Single Fish Tanks VS. Multiple Fish Tanks

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I like one big solo fish personally, unless i had a huge tank then i would do a mix.

Sent from my DROID Pro using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Pairs, unless it's to grow something out

Sent from my Desire HD using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
All my tanks are single fish or pairs. I don't like community tanks unless you have a true monster tank so everyone has there territory. I hate the nipping and constant fighting in tanks with multiple "aggressive" species....which a lot are when considering territory.

My exact train of thought..... although I do have a big tank growing out a tank full of Black Umbees that I check out everyday to make sure there's no serious injuries to any of them. The day is quickly approaching where all h*ll breaks loose though.
 
I like the idea of having multiple fish I'm a tank but every time i put multiple fish in a tank 1 fish is fine but all the other fish hide on the corner. I find dividing the tank helps a lot.

Sent from my LG-E739 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I keep mostly community tanks with the exception of my Crenicichla and he is only alone because he killed his female. I have been trying to figure out a good tank mate for him but kind of like him alone at the moment. He seems way more social alone than he was when he was with a female.
 
It's so species and footprint which determines this than what you like. Because I'd love to have a black nasty, mota, trimac, and a few other evil fish together but unless I'm housing them in a 12' tank it's unlikely it goes well.

Also My 1 Gulper catfish could single-handedey eat all these fish listed. So He's solo. Some Jardini Aro's are evil bastards too, they cant be with many fish either.

It's very subjective but you need to decide on that before you start mixing and matching. I've been battling to get my Female Trimac a friend, it's been a struggle but my new Gullutas is making a good impression on her. Sometimes you can get lucky and mix and match body shapes, species so that it limits potential con aggression, but sometimes I doesn't matter, there's conflict. Some fish claim a space much much bigger than expected too.

GL
 
How about having both. What I mean is to have one large centerpiece fish in companion with a group of smaller fish. The center piece fish is the leading star and the group of smaller fish are supporting actors/actresses. It fits both a single fish tank design becasue from a distance one notices only the big center piece fish, and only in close up can one appreciate the smaller tankmates.

To have this mixed design, the centerpiece fish must be large and peaceful and not pisivorous that will gobble up smaller tankmates. So Flowerhorn, Red Devel, Trimac, Peacock bass, Pike cichlid or Malawian trout cichlid is out, but Green Terror, Chocolate cichlid, Severim and all Vieja species are candidate for the centerpiece. I am not sure whether Oscar fit for the centerpiece because even though it is known to be a giant whimp, I have no experience if it is safe for small fish.

I am currently setting up a 125 and 75 gal tank with a single GT and a single synspillum as the centerpiece, and a bunch of smaller Malawyian and Tanganyikan as smaller tankmates. The size difference is huge. The GT and synspillum are 10 to 14 inch fish, while the Juli and Lamprologus tankmates are 1 to 3 inch fish. They are getting along well and don't bother one another, and the Juli are happily raising babies in the rocks. The center of attention is always the GT and Synspillum because size matter, but it is fun sit close to watch the interaction of the small tankmates sneeking in and out of the rock and compete food with their giant tank mate.
 
I have a similar setup to the above, but I just got lucky with a Mayan cichlid in my Malawi tank. He's easily twice the length of the biggest Malawi, and many times bigger than the rest. He recognizes me, but is terrified of my mom and girlfriend, and standoffish to my dad and male strangers. Really fun to watch

Home of Fugly the Oscar (ACA)
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com