In Alittle Over My Head This Time

[colleen0309]

Hi, everyone! I haven't been on here in quite awhile. My fish room, and my grandson, keeps me pretty busy. Since I started my fish room, word of mouth keeps me hopping. If someone doesn't want their tank anymore, they call me. I started doing this to get more tanks and equipment, and it's worked out really well, until now. I'm always the last person they call because I don't pay for the tanks or fish. If they don't want it, I will come get it and bring it home. I got a call the other day. Someone had a 100 gallon Mbuna setup with 23 fish they wanted to get rid of. I have been looking for a 100 gallon tank and I have 1 lonely Mbuna from someone else so I said yes. I arrived with my buckets and hoses. First off, I knew right away it was not 100 gallon tank. It was a 55 gallon. And, there were only 2 Mbunas in the tank. Some of these fish I couldn't id, but since the guy was going to net them and let them go in the creek next door, I took them. Here's a list of the fish I brought home
 
1 Black Diamond Cichlid, Paratilapia Polleni  5"
5 Jewel Cichlids, Hemichromis bimaculatus  2.5", 1 female, 4 males
1 Electric Blue Hap, Sciaenochromis fryeri  5"
2 Jack Dempsey, Rocio cichlasoma, 5"
2 Mbuna,  2.5" females, I think
3 Jaguar Cichlids, Parachromis Managuensis  2 of them are 5.5" and 1 is 3.5"
3 bristlenose plecos  2.5"
3 cories
1 peacock cichlid 4.5"
1 upside down catfish
1 large pleco 10+"
 
From the information I was given, these fish were all purchased at the same time and have been peacefully coexisting for 5 years. Moving them was a bad mistake, to say the least. I've done my research and found all kinds of problems with this tank! The biggest problem is the Jaguar cichlids. The change in water from their old house to mine caused breeding. 2 of the Jags paired off and have already killed 2 of their tank mates. I managed to save the one Dempsey and the small jag from their injuries, but I lost 1 jewel cichlid and the peacock cichlid. I have separated as many of the fish as I can and I have started to look for a place to rehome the Jags and a few others. I set the pair of jewels up a tank of their own. They spawned as well as the jags. Any suggestions on how to care for the individual species would be appreciated. I've done my research and know these are all stunted and need better housing than I have. I just want to make sure that when they leave here, they will go into the proper setups. I have them settled in here with better conditions than they were in, but some of these can get very large and aggressive. Will they grow, now that they have more room?
 

 

[Chad]

As soon as fish spawn things change. They become more territorial and protective. If it really had been a 100 gallon tank you might have been able to create zones for them, but this is much harder (though not impossible) in a 55 gallon tank. 
 
What have you done so far to ease the aggression (i.e. moved rockwork, added plants, etc.)?

 

[colleen0309]

I tried moving the rocks. I tried adding plastic plants, which worked for a few days. The Jaguars were more interested in beating up the plants to bother with the other fish. The biggest problem, as I see it, is too many fish in the tank. I have been slowly moving fish into proper setups, but the more I move, the more aggressive the Jaguars seem to get. They are beautiful fish, but need a tank of their own or a BIG tank. The best I can do for them right now is a 40 gallon breeder tank I have empty. I know that is no where big enough for Jags of normal size, but it might be alright until I can get them rehomed. Will they continue to grow if I can get them into a big tank? Or, after 5 years in crowded conditions, will they remain small?

 

[Chad]

Yes, I agree. Starting a new tank or giving someone the offending fish is the most sure solution. I would not count on them staying small. 

 

[colleen0309]

Ive made a few phone calls. Hopefully someone will have room for them. If not, I'm going to set up the 40gallon breeder tank and move the Jags. I will keep looking for a bigger tank, just incase it takes me awhile to find someone to take them. Someone dropped off a 75 gallon yesterday, but it's in rough shape. I will have to get the top and bottom frame for it and reseal all of the seams. Might take me awhile.

 

[Chad]

Oh, that is rough shape.