Snakehead and africans?

[Cyclop3000]

Hey all. I just bought a small snakehead (i think Channa pleurophthalma, was labeled 3-spot snakehead at lfs) which is approx. 3 inches. I put him in a 130g tank with large fish (JD, oscars, shovelnose, etc...) and they all tried to eat him. So to grow him up a bit I decided to move him to a 55g which contains about 6 juvenile african cichlids, including an agressive frontosa (all below 5").

I know it's not the best, but nobody wants to take my africans and I don't have another free tank. I figured he could get beaten up a little, but better that than being lunch in a split second.

What do you guys think? I have a 20g I could setup but the cycling will take forever, I don't want him to die. Basically I want him to gain some lenght, so my big guys don't try to eat him. Then I will move the sh with them for a while, until he is about 9-10", at which point he will get his own 100+ gallons.

It's either that or I get rid of my africans and give him the 55g...

Thanks for any advise.

 

[woolfie]

just use some water from your big tank you should always quarinteen your fish before adding them to an already mature tank

cheers woolfie

 

[beblondie]

Setup your 20 then take some gravel or old filter medium from an established tank and add it to the 20 you should be fine its kind of instant cycling-Anne

 

[venwu225]

YOU have a Channa pleurophthalma!!? where are you located and where is that LFS?

That FISH deserves a species only tank, they are one of the most beautiful snakeheads

 

[Cyclop3000]

Anne - right i know that, but i find the water to be rather unstable for a while, so i'm always scared for my fish, and I don't know SH well enough to know if they are hardy fish when it comes to water quality...it's my first try at those. I guess i'll listen and setup the 20

venwu225 - lol i know and a species-only tank is just what he's going to get as soon as he is big enough. I live in mtl, canada, and bought it at a lfs called Big Al's (none in the US tho...). For 20$. And i agree, he is gorgeous

I guess I got lucky

Oh and thanks for the replies...greatly appreciated.

 

[Vince]

Anne - right i know that, but i find the water to be rather unstable for a while, so i'm always scared for my fish, and I don't know SH well enough to know if they are hardy fish when it comes to water quality...it's my first try at those. I guess i'll listen and setup the 20

venwu225 - lol i know and a species-only tank is just what he's going to get as soon as he is big enough. I live in mtl, canada, and bought it at a lfs called Big Al's (none in the US tho...). For 20$. And i agree, he is gorgeous

I guess I got lucky

Oh and thanks for the replies...greatly appreciated.

Roadtrip

Just kidding

 

[Cyclop3000]

How long you guys think I could keep the pleurophtalma in the 20g before he needs more room ?

 

[contender]

dunno, but lets see some photos of yourcool fish !!!

 

[Cyclop3000]

dunno, but lets see some photos of yourcool fish !!!

Sure ! I don't know how to post pictures in threads, so i placed one in my personal gallery. Just hit the link to your left below my avatar...

 

[guppy]

Cyclop, there is a sticky in the "frequently asked questions" forum that will show you a way to post pics into threads.