starting a......ah...... mixed tank

[fishtankmaster5]

hey guys, im back, its been a while since ive been here. well i am starting a new tank and i know some of you might think im crazy but i want to see where it goes. i lost all but two of my cichlids (tank shattered???? while i was at work ) but two somehow survived. they were on the floor dried up, and yet they somehow made it. but anyway i got another 90 gallon, and of course i put them back in but i also added........ here we go- a green terror, a jack demsey, a texas cichlid, a jewel cichlid, a cupido cichlid, a green severum, and a surinamensis cichlid, and i plan to add a oscar and a bottom dweller, if anyone who doesnt want to kill me has any suggestions of one that can handle this group please let me know............ so what do you guys think? they are currently all no larger then 2 inches but i know that wont last long, and i have a ton of hiding places/caves. and plus i am keeping the ph at 6.7, which is around what they all need (which is around 6.5-7.5) idk i wanted to try something crazy. i will post pics soon

 

[nikcasper]

i wouldnt get the oscar......i got a 90 gallon and used to have a green severum and a jeweled cichlid in it, severum died sold the jeweled, but i just think oscars need even more space and with all the hiding spots for the other fish the oscars often run into that **** and hurt themsleves up.

but who am i to say anythign i got two in my 90 gallon, and as a pro the oscar is sorta like the peer mediators of the tank.
i'd start without it, see how things go then add a nice little oscar, its more fun to watch them enter a alreAdy established tank.

 

[Matt Nace]

I also would not add the Oscar. Good luck and hope the mix works.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Holy jesus...that tank isn't anywhere near big enough for all those fish. An oscar really could take over the whole tank itself, as could a texas or a goldsaum. A Geo would be miserable in such a tank.

 

[nikcasper]

i waas waiting for her post.........just please dn't get the oscar have pratical hiding spots and level the tank so the fish can move and escape.

i'd like to hear a update on how things are goin and what you've done.

sinister sometimes people like to see forced interactions between tropical fish and the character that grows from that. And 90 gallons are fairly large enough for them being young and once problems arise usually its a good kick in the pants for "us" hobbyist "or "for those with wives an excuse" to get a bigger tank.

dont play the big blue meanie role and say no no no. help peoplle to give fish a nice home and suggest ways to improve what already has been done or help prevent mistake/problems from happening in the future. from what ive read of your posts its mostle intelligent negative info that doesn't help.

 

[SinisterKisses]

And here's where you have it wrong. You should not be looking at a tank and stocking it for juvenile fish...when stocking a tank, you should be taking into consideration the tank for FULL ADULT fish. In which case, a 90gal tank is much, much too small for all those fish.

And most people who claim "I'll upgrade when I need to", either don't, or wait far too long.

I'll play the practical, experienced, best-for-my-fish roll, which is exactly what I'm doing.

 

[nikcasper]

you know what role i play

i work at a fish hatchery, i see fish trapped in pipelines, beds, and nets all day. I'm one of the people that helps ensure they live through the horrible growing process and that nohting goes wrong with any of the equipment. So seeing less that 10 fish in a tank that may be 20 gallons to small for them doesn't bother me, and cause me to doubt that they will grow healthy. Because i see alot more trout swimmin in fake pipe streams that would be more damaging then his or my tank.

so maybe i'm just making a point to say some people can't get big enoumous ass tanks, some people already started their tanks, and some people liike seeing more fish in one area than anothers. its obvious that you haven't been in sales, cause you seem to have never consider what people are going for, and what they can and cannot do. some cant buy big ass tanks, either cause of room or money or wives; but we can buy the fish we like and put them in their tank. we get what we get, and he alrdy had a tank shatter once, you think if it happened again a bigger tank would cause less water damage.


LOL...ROTFLMAO

 

[SinisterKisses]

I worked in retail for many years, actually.

I realize not everyone can afford "big ass tanks". I can't afford a Porsche. So guess what? I don't buy a Porsche. But I don't buy all the parts for one if I never intend to buy one.

Not being able to afford a large tank is fine. That doesn't mean you get to buy very large, aggressive fish and shove them in a tank that is too small just because you don't want to/can't afford a proper sized tank. You stock with fish that are appropriate for the tank you have! Buying a fish that needs a large tank, and sticking it in something too small because you can't afford it, is selfish and irresponsible fish keeping, which irritates me to no end.

I can't afford a 50,000 tank for an Arapaima, no matter how much I want one. But I don't run out and buy the fish and shove it in the tank I can afford, which is much too small! That's just ridiculous.

And I never said they couldn't grow and be healthy in that size of a tank. There is a huge difference between a damn trout and cichlids. These are big, aggressive fish that can do serious damage to each other. They might grow and be healthy enough, but a bunch of them will be either miserable or dead.

 

[hippiefish22]

What is a texas cichlid?

 

[Orion]

A lot of people don't realize that cichlids are an entire different world than your typical tropical fish. Sure, you could put a but load of non aggressive, non territorial fish in a 90 gallon, but that doesn't mean that the same number of cichlids can go in there. I've witnessed a 1" cichlid put a fish 8 times it's size in the corner. Cichlids do have more needs than common kept fish, and for a healthy tank, both physically and mentally, these needs have to be met.