Reducing my numbers?

Joshuakahan

Redtail Catfish
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Jul 9, 2019
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Hey guys, I have a 120 rift tank and it has about 20 haps 1 mbuna and 2 vics. and 2 larger synos Everything is fine with the tank but because of the load I’m having to do WCs 3-4 times a week. I had a little bit of a health scare last week and decided I should probably cut back on how much I have going on. I was initially going to sell this tank and all the fish, but im thinking maybe I could sell off a lot of the fish and keep around 8. Think that 8 would work or cause too many aggression issues?
Here’s the 8 I would keep
1 VC10 Hap
1 pombo rocks yellow chin hap
1 mbamba mbuna
1 xmas fulu
1 Rubens Red
1 Sunshine
1 Aulonocara Stuartgranti chilumba
1 Malawi barracuda
Plus one of the synos, probably the decorus
Here’s the tank as it is now

 
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DJRansome

Aimara
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Mar 16, 2008
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What are the dimensions of the 120? I don't think 8 would work.
 

Stephen St.Clair

Potamotrygon
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Jul 2, 2017
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Maybe replace the two big Synodontis & replace with a group of Red Tail or YoYo Loaches.
I keep a group of nine YoYo's & four Red Tails in my heavily stocked 120 gal. IMO, Botia Loaches are the best scavengers, keeping the substrate clean & nitrates low.
 
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RD.

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I would remove the synos, and replace them with nothing. Then cut the current feed amount to half of what you are currently feeding, and see how that goes. I suspect that you will see a significant reduction in your bio load. If the fish do ok on the new amount, keep running with that. If not, increase a little at a time as required to keep your nitrates within a reasonable amount between weekly water changes.
 

Joshuakahan

Redtail Catfish
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Jul 9, 2019
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I would remove the synos, and replace them with nothing. Then cut the current feed amount to half of what you are currently feeding, and see how that goes. I suspect that you will see a significant reduction in your bio load. If the fish do ok on the new amount, keep running with that. If not, increase a little at a time as required to keep your nitrates within a reasonable amount between weekly water changes.
Thanks, I’m currently feeding them once a day, every other day about as much as they can eat in 5-ish minutes. Do you still think I can cut that in half?
 
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Joshuakahan

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jul 9, 2019
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Maybe replace the two big Synodontis & replace with a group of Red Tail or YoYo Loaches.
I keep a group of nine YoYo's & four Red Tails in my heavily stocked 120 gal. IMO, Botia Loaches are the best scavengers, keeping the substrate clean & nitrates low.
Thanks, how often are you having to do WCs with your current 120g setup?
 

RD.

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Thanks, I’m currently feeding them once a day, every other day about as much as they can eat in 5-ish minutes. Do you still think I can cut that in half?
Yes, cut it down to as much as they can consume in 2 1/2 ish minutes.
 

RD.

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........ and lose the cats. Those two changes might surprise you when you test your nitrate levels. .
 
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