Sorority

[K.J.]

Long story short, I can't breed. So I'm turning my 55g tank into a female sorority. Is 25 females OK? Do I HAVE to add them all at once? It's just such a big tank, I thought I could add them by fives until I had enough?

I intend on doing it step by step every time I get money; first I'll buy the sand, then I'll add plants...

 

[Kaz1814]

Hi,
Is the filter already mature or do you need to cycle it first?

Kaz

 

[poopsydrew]

I would probabaly add more than that as I find overstocking females works out best much like africans. Granted the tank is cycled and can handle the bio-load. That should be a crazy tank when its done.

Drew

 

[K.J.]

I still have to cycle the tank, course, I also have to get the money for the females. It will won't it? It will be pretty awesome, all colors of the rainbow. So do you think 30 - 35 is good?

 

[poopsydrew]

I still have to cycle the tank, course, I also have to get the money for the females. It will won't it? It will be pretty awesome, all colors of the rainbow. So do you think 30 - 35 is good?

yea 35 sounds much better. Be sure to post some pics, I might even do 40, ooooooo

Drew

 

[jollysue]

What happened to the breeding? I have been busy elsewhere. I missed out on how the fish import went.

I think I would stick with 1.5-2 usg per fish or there abouts. I also might try to stagger the ages of the girls. It will increase the variety and interest and keep the whole tank from aging out at the same time. Although density is often a positive with aggressive species, I like your idea of five girls or so at a time. Each time you add girls there will be new jockying, but the younger ones will stay out of the way until they get big enough to stand up to the big girls.

 

[K.J.]

Well I'll be buying them from different shops; such as buy 5 from WalMart one week, another 5 from Petco the next, etc. Is 300 GPH ok for a filter? I can't wait for this, it should be fun. I can picture big gangs forming, heh. It'll be like one big clique.

Well the fish came in, the transhipper gave me free express shipping for the delay, they were almost ready to breed, but the male wouldn't build an nest. I was going to switch him with the substitute pretty soon. But then, the night before, he ate fine, etc. The next evening I went to feed, he was bloated and lethargic, added some salt and was going to do a W/C after dinner. Came in after dinner, he was dead, gill stuck wide open.

 

[garethusa]

i'm still trying to figure out how my six girls can all get along!!!!!

i can't imagine how 30 in a tank would sort it out!

but good luck.....we can't say we didn't try!!!!

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Filter is not a must but if you want to add one then that's fine .... Aerator + Sponge filter will make your water clear just add some plants so they will have some hiding places, lower down the nitrate and looks great.

Good luck

 

[bubblesburst80]

that sounds like a great plan, cant wait to see it progressing

xXx

 

[jollysue]

That's awful about the pair. How long did you have him? I think they owe you still--including the breeder. It was his trans shipper after all. Who knows what that boy went through?

 

[halfbloodprincess]

I thought about making my new 55 gallon tank a sorority. But I decided not to. Then I thought about moving my fish from my 29 gallon to the 55 and make the 29 gallon tank a sorority. But I decided not to do that either. Now my little 10 gallon is the sorority!

Good luck!!! That will be a fun tank.

 

[K.J.]

Three weeks. I dunno. I was beginning to think they wouldn't breed anyway - so it wasn't a great big loss. Now he never built a nest. I don't think it was the shippers fault, he was REALLY bloated and had his gills stuck wide open when I found him dead. I guess it might've been ammonia, but I had changed the water the week before and topped it off this week, doesn't seem like there'd be any... and it had a small filter... might have been the filter, but really... he might have choked on something... might've been dropsy.

 

[zakkp8]

Sounds great I was thinking about making my newer 55gal a betta tank 30 females maybe 5 males, I've had 3 males share a 20gal with out problems. But decided I'd try other fish. Good luck!