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May 16th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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what kind of cichlid should i get
i have an established 29 gallon tank with a pleco and a convict cichlid. i dont really wanna get more convicts because i have nowhere to put the babies. any suggestions  the only pet store around me for miles is a petsmart so it has to be fairly common. |
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May 17th, 2008
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Master Of Fish Poo!
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What kind of pleco do you have in that tank? It looks like a common in your info. He'll grow too large for that tank actually and needs a 55-75g tank.
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May 17th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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cichlids here, we are focusing on cichlids. i have heard the whole outgrowing the tank thing, but i have a close friend who has kept fish for over 25 years and he has a very healthy 6 year old common pleco in a 30 gal. the fact is thats probably the oldest fish he still has and it, like mine, seems perfectly happy and well fed. however, i still need to get another south american cichlid that wont mind being around my convict.
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May 18th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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I wouldn't put anything in a tank with a convict. They are one of the most aggressive cichlids there are, and even will take on Oscars. Anything you put in there is likely to be killed or mutilated.
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May 18th, 2008
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Fish Master
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocelot1120
cichlids here, we are focusing on cichlids. i have heard the whole outgrowing the tank thing, but i have a close friend who has kept fish for over 25 years and he has a very healthy 6 year old common pleco in a 30 gal. the fact is thats probably the oldest fish he still has and it, like mine, seems perfectly happy and well fed. however, i still need to get another south american cichlid that wont mind being around my convict.
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hmmm...well healthy and happy and just living, are two different things  anyhooo , convicts are fine alone...they arent as bad as if they arent m/f pairs ....then watch out ...they will take on an oscar..so u are right on the whole babies thing...as far as recommending other fish, knowing that the pleco will have so much waste and make the readings go sky high, theres really no more room for other fish...how about exchanging the pleco for some corycats? then you might be able to add a few cichlids...and even if you keep fish for 25 years, doesnt mean you cant always keep learning  ..goodluck |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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there was a mild disaster with the 29 gal tank a few days ago involving a crack. so most of you will be happy to know that i replaced it with a 40 gallon. i actually got a turquois severum the day before that happened. all that is in the tank now is the pleco, the convict, and the new severum. the severum isnt eating much from what i can tell and he doesn't get along with the convict. he pretty much hides all day either at the top or the bottom of the tank. whats wrong with him? do i need to add more structures and hiding places or what? Petsmart told me that the severum and convict might interbreed if they are opposite sexes. they also told me that they would at least get along. what am i dong wrong.
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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sorry for the tank issues  that stinks!!! you must be happy with the bigger tank tho? and how did u cycle the bigger one? that mite be his issue... and heres a link for you to get some info http://www.fishforums.net/content/Ne...-the-Aquarium/ goodluck! |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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well, i used the gravel from my 29 gallon and one of the carbon filters and 10 gallons of water from my 55 gal (in hopes of drasticly speeding up the nitrogen cycle) yesterday the tank was very cloudy so i added a small amount of bacteria booster and the tank is nearly clear now. i had no choice exept to put the fish in the tank immediatly after putting the new tank together because when i noticed the crack and leaking water (about 6 am sunday morning) the only safe place i had to save them in (untill the pet store opened) was my 5 gal bucket i use for water changes. but even the first night before the tank cracked the severum was hiding like that. heres a pic of the tank. i havent yet spent a lot of time decorating but let me know if i need to add more plants structures or rocks to keep them happy...
i have plenty more decorations so just help me decide how much more to add please. |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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the tanks coming along great..love the rock cave ...just keep up with testing the water and doing daily water changes as it will take a bit for the 40 gallon to cycle off the 10 gallon filter media...I hope he feels better soon, and in that link I sent you, they will breed if they are m/f goodluck!
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Quote:
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Petsmart told me that the severum and convict might interbreed if they are opposite sexes. they also told me that they would at least get along.
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Getting advice from chain petstores is a really bad idea.
Severums are much too mild-mannered to live with anything as aggressive as a convict - sorry to repeat myself. They should be kept with similar, semi-aggressive species, like angelfish, Festivums, geophagus etc.
That tank is not at all a suitable home for a severum, which is why it's so skittish. They are a shyer species who need a natural environment, like a dark substrate, many tall plants and some driftwood to provide refuge.
You may find your severum missing an eye or some fins if you keep it with a convict. |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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is this any better
and yes, i am well aware that MOST of the people who work at petsmart have no clue. but the guy i talked to had a cichlid tank of his own, and the store itself keeps the 2 species together. in fact the guy pointed out a hybrid. also i would be happy to change the blue media but i have to at least let the tank establish itself first. and if i absolutly must i can still return the severum if i do it before 2 weeks are up. what else would go better with the convict? i desprately need suggestions.
Last edited by ocelot1120; May 20th, 2008 at 07:30 PM.
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barbrella
Getting advice from chain petstores is a really bad idea.
Severums are much too mild-mannered to live with anything as aggressive as a convict - sorry to repeat myself. They should be kept with similar, semi-aggressive species, like angelfish, Festivums, geophagus etc.
That tank is not at all a suitable home for a severum, which is why it's so skittish. They are a shyer species who need a natural environment, like a dark substrate, many tall plants and some driftwood to provide refuge.
You may find your severum missing an eye or some fins if you keep it with a convict.
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I sooooooooo agree about petstores...but as far as the severums, are we talking bout the same fish? all the info ive read on them, they get pretty big and are agressive by nature..and convicts are some of the recommended tank mates as long as you dont have a breeding pair of convicts..then NOTHING can be with them LOL |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawnie
I sooooooooo agree about petstores...but as far as the severums, are we talking bout the same fish? all the info ive read on them, they get pretty big and are agressive by nature..and convicts are some of the recommended tank mates as long as you dont have a breeding pair of convicts..then NOTHING can be with them LOL
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Everyone I know who has kept severums said they were shy. We had a full grown female green severum who interacted with me like a Betta...we had a big Oscar who did pick on her too much tho. I can see them being scared of convicts.
Our 10" wild caught caribe & red belly piranhas were terrified of them until they realized that a 6" male convict tasted good. They even got picked on by our 3" breeding pairs.  A convict pair in a 120g leads to a lot of babies who survive. The piranha wouldn't eat them until they got at least 4". So what happened was about 50 .5"-3" convicts rules our monster predator tank for 6 months until we gave some away or some got eaten. The purpose of convicts was to have cheap healthy feeders for the piranha who ended up liking frozen shrimp much better lol.  |
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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and allie and barb know wayyyyyyyy more than I do as im just reading on them..i have zero experience...thanks galz!!!
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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ok, i agree with shawnie, exept rather than reading i ask friends (who at least one of has kept fish longer than i have been alive). #1 cichlids never do well in a tank with anything other than cichlids from the same region. (personal experience) #2 i cant believe you would call an angel fish mild mannered. a fish keeper of 25+ years told me that angels eat just about everything he put in the tank with them, including oscars. #3 throughout all of this discussion no one has suggested a single suitable tankmate for my convict. as i said if i absolutly must, i can still take back the severum (which i honestly know nothing about) but i need to know very soon if there is no way of getting around returning it, and if thats the case what can i replace him with?
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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well I disagree on the angels and oscars..no way ....i dont think an angel would take on an oscar and im talking at full size..but I could be wrong...id never dare to put my angels in with my oscars....I have my angels in a community tank..so I guess most will give u advice but theres always an exception to the rules...ive found that ALL the rules change when you have mating pairs of most anything...then they turn into different fish...
some tank mates, green terror, blue acara, and even jd's are enough to keep up with them..if they are the same size and have plenty of tank space...out of them all, and im sure others will have an opinion, a green terror is something that mite work...as a single convict that you have but never as a pair
Last edited by Shawnie; May 20th, 2008 at 10:34 PM.
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Bum
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i've been reading other posts on this site. it seems like most people are getting jack dempseys, like you said, or oscars. i just think the oscar will most definately get too big in the long run. what is a green terror? unless there are any major objections i guess i will go ahead and trade it for a jack dempsey.
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May 20th, 2008
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Fish Master
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I agree no oscar for a 29 gallon..they need a 55 just for one...
check this link out..its very very helpful and u can use it for any stocking ideas
http://www.fishlore.com/freshwaterfish.htm |
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