Hey if I want to overstock my 125 gallon aquarium with African cichlids how many could I put into it?
Tank Stocking
- Thread starter Colek1991
- Start date
I’ve got 23 in a 75, seems pretty full.... mine are a smaller species 3”-4”
there’s a line where the overstocked cuts down on aggression so I’ve read/been told.
Maybe 40 ? I dunno, up to you.... the more experienced folks will chime in....
I think under stocked = less work and less stress... just my 2 cents...
Dave’s rare fish is super helpful / professional if you need a supplier.
there’s a line where the overstocked cuts down on aggression so I’ve read/been told.
Maybe 40 ? I dunno, up to you.... the more experienced folks will chime in....
I think under stocked = less work and less stress... just my 2 cents...
Dave’s rare fish is super helpful / professional if you need a supplier.
Ok thanks. I do have an fx6 and an aquaclear 110 and a sponge filter in the tank so there’s lots of filtration. I’ll attach pictures of what is in there and what I have in my grow out tank. The fry I got you can’t tell the sex of all of them yet and I’m going to get a 50 to 74 gallon tank for females. But right now there’s like almost 30 fry that are 3/4” to 2” in my small tank and there’s about 14 fish in my 125 the largest being about 5 or 6 inches long.
There’s also two little parrot cichlids and a 2 1/2” frontosa in the small tank for now. I’ll have to move them soon but is it ok to put these three in the 125?
For Malawi, like 18 males that mature <= six inches in a 125G 72" tank. I would not keep the parrots or frontosa with the Malawi.
I think that you need to do some additional research before mixing some of the fish that you currently own. I have seen pretty much everything possible when it comes to mixing African cichlids, but in some instances certain species are IMO best left out of the mix. As an example, Frontosa do best in groups of their own, not in a tank with territorial fin nipping mbuna. Ditto to most parrots, in many cases due to their mouth shape & bite they won't be able to properly defend themselves, especially against much faster fish. Typically they are not a good fit.
Also, no matter how much filtration you have, the higher the bio-load, the greater the volume & frequency of water changes required. More fish = more maintenance.
Also, no matter how much filtration you have, the higher the bio-load, the greater the volume & frequency of water changes required. More fish = more maintenance.
I agree dont add the frontosa or the parrots.
As for quantity I had a 125 years ago and I started with 20 pairs of mbuna a male and female of multiple kinds a few doubles. This was in the 80s I was young so the memory of it may be slightly off. There was a ton of rock in the tank allowing plenty of hidding and territory spots. I did weekly waterchanges of over 50% whether it needed ot or not.....lol. I'm sure it needed it. Large canister filters undergravel filter and my mom always had plants sticking out the back of our tanks. We also had dimatious earth filters on most of our tanks I'm not really sure on those I just remember they were kind of a pain in the butt to maintain. I had lots of breeding going on.
I lost a few of the originals but some of the babies grew up and took their places.
That was my 125 mbuna story.
As for quantity I had a 125 years ago and I started with 20 pairs of mbuna a male and female of multiple kinds a few doubles. This was in the 80s I was young so the memory of it may be slightly off. There was a ton of rock in the tank allowing plenty of hidding and territory spots. I did weekly waterchanges of over 50% whether it needed ot or not.....lol. I'm sure it needed it. Large canister filters undergravel filter and my mom always had plants sticking out the back of our tanks. We also had dimatious earth filters on most of our tanks I'm not really sure on those I just remember they were kind of a pain in the butt to maintain. I had lots of breeding going on.
I lost a few of the originals but some of the babies grew up and took their places.
That was my 125 mbuna story.