labiatus,Midas,red terrors,ornantums,one female motaguense,
they are all in my 600 gallon for the moment, look like a bunch of guppys in that tank,lol.
My larger fish in my 750gal are 30 inch red arowana, full sized bocourti pair, bifaciatus pair,female fenestratus,trio carpintis, synspilum pair, melenuras pair ,zebrina pikes,two extra large leporinous and a few plecos.
I am selling some of these giants to make room for the grow outs but I will give the 300 gallon to an umbie or two, the rest will be split between both larger tanks.
Should be interesting!!