The less fish is better

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I have mixed feelings on this subject lol.. I wouldn't mind less fish, but then sometimes you have no choice but to get more so it would help spread out aggression especially with schooling fish, otherwise they would tear up other fish in the tank.. like my SD species... them little piranhas.. grrr.
 
I'm not down with the "more fish to spread aggression mantra." as theres still aggression in the tank. People like to see a bit of activity in their aquarium & in my experience a happy healthy fish is just as active as a scared, stressed out fish that's keeps running for it's life. Too each their own, but this is one of the most important things i've learned in my 4yrs in the hobby & i've never enjoyed it more.
 
I really enjoy my goldfish tank with 3 small fancies. Lighter bioload, plus its awesome watching them being able to swim freely and make use of the room without having to bump into any other inhabitants.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
convict360 said:
I really enjoy my goldfish tank with 3 small fancies. Lighter bioload, plus its awesome watching them being able to swim freely and make use of the room without having to bump into any other inhabitants.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

Every ones different. When i first got into the hobby i was blown away by the activity & colours in an African tank so naturally thats the direction i went. As time wore on i found bought more & more fish to quell the aggression & found myself micro-managing everything & ultimately it got stressfull & boring. I'm not saying you can't run a peaceful tank full of fish but it takes money, patience & hours scouring the internet to educate yourself on what works & even then you can still have problems. I think a lot of people fall into the same trap that i did & ultimately give up on the hobby but if you stick it out, try different fish, you will be rewarded. It's not just about cichlids..
 
PaleAle said:
Every ones different. When i first got into the hobby i was blown away by the activity & colours in an African tank so naturally thats the direction i went. As time wore on i found bought more & more fish to quell the aggression & found myself micro-managing everything & ultimately it got stressfull & boring. I'm not saying you can't run a peaceful tank full of fish but it takes money, patience & hours scouring the internet to educate yourself on what works & even then you can still have problems. I think a lot of people fall into the same trap that i did & ultimately give up on the hobby but if you stick it out, try different fish, you will be rewarded. It's not just about cichlids..
Click to expand...

True :) having aggressive cichlids was more trouble than its worth, its nice to be able to actually relax again while watching my tanks instead of worrying about sight breaks or territories.

Not knocking others tastes, just my own experience.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I've kept very lightly stocked tanks as well as heavily stocked tanks and looking back on them I think I enjoyed the heavier stock better. The interactions of the fish as well as the diversity is very entertaining to watch. Over the last few years my main tank has been lightly stocked but it's starting to creep up a little...
 
Different strokes for different folks. I think life can be stressful enough without having to worry about Gator eating Rambo :). Yes, I name my fish, which is probably why I find it more stressful when they fight lol.
 
After 30+ years I've done about everything from one to many, large tanks to small.... Right now I have a 90 and 75 going and setting up my 2nd 75 tomorrow. After selling my 350 gallon, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer the 6' or less tanks for ease of moving and prefer glass over acrylic. Done the single dovii and community cichlids in the 350 and still prefer community.

I prefer to have the single cichlid in a tank and then build around that with tetra/barbs, catfish/loachs. The chocolate is my favorite cichlid and I'm centering a 75 around that because its what makes me happy. The bichirs I just got and will get a 6' for them when the grow because they are my wives and for the first time in over 20 years of marriage she has actually taken interest in a fish in my tanks...she even named them all. The electric blue acara I just got a few weeks ago, and I'm in love with them and will decide who to put them with.

Bottom line is to do what makes you and the fish happy and not try to please others. I think I strayed from that and finally got on the track that I want and this hobby is giving me what I want and in the meantime my fish are happy also.

Sent from my XT1031 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Paulbearer said:
After 30+ years I've done about everything from one to many, large tanks to small.... Right now I have a 90 and 75 going and setting up my 2nd 75 tomorrow. After selling my 350 gallon, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer the 6' or less tanks for ease of moving and prefer glass over acrylic. Done the single dovii and community cichlids in the 350 and still prefer community.

I prefer to have the single cichlid in a tank and then build around that with tetra/barbs, catfish/loachs. The chocolate is my favorite cichlid and I'm centering a 75 around that because its what makes me happy. The bichirs I just got and will get a 6' for them when the grow because they are my wives and for the first time in over 20 years of marriage she has actually taken interest in a fish in my tanks...she even named them all. The electric blue acara I just got a few weeks ago, and I'm in love with them and will decide who to put them with.

Bottom line is to do what makes you and the fish happy and not try to please others. I think I strayed from that and finally got on the track that I want and this hobby is giving me what I want and in the meantime my fish are happy also.

Sent from my XT1031 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

Well said Paulbearer, some fish you just have to keep alone but if I can put others around my signature fish & all is well, it can definitely be more rewarding. In saying that I find my flowerhorn an entertaining fish in his own right, especially at feeding time. My 7" Polleni is a ratbag & even try's to eat my silver $$ but is a beautifull fish to have so I keep him with my 14" Jag that's an absolute beast & is awesome to watch do his thing. Ultimately, sacrificing one species so you can keep another is what this hobby is all about so you have to pick "YOUR" favourites & run with it. I always wanted to try some barbs so I'll have to give it a go with my GT.
 
This is why people keep aquariums for decades. There's lots of ways to do it. You can do heavily stocked big tanks with big fish--Vieja and Amph's. You can do BIG wet pets--Umbees and Dovii. You can do light or heavy stocked small fish--I'm still intrigued by Sajica and Bartoni. I'm starting to like Convicts again, too. I saw a C. Spilurum that I REALLY like. I'd love to get an Umbee one day. I'd like to get all these fish outta my 125 and make it a planted tank. Maybe make my son's tank into Sajica and Bartoni and Spilurum. I'd like to get a Ray one day. I'd like to keep a Trimac. I'd like to keep an RTM. I'd like to Breed some fish one day. I'd like to do a LPS Coral tank, too. That's why aquarium is a great hobby. There's a lot to it, and lots of different types of tanks to build. I'd like to do a Discus tank one day, too. I"m sure one day I'll get bit by the African bug. I'd LOVE to do a Pleco tank, too. Possibilities are endless.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom