Stocking Questions (albino Senegal Bichir?)

[Nevergone815]

hi i currently have a 55 gal US set up. all the levels are right on.

0 ammonia
0 nitrite
15 nitrate
pH 7.2
temp 75-78F (dependant on amount of sunlight hitting tank during day and how long light is left on)

my current stock is:
1.5" male jellybean parrot
5" common pleco (will be rehomed to a 150 gal US as soon as it's purchased and set up)

i want to put in (not necessarily all of them):
albino senegal bichir (it would probably be less than 3-4" to start)
a convict or 2
another JB parrot?
a bloddy parrot?

i really want t put in the bichir, but how much space would that leave me to stock more fish?

thanks in advanced for any help

 

[spAcE mOnkEy]

One problem with your tank is the pleco. Plecos like to suck on the slime coat of bichirs, gars, and other fish with ganoid scales. When they suck the slime coat off it becomes easier for the fish to get an infection and die.
If the pleco decides that he doesnt want to do that, then your tank would be fine. Also, make sure your jelly bean convicts dont breed because they will get really aggressive. I think your tank would be fine, but im not a fan of hybrid parrot fish and i dont know too much about them. Make sure that the convicts wont breed.

 

[Nevergone815]

One problem with your tank is the pleco. Plecos like to suck on the slime coat of bichirs, gars, and other fish with ganoid scales. When they suck the slime coat off it becomes easier for the fish to get an infection and die.
If the pleco decides that he doesnt want to do that, then your tank would be fine. Also, make sure your jelly bean convicts dont breed because they will get really aggressive. I think your tank would be fine, but im not a fan of hybrid parrot fish and i dont know too much about them. Make sure that the convicts wont breed.

well i got the jellybean becausde i couldn't resist he looked so cute. as far as i know male hybrids are sterile and i will definately try to make sure convicts don't breed. maybe get all females? would that work? the pleco will only be in their temp and if i keep them well fed (i.e. proper diet) i may be able to avoid the whole slime coat sucking right? or is this one of those flip a coin and pray you get lucky kind of things?

thanks for the help

 

[diademhill]

Sterility won't, as a rule, prevent the fish going through the motions of spawning so even a sterile fish could be aggressive. A part convict mongrel could throw up any of the traits of it's ancestors from mildly territorial to fishicidal maniac.
I would give the convicts a miss as there are far more peaceful cichlids around.

 

[Nevergone815]

Sterility won't, as a rule, prevent the fish going through the motions of spawning so even a sterile fish could be aggressive. A part convict mongrel could throw up any of the traits of it's ancestors from mildly territorial to fishicidal maniac.
I would give the convicts a miss as there are far more peaceful cichlids around.

thanks for the help!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

actually, jellybean parrots are far from sterile and will readily mate with any other jellybeans or convict cichlids who happen to be in the neighborhood.

 

[Nevergone815]

actually, jellybean parrots are far from sterile and will readily mate with any other jellybeans or convict cichlids who happen to be in the neighborhood.

great to know, thaks for the info! what do you think about the stocking i plan? what changes would you make?

 

[lisa_perry75]

I just purchased myself an albino birchir, and although he's an albino (spawn of satan ) he is the most active birchir I've ever seen!!! And friendly too. He is a bit rough with the ornate though ... well the ornate is boring as hell and the albino wants to have fun!!!