So i was wondering if a 75 gallon tank is big enough for a pair of motaguense. I have a 6 inch female red tiger mota in a 75 gallon tank by herself. Ive had her in there for about a year and im thinking of getting a male for her but dont know if my tank is big enough,where to find a male thats a good size for her ,or how to introduce the male if i do get one.
motaguense pair tank size
- Thread starter hicksystix11
- Start date
IMO, a 75 is not big enough for a pair. you could keep her in it and she'll be fine. For a pair I wouldn't use anything less than a 6' 125, this will give you room to add a divider as needed.
I agree. A 75 would be a bit tight and doesn't give the female room to escape the males aggression. A five foot would be the minimum for long term care. I think a 6 foot 125 is best but 3ven then, be prepared to divide them if the male gets rough.
I agree with the above.
In nature most territorial cichlids will guard a 4 ft square (@ 200 gallons give or take, depending on depth).
Any unwanted cichlid, be it an unreceptive female, another species (whatever) that traverses into that 4 ft square is dead meat, unless it can escape outside of its 4ft boundaries.
A 75gallon tank does not come close to a 4ft square.
This is why you might see a pair taking all but a small portion of a 6 ft tank as its own, and any other cichlids pressed into one small end, or hovering on the surface in a tiny, upper corner.
But you may say, a tank isn't nature, this instinct should not apply.
I believe the un-nature of a glass box, makes things even worse, because there really isn't anywhere for the one being chased to go.
In nature most territorial cichlids will guard a 4 ft square (@ 200 gallons give or take, depending on depth).
Any unwanted cichlid, be it an unreceptive female, another species (whatever) that traverses into that 4 ft square is dead meat, unless it can escape outside of its 4ft boundaries.
A 75gallon tank does not come close to a 4ft square.
This is why you might see a pair taking all but a small portion of a 6 ft tank as its own, and any other cichlids pressed into one small end, or hovering on the surface in a tiny, upper corner.
But you may say, a tank isn't nature, this instinct should not apply.
I believe the un-nature of a glass box, makes things even worse, because there really isn't anywhere for the one being chased to go.
As mentioned...75 no....120....maybe....a 6ft 125 and up yes...And even with the appropriate size/lenght tank my male Mota would harass the female to death without the areas she could go where he can't get to her..I use PVC with rocks postioned to make the openings big enough so that the male can't fit in...with the areas of refuge the female stays near the male , and she actually attacks the male at times....I have recently added a pleco which has reduced the aggression between the two to almost zero....
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Female motas, and any parachromis are tough fish. That being said, 6 ft is the absolute minimum for a pair. Mine are comfortably in a 150 with fry and the entire tank (and surrounding areas outside the tank) is their territory.
Dividers are a must, but I feel they only work on an emergency situation. The females just seem to want to hide, or if they do won't come out...for days. I use large driftwood and rocks to make places the female can fit but not be trapped in. This is especially good if she decides it's her spot and lays there, you want the male to be able to fertilize.
Spawning gets rough, scales will likely fly, so if you decide to find her a mate, keep that 75 running just in case.
Dividers are a must, but I feel they only work on an emergency situation. The females just seem to want to hide, or if they do won't come out...for days. I use large driftwood and rocks to make places the female can fit but not be trapped in. This is especially good if she decides it's her spot and lays there, you want the male to be able to fertilize.
Spawning gets rough, scales will likely fly, so if you decide to find her a mate, keep that 75 running just in case.
Gotta love a woman who knows her Parachromids
You get my alert for channel cats, MM?
I just got back on mfk...I ended up the place for about 40 sick fish to be treated, and I still have most of them. Plus my female rtm has pop eye-11 days now, and my female dovii was descaled just a few days later.