with current stock should i add...

[Loves severums]

then what is left in the 150 would be 2 loiselli, 2 carpintis, 2 texas, 1 nic, 1GT, 1 blue acara, and 2 dempseys. If i added a festae, would there still be a blood bath at some point? who would rule this roost, the festae? I'd hope for a female, though i dont know how much that would make any difference

2 loiselli, 2 carpintis, 2 texas, 1 nic, 1GT, 1 festae, and 2 dempseys.

 

[peathenster]

exactly what you listed plus a few male convicts and festae at a smaller size or equal would probably have the best rate of success.

^ x2

And keep up the filtration and water changes.

 

[Gruff Master]

then what is left in the 150 would be 2 loiselli, 2 carpintis, 2 texas, 1 nic, 1GT, 1 blue acara, and 2 dempseys. If i added a festae, would there still be a blood bath at some point? who would rule this roost, the festae? I'd hope for a female, though i dont know how much that would make any difference

I still think that is too much for a 150 with their potential size and adult aggression. If two of your pairs breed at the same time you will have problems. Festae can be tricky. They can be calm one day and ruthless the next. Females are smaller than males but they can still be highly aggressive. I think if you did get a Festae, it should be female and added while it was still small. Honestly, I think you should focus on what you have before you add anything else. I know how you feel, the tank looks a little empty because all of your fish are young and small. But they will grow and then they will either kill each other or become ill or stunted from being crammed together like that. Get some robust schooling fish if you need some action in the tank while your cichlids grow out. Go ahead and remove the fish that you know that you really don't want and use the 55 for a grow out the cichlids that you want to add to the 150. That way you can see how fast they grow and what their temperments are. It's all a gamble when keeping large and aggressive cichlids together.

 

[peathenster]

He's taking the overcrowding route. With this many fish (and a few more as suggested) nobody would be able to keep a territory or breed....and if all goes well it should reduce aggression...

 

[Gruff Master]

He's taking the overcrowding route. With this many fish (and a few more as suggested) nobody would be able to keep a territory or breed....and if all goes well it should reduce aggression...

Point taken. I have seen this done by a few other people. When it works, it makes for a very impressive stock. It's not my cup of tea but I hope it works for Freebyrd.

 

[VRWC]

He's taking the overcrowding route. With this many fish (and a few more as suggested) nobody would be able to keep a territory or breed....and if all goes well it should reduce aggression...

Haha...Peter, I was referring to the post above mine by the OP (not the original)

Originally Posted by freebyrd
If I wanted to add a festae, what would the best combination because I really am set on keeping the loiselli pair, green terror and carpintis.

and by no means was I recommending overstocking. Im not a big fan of it because Ive never known anyone that could/would stick to the water change regimen it required.

 

[freebyrd]

im doing a weekly water change right now trying to get them growing, about 30-40% feeding hikari staple, new spectrum sinking pellets, frozen blood worms and organic frozen peas (shelled and thawed) I've decided to put the convicts, dempseys, and sevrums in the 55 with the BPs and acara and add the festae to the 150g, making the stock

1 GT
1 nic
2 loiselli
2 carpinte
2 texas

ill just get a 40g breeder or something smaller to house the convicts later on, i like them too much to get rid of them, but the wife said "you MUST get me a festae!"

 

[Loves severums]

im doing a weekly water change right now trying to get them growing, about 30-40% feeding hikari staple, new spectrum sinking pellets, frozen blood worms and organic frozen peas (shelled and thawed) I've decided to put the convicts, dempseys, and sevrums in the 55 with the BPs and acara and add the festae to the 150g, making the stock

1 GT
1 nic
2 loiselli
2 carpinte
2 texas

ill just get a 40g breeder or something smaller to house the convicts later on, i like them too much to get rid of them, but the wife said "you MUST get me a festae!"

A JD get 10" and a severum get 12".

 

[peathenster]

Haha...Peter, I was referring to the post above mine by the OP (not the original)



and by no means was I recommending overstocking. Im not a big fan of it because Ive never known anyone that could/would stick to the water change regimen it required.

LOL I just think he may have a better chance keeping all the fish (and some) in the 150, and have a water change regime like the discus people. But you have the first-hand experience of what festae are capable of

 

[VRWC]

LOL I just think he may have a better chance keeping all the fish (and some) in the 150, and have a water change regime like the discus people. But you have the first-hand experience of what festae are capable of

Yea, youre probably right about all of his stock and keeping them alive. Yea, those violent festae!!