ok well I was in my LFS at the weekend, and noticed a little jag around 2.5-3in long in a tank absolutely teaming with adult and young convicts, the poor little mite was desperately trying to defend the one tiny cave in the middle of the tiny tank, he/she was looking absolutely exhausted and pretty beat up with scales missing and pretty shredded fins.....anyway I offered the guy there £5 for it just to get it out of there, anyway...I have put it in my 450 litre mixed american cichlid tank and he/she is looking miles better already after just two days! it is the smallest in my tank, which contains one largeish geophagus brasiliensis, one medium red shoulder severum, one adult male convict, one female adult nicaraguan cichlid, one 4in jack dempsey, and two 4in oscars, plus my ornate bichir and an 8in plec, I realise this will mean my tank will be massively overstocked once all are well grown on, so was wondering what would likely be able to stay in there with the jag as it grows...I am in two minds as to wether I want to get another similar sized tank, or just gradually downsize the stock levels as they grow and end up with a few nice specemin fish...what would you guys do? I have really fallen in love with this little jag! he/she has already stated dominance over the female nicaraguan, and realise he/she will do the same with all the others in no time at all once grown on.
rescued a little jag
- Thread starter cichlidfan78
- Start date
thanks, was probably a bit rash....but I felt so bad for him/her, and I am already in love...so I don`t regret it one bit, here is a rubbish pic..
what footprint is your tank? nice save by the way.if it turns out to be female,then your chances are better for harmony.i know many people mix SA and CA i think your odds are better in the long run if you split the fish.then it gives you an excuse to get another big tank!
Thanks, the tank is 5ft long 21in deep and 24 or 26in high....I would only likely be able to get a 4x2x2ft tank as extra to be fair, so may have to make changes as they grow anyway.
Nice pick up...jags are truely interesting cichlids.. .however if you keep them all you will need that other tank...don't know what your limits are..but i say... go for it.
Will look forward to your jags progress...
...
Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Will look forward to your jags progress...
...
Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
he/she is certainly great to watch! sneaking about around the decor etc, and very bold already! my big brasiliensis has taken a major dislike to him/her already, between him and my big male convict they run the tank at the moment....but going on the jags behaviour I really don`t think it will be long at all until he/she takes over! to be honest in an ideal world I would love another tank, but it would have to go into my reptile room....so would be one that I would not really see much of and get any real enjoyment from, I am hoping that maybe with extra filteration (likely double the requirement if I was to get another big external) and regular water changes I may end up with the jag, one of the oscars, the JD and my brasiliensis and maybe the red shoulder severum? would that still be majorly overstocked? with my bichir and plec also.
Jags are very nice fish, attitude varies, but great personalities. He/she will probably take over the tank, given a little time. Good job, saving the little one. I have had "rescue" fish before, no regrets with any of them.