"Overstocked" Big tanks?

[sproett]

Has anyone kept any an overstocked tank with less aggressive cichlids? Like severums, etc? I'm just wondering if you'd have better success since they aren't as likely to kill all their tank mates.

 

[pdbrady]

I consider my 135 overstocked, with the less aggressive variety. Obviously only a few are near full grown, and I do have plans for a bigger tank, but that's just because I want one However, I don't foresee any issues with keeping them in this tank for quite a while. I do water changes every 2-3 days, not only for water quality, but for fish growth. The good thing is that half of my fish are either on...or under...the gravel.
9" Sev
8" Red Snook
7" Blood Parrot
6" Angel
6" A. Diadema
4" Jurupari
4" Convict
2.5" GT
2.5" JD
14" Ornate
8" Senegal
13" Rope
6" 4 line pim
5" BN Pleco
6" HF Loach
6" Peacock Eel
4" Chinese Algae Eater

 

[cookiemonster]

I've probably got the most overstocked tank in this thread:

Oscar 11"
Amphilophus zaliosum 5"
A. xiloaensis 7"
Herichthys carpinis 7"
ex-"Cichlasoma" salvini 6"
"Aequidens" sp. Gold saum 6"
Parachromis friedricksthalii 6"
P. loisellei 6"
P. motaguense 4"

All in a 75 gallon!!! Everyone gets along except for a little bit of chasing around, but these are all particular aggressive cichlids. Obviously this a growout tank, it would crazy to keep all of these fish full grown in a 75. Oh and it's also worth noting, whenever I add a new fish, it's toast.

 

[terd ferguson]

I've probably got the most overstocked tank in this thread:

Oscar 11"
Amphilophus zaliosum 5"
A. xiloaensis 7"
Herichthys carpinis 7"
ex-"Cichlasoma" salvini 6"
"Aequidens" sp. Gold saum 6"
Parachromis friedricksthalii 6"
P. loisellei 6"
P. motaguense 4"

All in a 75 gallon!!! Everyone gets along except for a little bit of chasing around, but these are all particular aggressive cichlids. Obviously this a growout tank, it would crazy to keep all of these fish full grown in a 75. Oh and it's also worth noting, whenever I add a new fish, it's toast.

How about some pictures of that?

 

[John Rambo]

Does adding a butt load of minows (not just 3-4 for all the fish to fight over) increase aggression or lower it? It provides a chase and enough food for all, as well as a weaker fish to beat on. But will it result it more attacks towards each other and a taste for fish meat. Just a question I had that might relate to the thread topic.

 

[jrrlbds]

I've tried both ways. And I find that understocking, right now, works best for me. I provide a lot of sight barriers and a lot of dither & target fish. Plus, my fish have all grown up together since they were young.
Oh, and it's a 125. Stocked with:
Breeding pair of convicts 4", 4.5"
Midas (very fiesty)7.5"
Firemouth (mean fish) 5"
Vieja Synspilus 5.5"
4-5 juvie/target convicts 1-1.5"
6 Giant Danios
1 Lemon Spotted Pleco
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 Chinese Algae Eater
2 Tiger Barbs
1 lone (left-over is more like it) Black SKirt tetra

Filter is a FX5 with a Penguin HOB.
I like to think of my fish as more of pets then of just living room decorations or whatever. I love my fish dearly. And at whatever cost to make them happy is what I do... soooo...ALL IN ALL. I would say it depends on what makes your fish happy because just like a dog or a cat no two fish are exactly the same.

oh, and HI BALTON!! lol

 

[John Rambo]

Hey jrrlbds, hi, first post! welcome!
how bout the minows. Would that help or make it worse?

 

[killerfish]

Has anyone kept any an overstocked tank with less aggressive cichlids? Like severums, etc? I'm just wondering if you'd have better success since they aren't as likely to kill all their tank mates.

sure but you wouldn't need to the point of over stocking is so you can get alot of aggressive cichlids that normally wouldn't live together. with less aggressive cichlids you could just have a few and let them set up territories and have no problems

 

[Opiate]

i like the overcrowded look as long as the fish are healthy!

 

[peanut]

great looking tank