Need Help Please

[kellyinman1]

I was a newbee to cichlids and didnt realise how many different types you can have and that they are best kept seperate so would love some advice on if i have the right on wrong mixture!

This is what i have:

2 x Yellow Labs
2x Jewls
3 x Adult Convicts
3 x Baby Convicts
1 x Red Oscar
6 x T-Bars
1 x Blue Dolphin
1 x Fire mouth
2 x Powder Blue Cichlid

I also Have
1 x Common Pleco
1 x Silver Shark

 

[sswm]

I was a newbee to cichlids and didnt realise how many different types you can have and that they are best kept seperate so would love some advice on if i have the right on wrong mixture!

This is what i have:

2 x Yellow Labs
2x Jewls
3 x Adult Convicts
3 x Baby Convicts
1 x Red Oscar
6 x T-Bars
1 x Blue Dolphin
1 x Fire mouth
2 x Powder Blue Cichlid

I also Have
1 x Common Pleco
1 x Silver Shark

What size tank do you have?

the ones bolded are the africans and the other ones are new worlds(pretty sure, someone can correct if im wrong)...generally they dont mix well together at all as africans tend to be the far more aggresive of the two

 

[ppipanman]

might work with a 200 USG or 750L tank and for 6 months to a year untill the oscar gets hungry

 

[River Dog]

I am afraid you need a major rethink of your tank. You have a mix of Central and South American (new World) and African Cichlids, each needing specific water parameters. Try and search the internet for the different species you have listed, and you will see what I mean. For example, you will need to have a six foot tank just to keep the common Pleco for life as they can reach two feet in length.

 

[holidayinn]

Yeah, you need to decide if you want American or African cichlids. Your tank size would be the main criteria as to what you can keep. A number of breeding pairs is prob going to result in trouble further down the line as well as a hungry O.

 

[kellyinman1]

Yeah, you need to decide if you want American or African cichlids. Your tank size would be the main criteria as to what you can keep. A number of breeding pairs is prob going to result in trouble further down the line as well as a hungry O.

I have 2 6ft Tanks one of which all the above are in. so i can move them around.
The other Tank has things like Barbs, Tetras, mollies, guppies and smaller fish like that so obviously id need to move them to!

 

[holidayinn]

You have some good sized tanks, what are the dimensions/capacity (gallons)?

If it was me i'd re-home all the tropical fish and use 1 6fter for the Americans and the other for the Africans, but thats cos I think cichlids are more interesting. I don't know much about African cichlids but I think all your Americans could live in one tank, depending on the size of the O and if/when the cons/sajica decide to breed. I'm sure someone will come along and advise better. I think Jewel cichlids could also be kept in the American tank, but again a breeding pair could cause problems further down the line.

 

[kellyinman1]

You have some good sized tanks, what are the dimensions/capacity (gallons)?

If it was me i'd re-home all the tropical fish and use 1 6fter for the Americans and the other for the Africans, but thats cos I think cichlids are more interesting. I don't know much about African cichlids but I think all your Americans could live in one tank, depending on the size of the O and if/when the cons/sajica decide to breed. I'm sure someone will come along and advise better. I think Jewel cichlids could also be kept in the American tank, but again a breeding pair could cause problems further down the line.

Hiya i agree with you and think thats my best option. I love cichlids so would rarther keep them but split them up.
The tanks are 6ftx1 1/2ft x 1ft. One of the convicts already breed. and the oscar is about 7inches. none of the others are showing signs of breeding yet.
Ok so now i would love to just say what i have in my other tank just to see if any of them can love happily with cichlids or if im deff going to need to find homes for all of them..... thank you all for some great advice and help!
2x Rainbows
1 x Torpedo Barb
2 x Black widow Tetras
2 x Mollies
8 x Guppies
1 x Bristel Nose Plec
4 x Tiger Barbs
and loads of other small barb sort of fish that i have no idea what they are but im sure they wont fit in!

 

[kellyinman1]

All sorted now, cichlids split up. Thank you everyone for your advice and help.

 

[Davo86]

The tanks are only just 255 litres, this is bare minimum for one OScar with No tankmates usually, but in this case as the width is only 12inches I'd say the tank isn't suitable for an Oscar given 14" is usually achieved.

Also 6 t-bars and 6 Convicts in one tank? All of these fish have the potential of pairing up, with one pair needing 30G (136Litres)

In short you have far too many fish and not enough tank space,