Opinions on "Overcrowding" SA/CA Cichlids

[ewok]

ewolk your tank is ***

excuse me?
that tank was over 10 years ago...

 

[repair]

I love big tanks fully stocked with big fish but i think the fish looses his personality. They stop doing things like banging on the glass, chasing the owner, moving rocks...But it looks good in my opinion. I was just wondering (i really dont wanna still the thread here but it seems the right people to ask to), how many cichlid i could overcrowd my tank with without doing anything crazy? I currently have 8" ebjd, 7"gold sev, 4" sev, 5" f jd, 5" carpintis, 5" xingu pike, 7" oscar and 4 siver dollars in a 150 gal tank ? Just curious ...

In my overcrowded tanks the fish still move rocks and bang the glass

 

[south coast nelly]

well i have a 5ft / 2ft / 2ft ///150 us gallons
2 oscars 8inch plus
1 jaguar<male?>6-7inch
1 jack dempsey<female>5-6inch
1 green terror<female>5inch
1 severum<male>6inch
1 gibbicep<>24-26inch
1 hoplo<>4-5inch

noitced last few weeks now jags getting bigger he sometimes flares at the sev and oscars will move in like door staff and cwosh the situation....my lfs has same tank as me with nearly triple the stock...inc silver dollars<juvi terrors multi....and aggro never seems bad and tanks been same now since before christmas.....
how many people say iam overstocked?

 

[Bderick67]

I think is works well. My current stock in the 8 foot long 150 gallon;
8" paratilapia polleni, 6-7" wild red devil pair, 6-10" jack dempsey pair, 3-4" firemouth pair, 3-4" convict pair, 2x 4' male convicts 5" green terror, 3" texas cichlid and 2x 5" rapheal catfish.

I have been think of moving my 4x 4-5" red bay snooks into the tank also

 

[Headrush]

I think is works well. My current stock in the * foot long 150 gallon;
8" paratilapia polleni, 6-7" wild red devil pair, 6-10" jack dempsey pair, 3-4" firemouth pair, 3-4" convict pair, 2x 4' male convicts 5" green terror, 3" texas cichlid and 2x 5" rapheal catfish.

Wow 10" fish right on down to 3" fish....I think its amazing that you are able to keep established pairs of those fish together in the same tank. I was considering about 3-4 more Firemouths and a Male GT with the 6" JD and 4-5" FM I already have in there (constantly changing my mind at this point). Looks like there's hope still

 

[nuth88]

Well If they all start at the same size that would make a difference wouldn't it? I'm not saying I'd put a 6" male GT in with a bunch of 2-3" fish...that wouldn't be too bright of me if anything he'd be the smallest at the start

Carpintis was one fish I took a long look at at the LFS that day too. I've beentrying to read up on them but seems they get kinda big n nasty. But depending on the temperment of the GT it could be ok I guess. Are they fast growers? GTs grow pretty slow IME. The LFS had salvini too but they were small and a little washed out. None of them had colors that jumped out at me and thats what I want if I can help it

What I was trying to say it that im my tanks a GT is a Mid Sized Cichlid, I have Festae, Jags, Motas, Uro, etc.......all get bigger then the GT.

As for growing spurts, my GT (Now my buddy's ETG9) is just over 1.25 years old and he is a big ol 7-8" and has some big azz humpage....Looks great IMHO, but a Carpintis is tough....if you match or dither correctly, you may be able to get away with a smaller then your GT, Carpintis, (IMHO)....Female would be better, all of my males have been tough SOB's....Living in my old 125 with JD, Jag, Mota, Uro, and 3 M cons........That was a tough tank, but not nearly as tough as some. bpunisher18 has a 150 with 6 carpintis, and sal and a Uro.....and it works great!!! a GT would work in his tank (of course size is THE consideration)

Sorry I was not as clear as I should have been.....I just figure everyone HAS to already know what I have! LOL!

 

[Headrush]

OOOPS

Sorry about that. THX for clarifying

Gotcha now I think

 

[twhittle]

I have had great success with stocking to the maximun limits. I make sure I change my water everytime the nitrates get to 20-30 ppm. That is usually once a week. They have their established pecking order, and it seems to work.

My 120 Gallon:

13 inch Oscar
10 inch Red Terror
11 inch Jaguar
8 inch GT
6 inch Chuco Godmani
5 inch Vieja Fenestratus
3 4-5 inch Cons
6 inch Raphael Cat
5 inch Chocolate Pleco

In my 90 Gallon:

14 inch Flowerhorn
10 inch JD
8 inch Chuco Intermeduis
4 inch FH
2 juvy Texas
1 Tex/Con mix
1 4 inch Red Devil (Moving to a Solo 56 gallon when he gets bigger)

Here are the pics

 

[Fish on Fire]

It works just the same, however, once the pecking order is established, it's gonna be damned hard adding another single fish to the set up. I've done it before except with a 55 gallon and a 8" red terror, 9 2-4" convicts, green sunfish, pleco, and salvini. No deaths, just nipped fins. The fish won't be show quality in a tank like that fo sho. But it's possible.

 

[Headrush]

WOW that JD is a beast . Beautiful fish/tanks you have. I think you'll need to thin them out some tho as they get bigger

I think I'm good to go just waiting for the "right" fish. I know what I want to add:
1 female salvini
1 male GT (bigger than the other newbies cause they grow so slowly)
1 Carpintis (male or female)
2 more Firemouths?

Current stock once again is:
6" female JD
4-5" male Firemouth
2 plecos (removing them soon)