Stocking with Salvini/GT advice
- Thread starter Zugzwanged
- Start date
I always tend to stock a bit higher than the average hobbyist. As long as there isn’t aggression issues I’d give it a shot. The salvini would be the one I’d expect more trouble than the rivulatus or octofasciata. The only downside is obviously you become a slave with water changes. So just have a back up plan and Python and give it a go.
Ps as a long time player with a ELO of 2062, I dig your username.
Ps as a long time player with a ELO of 2062, I dig your username.
Honestly I would leave things as they are. Both cichlids stay on the smaller side compared to others ( 10in or smaller) and there just may be enough room for them to each have a territory to claim. So far the JD looks male due to the absence of the blue beard. And if the Salvini is also male, then maybe they can split the tank and coexist. If female then they can possibly breed.
If I were to add anything it would be swordtails or Molly's as dithers, no other cichlids though.
If I were to add anything it would be swordtails or Molly's as dithers, no other cichlids though.
Agree with Jexnell, with both the JD and salvini being Mexican, high pH , hard water cichlids (although they usually are found in separate habitats) there is a chance as adults they could split the territory of the tank in half, and tolerate other with non-cichlids as tank mates. (GTs being from S America, preferring softer, low pH conditions), but
Adding another similar appearing cichlid in such a small space could throw a wrench in a peaceful detante.
All 3 cichlids you mention are similar, looking, species with simiilar needs, territorial aspirations, which usually lead to conflict.
In nature, when JDs are forced to share territory with other cichlids, they tend to get torn up, and populations are small.
But when they dominate, as the only cichlid of their habitat in millions of gallons, with only "non-cichlids", they do much better.
In comparison, the terroitory of a 6 ft tank is a puddle, so trying to cram 3 different species together in such a small space as mature adults usually leads to territorial in-fighting.
The biggest bugaboo most "new world" cichlids keepers face is the tendancy to think cichlids belong together with other cichlids, when instead a tank with just a single cichlid species and dither fish, such as as a shoal of tetras is a more natural way of being.
Where I collect cichlids in the rivers of Panama, finding more than one species in the stretch of river the of the one below is unusual.
A more normal scenario would be finding 2 cichlids of the same species with 50 tetras in that space.
Above a typical strech of river with tons of tetras and a single Andinoacara (close cousin ti a GT).
And a video of where they live below (note the single Andinoacara only seen in the laste 30 seconds.
Adding another similar appearing cichlid in such a small space could throw a wrench in a peaceful detante.
All 3 cichlids you mention are similar, looking, species with simiilar needs, territorial aspirations, which usually lead to conflict.
In nature, when JDs are forced to share territory with other cichlids, they tend to get torn up, and populations are small.
The biggest bugaboo most "new world" cichlids keepers face is the tendancy to think cichlids belong together with other cichlids, when instead a tank with just a single cichlid species and dither fish, such as as a shoal of tetras is a more natural way of being.
Where I collect cichlids in the rivers of Panama, finding more than one species in the stretch of river the of the one below is unusual.
A more normal scenario would be finding 2 cichlids of the same species with 50 tetras in that space.
Above a typical strech of river with tons of tetras and a single Andinoacara (close cousin ti a GT).
And a video of where they live below (note the single Andinoacara only seen in the laste 30 seconds.
Any tetras I should avoid? I like diamond tetras, silver dollars get too big. I have 10 pictus catfish now, could I still add 10 tetras with weekly water changes?
Thank you!
The kinds of tetras that most commonly share waters with JDs in nature, are from the genus Astyanax.
They are quick, grow large enough to avoid being eaten (but not as large as SDs), and tolerate the same higher pH, hard water conditions.
They are not flashy colorwise, but are you really looking to have something that, competes with the main focus, the cichlids?
As dithers they do well, because if you have a large enough shoal, they will provide security blanket to the sometime timid JDs and bring them out of hidding.
The shot below is a Cenote in Mexico where JDs, Astyanax tetras, and Poecilia velifora mollies share habita
I keep about half dozen Astyanax in my cichld tank at the moment, where they provide lots of mid and upper level movement, that reassures the cichlids, that there is lack of predation from above (the most common instinctual danger cichlids face), my water is hard, with pH 8.2, where both cichlids and Tetras are caught.
A very similar tetra to Astyanax, would be Buenos Aires tetras (perhaps more easily accesed in LFSs)
They are quick, grow large enough to avoid being eaten (but not as large as SDs), and tolerate the same higher pH, hard water conditions.
They are not flashy colorwise, but are you really looking to have something that, competes with the main focus, the cichlids?
As dithers they do well, because if you have a large enough shoal, they will provide security blanket to the sometime timid JDs and bring them out of hidding.
The shot below is a Cenote in Mexico where JDs, Astyanax tetras, and Poecilia velifora mollies share habita
I keep about half dozen Astyanax in my cichld tank at the moment, where they provide lots of mid and upper level movement, that reassures the cichlids, that there is lack of predation from above (the most common instinctual danger cichlids face), my water is hard, with pH 8.2, where both cichlids and Tetras are caught.
A very similar tetra to Astyanax, would be Buenos Aires tetras (perhaps more easily accesed in LFSs)