your advice is appreciated

[thewaterboy]

Hey everyone, Im looking for a little advice.
In my 75G i have one 6 inch male festae, one 6 inch poly endli and one 5 inch red tail leopard pleco.

My problem is that I am fed with the festae because he is so incredibly shy. Everytime i even walk in the room he darts off to hide. I have talked to some other people and they said add small target fish to the tank so he is not the only swimming fish. If i add another fish I don't really want to add a "target" fish, I would rather add another cichlid. So my options are to to add another cichlid like a green terror or jaguar cichlid...and hope they don't fight. This tank will house the fish for life.

Another option is to get rid of the festae and get a jaguar instead, hopefully it will not be as shy. I would also like to add a green terror with the jag but I don't think they will get along. What do you think? thank you very much.

 

[Sarah88]

those fish would not fit in a 75g for life, just get rid of the festae and get you a nice male GT to house in the tank, you could even do a GT pair in that tank if you wanted but a male jag needs a 90g min by himself once full grown. if you want to do a single fish there are many options for a 75g such as a red devil or midas, an oscar, or something along those lines, and you could do a pair of GTs, JDs or something along their size range... if the festae is wild caught he is going to be shy, especially when he is the only fish swimming around and your tank is just too small to have another cichlid in with him, in fact that tank will not even house him for his entire life only for like 2yrs, but festae are definitely not glass bangers even if he was captive bred, if you want a big glass banger then go get you a nice red devil or midas male or even a trimac and you will have all the personality and openness you can handle

 

[nifeman]

get some cons no smaller than 2 to 3 inches

 

[PayaraMan]

Yeah I'd try some convicts or possibly some nice severums.

 

[thewaterboy]

you guys means get rid of the fesate and get cons, or throw the cons in with the festae?

 

[Rakie]

Jag AND festae get too big for a 75g.

Cichlasoma Festae need 6' x 2' tank IMO. Your tank is 4' x 1.5', they want you to do 2 things.

1) Get rid of the festae so it can live more comfortably in a larger tank.
2) Don't even think of getting a jag, they get as big or bigger than festae.

They suggested getting Severums, GT's, a Red Devil or a Midas.

Sorry man, a 75g tank is pretty small of the fish it sounds like you'd like to keep.

 

[thewaterboy]

damn, the guy at the LFS said I would be okay with those fish in the 75G....i wish i was more informed earlier. anyway, thank you all for your help.

 

[balton777]

damn, the guy at the LFS said I would be okay with those fish in the 75G....i wish i was more informed earlier. anyway, thank you all for your help.

When I was new to fishkeeping, an lfs told me I could keep 2 oscars in my 30g hexagon tank.

 

[Rakie]

The LFS lies, either because the kids tell you what they know you want to hear, or because they're lazy. Even the best LFS I've heard outrageous lies. Eventually a passion turns into a job, when that happens fish suffer.

Ask here, not at an LFS.


EDIT: The worst lie I heard at an LFS. Lady comes in and said the live rock she was sold was growing mold (algae... Clearly just by hearing her call algae mold, I know she doesn't know how to take care of the tank immediately). The LFS corrects her and tells her it's algae... Then tells her to take the live rock to the sink and scrub it under hot tap water.....

To anyone who keeps a reef, that's like telling someone a 100g will fit an arapaima for life.

 

[tbonewarrior]

damn, the guy at the LFS said I would be okay with those fish in the 75G....i wish i was more informed earlier. anyway, thank you all for your help.

I'd say 90% of lfs employees and proprietors will lie to you to make a buck. One of the most important rules in this hobby is to do your own research before going in to buy a fish, or at least take a phone with a web browser so you can verify what they are telling you before you waste your money.