Planning on getting some RTM's soon... tankmates?

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cjam93

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 20, 2015
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Hey guys so I made a post a few days ago about keeping Red Tiger Motas. Anyways I think I will be trying to get a hold of 6 or so of them within the next month or so. They will be going into a 75g. I have a friend that wants some as well but is not ready for them for quite some time as he has no tank room atm. The plan is to let a pair form from the 6 and then give him the other 4 and see if he can get a pair out of those. If not then he will likely just pick his favorite one and we will homes for the rest. I have a lot of drift wood in my 75g so I am thinking they will be ok as a pair for a while. I know as they get bigger I will likely need a 6ft tank, but I am hoping the 75 will be big enough for a while. If not I have other tanks I can use to separate them so it wont be a problem.

I know I want some dithers or target fish to help keep the motas from beating on each other. I would like them to be central america or south american to go with the motas.

Also I will be doing weekly water changes, but I would like to have some sort of "clean up crew" as well in the tank to eat the scraps and what not that the motas leave behind. I was thinking maybe a pleco, but to be honest I have done little research on a pleco and I dont know that they actually are that good at cleaning up or not. I do know they like cucumbers and things like that though and I would offer that as well. Would a pleco work in this situation? If my motas start to breed eventually would the pleco eat the eggs at night? If a pleco would work, what are some that you would recommend I look into? I dont want to spend a lot of money on one, but I also dont want one that is plain black looking.

Thanks so much!
 
Btw if a pleco does not work then please suggest something else that would be a good choice to fill this role. Thanks so much!
 
Never kept rtms but everything out there suggests they are highly aggressive.

As far as a clean up crew it really isnt needed just dont over feed them. I would think the 75 is too small but im sure others will chime in on their growth rates.

Also test the water frequently to adjust your wc schedule

Edit just saw your other thread it seems like other who have kept them think a 75 gal would be a bit to small.aybe loisellei would work. From what i understand they are smaller and less aggressive
 
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I would suspect from the RTMs I've kept, a 75gal won't be big enough for any other fish.
A 150-220gal maybe, but if you have a compatible, sexually active pair, even in a 220, a pleco would probably not be safe.

 
I agree with duanes. Also I would divide up some to insure you keep a female alive. One or two will start to dominate and kill the others soon.

If they're shy add some cheap dithers.
 
Thanks guys. I do plan to only have two in there eventually, and not when they are full size. I know they grow slowly. I am thinking 6-10 giant danios and then I guess not worry about a pleco or anything like that.
 
And I agree with PYRU about providing divided spaces.
I started with half dozen, and they did not grow slowly, the alpha male went from 2" to 8" in a very short time, maybe a few months. When small I had them in a 75 as a grow out tank. In that tank the pair formed early, male only 4" with the female slightly smaller, and they killed the others very quickly once they hit it off.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I will be watching them closely and like I said I do have another tank to move some to if problems arise. Ill get a divider as well for once the pair forms.
 
haha hey... funny this thread was made... guess who decided to straight up rip in half a pleco today that was co-existing with him since <1 inches
 
Oh! OP I tried Danios at one point........................... but they Also got ripped in half XD!!!!
 
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