BV's 75 gal. - Journal
- Thread starter Big Vine
- Start date
Thanks, Jess!
Quick update:
I removed the firemouth and put him into my 38 gal. angelfish/community tank. He seems much happier in there.
Oscar and convict...
It is clear that the oscar is tank boss, and the convict respects that by showing submission whenever he gets too close. As a result, the con is hardly ever chased by the oscar anymore. Convict is at a size where he's small enough to not be considered a threat, yet large enough to not be considered a meal by the oscar. Overall, they've really got a good 'vibe' going together, and I really don't foresee any significant changes in their relationship in this setup.
Salvini...
With the firemouth gone, he's now the only 'odd-man out' in this setup.
Vast majority of his time is spent in and amongst the cover provided by the plants on the far right side of the tank. Mostly he just comes out to feed, but occasionally he'll emerge from the shadows when he sees me peering into the tank. Oscar doesn't pay much attention to him, but will still offer the occasional chase. The real action takes place when the convict chases him. Were it not for the latter, I think the salvini would be out and about a fair bit.
Despite the chasing he gets from the convict, I still think he will thrive in this setup. Matter of fact, I get the feeling that he and the convict will really come to blows once he's had some time to put some size on him. As for what will happen when that takes place...I can only speculate. My guess is that the salvini will eventually defeat the convict, at which point I can only hope that the con backs down and offers submission (i.e. like he does with the oscar). Otherwise I have no doubt that the salvini will kill him, plain and simple. Of course, the salvini may very well decide to kill him anyway.
BV
Quick update:
I removed the firemouth and put him into my 38 gal. angelfish/community tank. He seems much happier in there.
Oscar and convict...
It is clear that the oscar is tank boss, and the convict respects that by showing submission whenever he gets too close. As a result, the con is hardly ever chased by the oscar anymore. Convict is at a size where he's small enough to not be considered a threat, yet large enough to not be considered a meal by the oscar. Overall, they've really got a good 'vibe' going together, and I really don't foresee any significant changes in their relationship in this setup.
Salvini...
With the firemouth gone, he's now the only 'odd-man out' in this setup.
Vast majority of his time is spent in and amongst the cover provided by the plants on the far right side of the tank. Mostly he just comes out to feed, but occasionally he'll emerge from the shadows when he sees me peering into the tank. Oscar doesn't pay much attention to him, but will still offer the occasional chase. The real action takes place when the convict chases him. Were it not for the latter, I think the salvini would be out and about a fair bit.
Despite the chasing he gets from the convict, I still think he will thrive in this setup. Matter of fact, I get the feeling that he and the convict will really come to blows once he's had some time to put some size on him. As for what will happen when that takes place...I can only speculate. My guess is that the salvini will eventually defeat the convict, at which point I can only hope that the con backs down and offers submission (i.e. like he does with the oscar). Otherwise I have no doubt that the salvini will kill him, plain and simple. Of course, the salvini may very well decide to kill him anyway.
BV
Just when you thought I was done with updates for a while...
Managed to scrounge up some more salvini footage, and I've put it together in a way that may perhaps foreshadow things to come in this setup. Keep on the lookout for a rather nice oscar photo and convict photo that I wanted to share too---both near the end of the vid. I can post those separately too, if you'd like...sadly the youtube quality doesn't do it justice, but here it is anyhow:
YouTube - Juvenile male Salvini
Enjoy!
BV
Managed to scrounge up some more salvini footage, and I've put it together in a way that may perhaps foreshadow things to come in this setup. Keep on the lookout for a rather nice oscar photo and convict photo that I wanted to share too---both near the end of the vid. I can post those separately too, if you'd like...sadly the youtube quality doesn't do it justice, but here it is anyhow:
YouTube - Juvenile male Salvini
Enjoy!
BV
Hey BV, I think you are doing a fine job. Just the little time that I have been on this forum, I can tell that you are a responsible fish owner and will do what is best for your fish. A little experimenting doesn't hurt as long as you stay on top of it...which you definitely are.
The vids are great! Keep up the good work!
The vids are great! Keep up the good work!
This is very interesting set up you have here, and i'd love to see how things turn out in the long run. good move on removing the firemouth, i've never seen them on the same level of aggression as convicts and salvini's, i doubt that it would of had a decent life in there.
i love salvini's, your guy looks stunning, just wait till he grows up, he may well end up putting your oscar in his place these fish have got balls! you can see mine in my avatar, and he's pretty much full grown, they are a great fish.
i love salvini's, your guy looks stunning, just wait till he grows up, he may well end up putting your oscar in his place
these fish have got balls! you can see mine in my avatar, and he's pretty much full grown, they are a great fish.
phOOey said:
i love salvini's, your guy looks stunning, just wait till he grows up, he may well end up putting your oscar in his place these fish have got balls! you can see mine in my avatar, and he's pretty much full grown, they are a great fish.
these fish have got balls! you can see mine in my avatar, and he's pretty much full grown, they are a great fish.
You'll have to get some new pics of your sal up for me! Hopefully his cloudy eye issues will be resolved before too long so that you can do some photography and show him in his full glory!
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
With the distraction (firemouth) gone, I expected the convict to really tear into the salvini. He does still chase the salvini around a fair bit, but the sal isn't a big pushover like the firemouth was. He sees the convict coming toward him, lingers there for as long as he can, and then 'sidesteps' him. He then carries on seemingly unphased. There are still occasions where the con is a bit more aggressive and forces him to 'retreat,' but those occasions are becoming much fewer and farther between.
In sum, things are going smoothly at the moment.
My prediction for an all-out war between the salvini and convict still stands though. I think it's just a matter of time before the sal grows up enough to try to establish a 'natural order' of things.
BV
Okay, so we're down to the oscar (7"), convict (4"), and salvini (3")...
Been about 2 weeks since my last update, and I've noticed some developments.
Convict is actually 'standing up' (sort of) to the oscar---I've seen him flaring his gills and shaking his head at the oscar on several occasions when he's (the con) ducking under cover and the oscar approaches. In response, the oscar opens his mouth and basically just sits there hovering in place---extending his fins and looking pissed off. Sometimes he'll just sort of 'back-pedal' and leave the convict be, but most of the time he ends up chasing after him, albeit briefly. He'll tolerate some 'posturing' on the part of the convict, but ultimately he's not gonna put up with any bullcrap either. And the convict knows it! Most of the time the con will get the hell out of his way and/or show belly.
Salvini has put some size on him---mostly thickening up.
He is mostly like the other sals I've had in the past in terms of hanging out under cover in an inconspicuous location. But unlike the other sals I've had (which were much more reclusive), this guy actually comes right up front and center whenever I walk up to the tank (in anticipation of being fed, no doubt). Matter of fact, all 3 fish come right up to the front whenever I peer into the tank, and they mostly ignore each other. It isn't until after the initial feeding that the convict starts chasing the sal back to his end of the tank, but even then the salvini only goes reluctantly and at the last possible second. Won't be long before he stands his ground, I'm sure.
In sum, after being housed together for about a month now, these 3 fish seem to have settled in. Dynamics are bound to change as the fish mature, I'm sure, but for the moment there certainly doesn't seem to be any cause for concern with this setup. We'll have to just wait and see what the future holds!
BV
Been about 2 weeks since my last update, and I've noticed some developments.
Convict is actually 'standing up' (sort of) to the oscar---I've seen him flaring his gills and shaking his head at the oscar on several occasions when he's (the con) ducking under cover and the oscar approaches. In response, the oscar opens his mouth and basically just sits there hovering in place---extending his fins and looking pissed off. Sometimes he'll just sort of 'back-pedal' and leave the convict be, but most of the time he ends up chasing after him, albeit briefly. He'll tolerate some 'posturing' on the part of the convict, but ultimately he's not gonna put up with any bullcrap either. And the convict knows it! Most of the time the con will get the hell out of his way and/or show belly.
Salvini has put some size on him---mostly thickening up.
He is mostly like the other sals I've had in the past in terms of hanging out under cover in an inconspicuous location. But unlike the other sals I've had (which were much more reclusive), this guy actually comes right up front and center whenever I walk up to the tank (in anticipation of being fed, no doubt). Matter of fact, all 3 fish come right up to the front whenever I peer into the tank, and they mostly ignore each other. It isn't until after the initial feeding that the convict starts chasing the sal back to his end of the tank, but even then the salvini only goes reluctantly and at the last possible second. Won't be long before he stands his ground, I'm sure.
In sum, after being housed together for about a month now, these 3 fish seem to have settled in. Dynamics are bound to change as the fish mature, I'm sure, but for the moment there certainly doesn't seem to be any cause for concern with this setup. We'll have to just wait and see what the future holds!
BV
Glad to hear that everyone is doing well BigV! I do have some questions..
1. I always thought that Salvinis are more of an outgoing and on the agressive side than being shy? Is that only with some fish or are all of them shy like you said?
2. When did you set up the shell-dweller tank? Very interested to see some information on that tank.
But over all i think that you are doing well. Everyone seems to be happy in there and have teritory to hangout at. Even though everyone is saying that its over crowded, i don't think that it is. Triton seems like he mainly stays at the top or middle of the tank correct? then the convict and salvini hangout at the bottom, giving them room to grow(even though the con is full grown correct?). To me its not over crowded. And you can never be certain about something until you try it right?
1. I always thought that Salvinis are more of an outgoing and on the agressive side than being shy? Is that only with some fish or are all of them shy like you said?
2. When did you set up the shell-dweller tank? Very interested to see some information on that tank.
But over all i think that you are doing well. Everyone seems to be happy in there and have teritory to hangout at. Even though everyone is saying that its over crowded, i don't think that it is. Triton seems like he mainly stays at the top or middle of the tank correct? then the convict and salvini hangout at the bottom, giving them room to grow(even though the con is full grown correct?). To me its not over crowded. And you can never be certain about something until you try it right?
Typically they are a somewhat shy, reclusive fish.
But that's only from my experience with juvies. I'm told by more experienced owners that they take a little longer to 'come out of their shells,' so to speak, but will eventually stray away from their reclusive habits as they become more accustomed to their owners and to their new surroundings. My male salvini mostly hangs out behind the clay pot, but he does readily come out whenever I approach the tank.
Triton does stay mostly in the middle/top portion of the tank, patrolling around. Salvini stays in the middle/bottom portion of the tank. Convict is all over the place, scavenging endlessly it would seem (pound-for-pound, he's a bigger pig than the oscar, believe it or not)---but you're right, it's mostly in the middle/bottom portion of the tank.
I'll post about the shelldweller setup in another thread.
BV
But that's only from my experience with juvies. I'm told by more experienced owners that they take a little longer to 'come out of their shells,' so to speak, but will eventually stray away from their reclusive habits as they become more accustomed to their owners and to their new surroundings. My male salvini mostly hangs out behind the clay pot, but he does readily come out whenever I approach the tank.
Triton does stay mostly in the middle/top portion of the tank, patrolling around. Salvini stays in the middle/bottom portion of the tank. Convict is all over the place, scavenging endlessly it would seem (pound-for-pound, he's a bigger pig than the oscar, believe it or not)---but you're right, it's mostly in the middle/bottom portion of the tank.
I'll post about the shelldweller setup in another thread.
BV
Just some pics.
Here they are, the 'three musketeers' (actually, 'three stooges' is probably more fitting).
Male convict.
Male salvini...comes to the front whenever I approach the tank.
But then gets chased back to his corner by the convict whenever they're done eating.
Here he is in his usual hangout spot.
BV
Here they are, the 'three musketeers' (actually, 'three stooges' is probably more fitting).
Male convict.
Male salvini...comes to the front whenever I approach the tank.
But then gets chased back to his corner by the convict whenever they're done eating.
Here he is in his usual hangout spot.
BV
