Question on Tank Size

[caribemob]

Well silent I suggest you get them, grow them out select about 6-7 when they get about 6" or so, and then auction off the other four people are always looking to start or add to a pre-existing shoal bro. ANd you will have 6 or 7 prime red bellies in a 125 gal

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

Well silent I suggest you get them, grow them out select about 6-7 when they get about 6" or so, and then auction off the other four people are always looking to start or add to a pre-existing shoal bro. ANd you will have 6 or 7 prime red bellies in a 125 gal

+1

That's exactly what i meant. Sure you may lose some along the way but say you get lucky and they all make it, just sell some. Probably get 10-20 bucks each for them or trade them in at a local pet shop for 4-6 bucks each in credit

 

[capabel]

it really depends, I once had 7 in a 45g before and had zero casualty from quarter size to adult size. if you notice any aggression then keep the temperature a bit on the low side maybe around 76-78F.
provide enough hiding place for them to feel safe, spend a lot of time in front of the tank if possible so they'll get use to you. feed multiple times a day so the chance of them target each other as food will be reduced. max out the filtration and/or do frequent partial water change to keep parameters in check.
personally I would try to look for a 180g instead of a 125g, the extra 6" width makes a big difference.

I grow out 20 in a 65 gallon for a year and only had 1 issue when a fish lost his eye. Then I moved all 20 over to a 180 gallon. However after my trusty hose cracked and leaked I didn't get a drinking water safe hose because they where out and ended up getting a rubber one instead. After the first water change 5 minutes later I the fish went crazy and I managed to save 8, by putting them into an Angle tank until I can do a full water change. I didn't know at the time, but the rubber hose leached toxic chemicals in the water and I killed all, but 8 of my fish. Even in my 180 8 adults still don't have enough room and fight often.

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

I grow out 20 in a 65 gallon for a year and only had 1 issue when a fish lost his eye. Then I moved all 20 over to a 180 gallon. However after my trusty hose cracked and leaked I didn't get a drinking water safe hose because they where out and ended up getting a rubber one instead. After the first water change 5 minutes later I the fish went crazy and I managed to save 8, by putting them into an Angle tank until I can do a full water change. I didn't know at the time, but the rubber hose leached toxic chemicals in the water and I killed all, but 8 of my fish. Even in my 180 8 adults still don't have enough room and fight often.

Really? You think that there isn't enough room for 8 in a 180?

 

[caribemob]

Really? You think that there isn't enough room for 8 in a 180?

Yeah he is right 8 full grown red's to me need a 240 or better in the long run 6ft isn't enough in my Oppinion. you can do it though, if you like fish with alot of nips and marks lol

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

Yeah he is right 8 full grown red's to me need a 240 or better in the long run 6ft isn't enough in my Oppinion. you can do it though, if you like fish with alot of nips and marks lol

I was thinking of the theory that you can keep aggresion down by overcrowding a lil bit with that big of a tank.

 

[Foster]

I'm starting to think even if you had 2 p's in a swimming pool they would find some reason to fight. Mine are being agressive buggers lately and nothings changed as far as I know.

 

[_Piranha_]

I had 6 in my 40 at only around a inch an a half a peice. ( planned to only keep them in there for 4-5 months.) Now there are two left. Two killed the other 4 off, one at a time over a few weeks. Im thinking the two left are a pair. ( male and female ) Wish I could tell.

 

[capabel]

Well it can be done, but mine where around 8-12" each since they where already several years old and with the wood in the tank there wasn't a ton of room to swim without running into another fish. There was some nipping and chasing and the largest fish basically took 1/4 of the right side of the tank and didn't let any of the other fish in it's area. So I had 7 fish that had to share about 120 gallons. Plus I had to do water changes every month as well.

 

[capabel]

Put a mop in the tank lower the water to about half and let a powerhead flow over the top. Then raise the temp up to about 81 and you will know if you have a pair or not