Murrayjane
Fish Fanatic
I understand that everyone wants and in fact is helping me. In no way am I using that youtube video to try and justify permanently keeping multiple aggressive cichlids in a tank. I was merely presenting that temporarily, inside both retail and home aquariums, people will mix their fish together until something more practical can be done about it.
So far, the only real options I have been given is to return over half of the fish I own. I paid quite a lot of money for them and I have also grown very fond to each cichlid's individual behavior and color. Now, this is not so much so that I would be unwilling to rationally act if there was any physically aggression, but enough to keep myself motivated in trying to enable their co-existence. Usually while they are still young, not too many problems will occur and I know that there will be, however, that one day when a fish will get shredded and THAT is what is important to prevent. So far in this tank, I have seen no physical contact between the fish. Believe me, I have been carefully observing them throughout each day since they have been brought into my home. I have always and will continue to put my fish first over expenses and inconveniences, but realistically, these cichlids will be alright for a short while. Whether I need to include a tank divider or take some other form of measure, there is a way for it to work.
I just need to keep researching.
Wills, I think you are very intelligent when it comes to cichlid fish keeping (best so far IMO), but even your suggestion of using yoyo loaches proves that aside from all the general rules of compatibility, it is only and always relevant to the individual fish and aquarium. My yoyo's are pretty big (near the same size as the other cichlids) and as soon as I put one in, they went after it like a fat kid on a cupcake. Fortunately, it was removed before any harm was done.
Again, I am not using this to try and justify keeping multiple monsters in the same cage. I am saying that through this experience I will see first hand if it will work or not. People have told me their stories of mishaps, but others (for instance, my retail fish keeper and on different forums) have given me messages of inspiration as their multi south american cichlid tanks have worked fine. They recommend me to just wait until they grow and by then you can make the decision to either expand the tank, or diminish my numbers.
RECAP
1. My original question on this forum was to find out how much tank space I would need to house the original given amount of african/american cichlids. (livingston, 2 peacocks, Green Terror, EB Dempsey, 2 Firemouths, Jewel, and Jaguar). Other than the 200 gallon suggestion, that question got dismissed.
2. Then it changed to: not being able to house both african and americans.
3. So after I returned the livingston, jaguar, and peacocks, my question became: how many of these cichlid's can I temporarily manage in a 55.
Somehow along this chain of conversation, the fact that this tank is only temporary got ignored and transformed again into a very strict and intolerant rule that suggests even as juveniles, these fish cannot go together.
If everyone is in fact suggesting and stands behind this then fine.
But this is the part that I disagree with.
So far, the only real options I have been given is to return over half of the fish I own. I paid quite a lot of money for them and I have also grown very fond to each cichlid's individual behavior and color. Now, this is not so much so that I would be unwilling to rationally act if there was any physically aggression, but enough to keep myself motivated in trying to enable their co-existence. Usually while they are still young, not too many problems will occur and I know that there will be, however, that one day when a fish will get shredded and THAT is what is important to prevent. So far in this tank, I have seen no physical contact between the fish. Believe me, I have been carefully observing them throughout each day since they have been brought into my home. I have always and will continue to put my fish first over expenses and inconveniences, but realistically, these cichlids will be alright for a short while. Whether I need to include a tank divider or take some other form of measure, there is a way for it to work.
I just need to keep researching.
Wills, I think you are very intelligent when it comes to cichlid fish keeping (best so far IMO), but even your suggestion of using yoyo loaches proves that aside from all the general rules of compatibility, it is only and always relevant to the individual fish and aquarium. My yoyo's are pretty big (near the same size as the other cichlids) and as soon as I put one in, they went after it like a fat kid on a cupcake. Fortunately, it was removed before any harm was done.
Again, I am not using this to try and justify keeping multiple monsters in the same cage. I am saying that through this experience I will see first hand if it will work or not. People have told me their stories of mishaps, but others (for instance, my retail fish keeper and on different forums) have given me messages of inspiration as their multi south american cichlid tanks have worked fine. They recommend me to just wait until they grow and by then you can make the decision to either expand the tank, or diminish my numbers.
RECAP
1. My original question on this forum was to find out how much tank space I would need to house the original given amount of african/american cichlids. (livingston, 2 peacocks, Green Terror, EB Dempsey, 2 Firemouths, Jewel, and Jaguar). Other than the 200 gallon suggestion, that question got dismissed.
2. Then it changed to: not being able to house both african and americans.
3. So after I returned the livingston, jaguar, and peacocks, my question became: how many of these cichlid's can I temporarily manage in a 55.

Somehow along this chain of conversation, the fact that this tank is only temporary got ignored and transformed again into a very strict and intolerant rule that suggests even as juveniles, these fish cannot go together.
If everyone is in fact suggesting and stands behind this then fine.
But this is the part that I disagree with.