Udon, Soba, and the Noodles

[magpie]

My current four have zero issues. It's a good personality mix. They swim around / over / on top / next to each other all the time without any reaction. The ropes are exactly the same.

If I had kept the Palmas and added more Polys it would've dispersed the aggression but I don't think it would've gotten rid of it's aggression. It would just clamp onto Udon's tail and not let go when she tried to get away . They weren't just nips.

 

[Hendre]

Why I'll probably get another sen, they seem very peaceful
I think #2 will be in order soon

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

It just goes to show there are really no rules written in stone regarding the hobby.

 

[Hendre]

It just goes to show there are really no rules written in stone regarding the hobby.

Especially with cichlids

 

[Polyaddict86]

I think two polys is a bad number, might work for a few months but not long term, its either one or three or more.

 

[magpie]

I was thinking that some rope fish might be nice to Hendre's tank... do you think that "counts" when it comes to polys?

I don't know, Polyaddict. I have read recommendations of the same by you and a couple of others. But at the same time most of the people recommending that have like 8 or 18 polys LOL. It's not that I don't trust you, and I certainly don't have much Poly experience, but many fish "rules" outside of tank size are just cautionary guidelines.

Kind of like with Bettas - people always ask: can they live with other fish or shrimp? Some would say no, not worth trying. Others would say it depends on the fish - you have to try it and be ready to quickly go to plan B should things change. I've had multiple Bettas that could live with other fish, 2 that could live with shrimp, and my current one can only live with a snail.

-I think individual fish temperament is huge.
-I do appreciate Hendre not wanting to overstock, yet wanting more polys.
-I don't see the harm in trying to add one more and see how it goes.... if it doesn't work he decides whether to add more or rehome one fish.

Like I said, my Palmas was such a jerk I really don't know if having one more fish, with a count of 3 total, would have fixed the situation.

Curious to hear what others think and their experiences either way.

 

[Polyaddict86]

I was thinking that some rope fish might be nice to Hendre's tank... do you think that "counts" when it comes to polys?

I don't know, Polyaddict. I have read recommendations of the same by you and a couple of others. But at the same time most of the people recommending that have like 8 or 18 polys LOL. It's not that I don't trust you, and I certainly don't have much Poly experience, but many fish "rules" outside of tank size are just cautionary guidelines.

Kind of like with Bettas - people always ask: can they live with other fish or shrimp? Some would say no, not worth trying. Others would say it depends on the fish - you have to try it and be ready to quickly go to plan B should things change. I've had multiple Bettas that could live with other fish, 2 that could live with shrimp, and my current one can only live with a snail.

-I think individual fish temperament is huge.
-I do appreciate Hendre not wanting to overstock, yet wanting more polys.
-I don't see the harm in trying to add one more and see how it goes.... if it doesn't work he decides whether to add more or rehome one fish.

Like I said, my Palmas was such a jerk I really don't know if having one more fish, with a count of 3 total, would have fixed the situation.

Curious to hear what others think and their experiences either way.

Yup rope counts

 

[magpie]

I think then Hendre should get a Palmas and 3 ropes. They are so bendy they don't take up all that much room. And you're going planted tank - they like that.

 

[Polyaddict86]

I was thinking that some rope fish might be nice to Hendre's tank... do you think that "counts" when it comes to polys?

I don't know, Polyaddict. I have read recommendations of the same by you and a couple of others. But at the same time most of the people recommending that have like 8 or 18 polys LOL. It's not that I don't trust you, and I certainly don't have much Poly experience, but many fish "rules" outside of tank size are just cautionary guidelines.

Kind of like with Bettas - people always ask: can they live with other fish or shrimp? Some would say no, not worth trying. Others would say it depends on the fish - you have to try it and be ready to quickly go to plan B should things change. I've had multiple Bettas that could live with other fish, 2 that could live with shrimp, and my current one can only live with a snail.

-I think individual fish temperament is huge.
-I do appreciate Hendre not wanting to overstock, yet wanting more polys.
-I don't see the harm in trying to add one more and see how it goes.... if it doesn't work he decides whether to add more or rehome one fish.

Like I said, my Palmas was such a jerk I really don't know if having one more fish, with a count of 3 total, would have fixed the situation.

Curious to hear what others think and their experiences either way.

The point of having three fish in the tank is to spread aggression. Like you mentioned depends on the fish behaviour if they are aggressive or not. But in Hendre situation his poly established that whole tank to its self as its territory since its been there longer and it hasent seen any other poly.
So having three poly is to spread its aggression once he put a new poly in the tank, the will not only focus in just one target, and the only target wont be to stress that the most dominate poly can chase other than just one.

 

[magpie]

I guess it all depends on how aggressive the fish is. I personally can tolerate some chasing and bluffing but when it comes to consistent harassing, fin damage, and the other fish being stressed or constantly hiding, I would personally err on the side of rehoming. The ones being bullied, even if there are a few to disperse it, can't escape our little box. In the wild they could.

I rehomed my Ctenopoma because he started constantly chasing and harassing the tetras. There were enough of them to disperse the aggression, and he wasn't truly hurting any of them, but the tetras were always skittish, hiding, and waiting for him to chase them, and actually the Polys stayed hidden more because that "vibe" affected them, too. It stressed me out to watch the tank and that is the opposite effect I want when I look at my aquarium.

Other people enjoy some aspects of that type of behavior. There are constantly threads in the cichlid forum about "What is the MEANEST, MOST AGGRESSIVE fish I can fit in X size tank???" LOL

We all have to make our own fish decisions. I appreciate all of the input here - it's a really interesting discussion. To each their own.