tank size?

[Squirtle919]

Hey all.

Just went over the tank show off thread, some amazing tanks and nice looking fish!! I have a bit of a Q, My google post only found one site recommending 350G, I have 1 spare 7x18x18 tank which is only 130G Is there any chance of keeping any type of cichla or do I need a larger tank size, I can not find much information on this fish, also lets say the 7x18x18 is to small for full grown cichla how long would I have until a larger tank is required? do they grow at the same speed as oscars or more of a slow grower?

Thanks all!

 

[johno27]

You can get a year or two out of an 18" wide tank IME

your gonna want something at least 36" wide if not 48" wide for true adults. They are very fast growing fish given the proper diet and water conditions

 

[Squirtle919]

Thanks Johno, If its 2 years it might work out, issue is I have taken up a course for the next 2 years full time in order to move up the ladder at work they suggested it, but it limits the hours I can work a lot! 1 year 7 months and its finished so I could get a larger tank then.

are there any cichla which will grow slower? I have only seen peacock and mono for sale over here in Australia but dont keep my eyes open much, I take it I would only want to stock 3-4 in a tank this size?

Thanks for the help.

 

[johno27]

I would keep the numbers low for sure. Kelberi are slow growing and smaller but I am pretty sure they will not be available to you over there.

Here is the rate at which Mr. Spangles grew

early jan. 2011

Late feb. 2011

May 2011

August 2011 he gos into my 300 gallon

sept 2011

Oct 2011

nov 2011

Dec 2011

Feb 2012

Sorry for all the pics lol I skipped over quite a few He went from 1.5" to around 18" in a little over a year but that is with heavy feeding and a lot of water changes

He got stung by a ray in Nov. his color sucked for quite a while

 

[Squirtle919]

Dam!!! they grow bloody fast haha when I get home I will conduct some more heavy research I found a good post on the net, I think I might be able to just rasie them until the hit 15 mark and then sell them off, looking over the FS posts they seem to get snapped up very fast over here if the price is right and still is a increase from when first purchased then I get to enjoy the fish and the fish gets to enjoy life in a big tank when it grows up, I dont think they will last 1 year and a bit in a 7x18x18 judging by the speed yours has grown and if thats a slow growing one hell no! my LFS might even take them they have some of the biggest tanks I have seen even a good 4ft pacu by 2 ft high his a beast!

thanks for those pictures they really paint a prefect picture, I have read a bit on them not accepting pellets for the first few months is this also true? I am not a big fan of using feeder fish I cant even kill a cockroach xD

 

[johno27]

He is a farm raised ocel/mono they grow pretty fast. If you start small it is fairly easy to get them to take frozen bloodworms followed by broken up pellets. Mine has never eaten a feeder while he was with me.

 

[gangster]

Once they hit 15" you wont wanna sell them...that is when they really start blooming and their personality really comes around.

 

[Squirtle919]

so when young they are not very interacting like most baby cichlids i take it? but when older they start to take come together with you?

well not sure there is a big difference, but I might be able to get a 2nd 6x2x2 late this year, maybe the extra 6 inchs would make some what of a difference in the long run? idk I don't like working off the gallon rule for fish as you can have tanks in any size which makes the gallons seem a bit weird over a foot print of area they need, my jardini seems extremely happy in a 7ft long when they suggest nothing smaller then a 180G. just my opinion these fish do grow large and are in groups so not judging the fact they need a huge tank well aware of that, just wondering if they could do well in a 7x18x18 for a year then move to a 6x24x24 for another year or is this still not going to suit 4-6? just wondering if it maybe better to wait a year being fair on the fish as my main concern is them not being happy!

 

[Houdini89]

The bigger the better

 

[Squirtle919]

I figured as much, I got an umbee and mangrove jack today xD only really lives my 8ft free which I planned for frontosa, But I "might" be getting 10x 4x2x2 which will free a 7ft up, Umbees grow slow

Went to a LFS today that had peacock bass ( i believe) with rays and a pacu looked really nice, I like how they dont bite at one another the 20 or so minutes I was looking seemed like extra large discus, they have some really nice coloring also pictures on here hardly do them justice in real life I was very amazed!