cichlids with community fish?

[mlinden84]

I've got 2 african cichlid fry (about 1/3 inch long) in a 5 gallon tank. They were found when I sold all the adults, and the person didn't want the 2 babies. So I'm keeping them until they get bigger then I am planning on finding someone to take them.
Here's the problem - I will be going on vacation for 2 1/2 weeks in may. I've got an automatic feeder for my 55 gallon community tank, so I know that one will be fine. I'm planning on having a friend stop by a few times to feed the bettas. But the babies are used to eating 2-3 times a day, I don't want them to have to go 3-4 days between feedings (which is how often the bettas will be fed).
Would they be ok to add to the community tank while I'm gone? Or is this a bad idea?
(The community tank has dalmation mollies, neon tetras, harlequin raspboras, panda cories, and a small pleco).

[sirdarksol]

At 1/3" long, I don't think they'd fit in any of the community fish's mouths, which would be the biggest issue I'd see with doing this.
I'm not positive, though. I know that mollies can be fry-eaters, as well as being territorial at times.

[FL CommunityFans]

Completely depends on what the fry are. Do you have any idea what species the Africans are?

[mlinden84]

Not completely sure of what they could be.... possibly exasperatus (not spelled right) or venestus (again, not spelled right).

I wasn't worried about them being eaten... more about them picking on the others...

[sirdarksol]

Ah. I'm not the one to answer that then.

[FL CommunityFans]

For some reason I translated your 1/3 inch as a 1", and some LM african fry get pretty aggressive at 1" hence my confusion. At that size, I haven't read of them being aggressive.

I have had a platy fry surviving a tank of gouramis, yoyo loaches, and guppies, and he is far smaller than your fellows so I'd think you should be ok.


Allie would probably be the best to ask about African fry, however. May want to send her a PM and ask directly and/or make a post on the cichlid-forum and see what they have to say. It's become my 2nd home lately

[steveangela1]

I have a tank w/ 3 mbuna fry (they are 1 red zebra, 1 cobalt zebra, and 1 albino red... ) they are already at little over an inch aggressive little fish....
That would be very iffy putting them in a community tank.

[mlinden84]

Hm... if I don't put them in the community tank, would they be ok being fed every 3-4 days? or should i get one of those gel feeders? (my worries with that is that they won't be getting a water change at all while i'm gone, so i dont want it to contaminate the tank, especially since its only 5 gallons

[FL CommunityFans]

If it were me, I'd feed them a little more at each feed the day before I left, do the normal WC, then go on with my trip. That's just me though.

[mlinden84]

Originally Posted by FL CommunityFans

If it were me, I'd feed them a little more at each feed the day before I left, do the normal WC, then go on with my trip. That's just me though.

You think they'd be ok for 2 1/2 weeks without food?

[Allie]

Originally Posted by mlinden84

You think they'd be ok for 2 1/2 weeks without food?

They'd be fine in the 5g being fed on the betta's schedule. Growing fish need to food, especially africans. Little piggies. They'd have lots of algae and whatever else they eat in the tank to keep em going.

[FL CommunityFans]

Originally Posted by Allie

They'd be fine in the 5g being fed on the betta's schedule. Growing fish need to food, especially africans. Little piggies. They'd have lots of algae and whatever else they eat in the tank to keep em going.

Yup, what Allie said. Many Africans have algae as a staple part of their diet, so if there is algae in the tank, and they are hungry, they know where to get the food from.

As for 2.5 weeks, my fault for not reading all the way. I just read every 4 days for the betta and assumed the fry would eb fed on the same schedule.

[mlinden84]

Originally Posted by FL CommunityFans

Yup, what Allie said. Many Africans have algae as a staple part of their diet, so if there is algae in the tank, and they are hungry, they know where to get the food from.

As for 2.5 weeks, my fault for not reading all the way. I just read every 4 days for the betta and assumed the fry would eb fed on the same schedule.

The fry would be on the same feeding schedule as the bettas if I choose to go that route.
There is no algae in the tank... its been cycled for about a month and a half, but no algae growth whatsoever. Would it be helpful to put in a live plant so they could nibble on it if they got hungry?

Haha as much as I'm looking forward to this vacation, I know I'm gonna be worried about the fish being ok the whole time!

[FL CommunityFans]

They definitely tear up some plants for grubbin when they are older, but I'm not sure when they are younger. Gonna have to defer to someone more knowledgeable.