Tank Mates

[longstocking]

It's hard to do. I won't lie :lol:

But I have found that mouth brooding fish are easier in this mannor. Egg layers are tricky. Most of my egg layers are in species only tanks... as I've chosen some of the harder ones to try... or they are so aggressive they would kill everything else. But... an example of an easy community tang tank that is egg laying would be this....

Julidochromis and Leleupi

Shellies and Calvus

I try to stick with only 2 species of fish when working with egg layers in a community breeding set-up. It's just easier and most of them once full grown will not tolerate a 3rd species in a 4 foot tank which is what I mostly have.

Another trick is only to combine egg layers with egg layers .... and only mouth brooders with mouth brooders. There are 3 exceptions to my rule. Paracyprichromis and Cyprichromis. They tend to occupy different areas of the tank so they can usually live happily in egg layer tanks. Tropheus and fish like them can be kept with egg layers as well. I like to stick with the ones that are omnivores though ... such as the larger Julidochromis and chalinochromis...it's just healthier for the fish.

Now... there are exceptions to they way I think about putting a tank together.... but that's the general guidlines I think of. No real rules but some of the tricks that usually work.

ANother way to think about it... and I'm not sure thsi really applies to any type of fish other than Tangs... is to put it together based on where they are found in the wild. In lake tang...you have so many types of habitat that the fish occupy. You have open water, rock dwellers, sand dwellers, shell dwellers, deep water. If you set the tank up with lets say 3 species.... you could stick a shellie, julidochromis and Cyprichromis together in a 4 foot tank. All 3 fish will use different areas of the tank. This is probably the best way to put a tang tank together. Now this doesn't apply to Malawi as I have found that in a tank they all use the same areas lol... either rocks or open water. And they all get mixed up and fight :lol: Not sure about new worlds.

Hope that helps.

 

[cyradis4]

New worlds seem to separate out a lot better then the Malawis, but probably not as well as the Tangs. I've noticed that the Angels and Discus tend to prefer open water or tall plants, the rams tend to like the bottom area of the tank, ditto with the few Apistos I've had over the years. The geos seem to vary based on species too. The Acaras I have seem to prefer the top part of the tank, the Rhombas the middle, and a bunch of the Steindackarin (sp?) seem to prefer the bottom areas. But this could be misleading, as I am only starting to keep Geos.

Later!
Amanda.

 

[marge618]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyradis4 @ Feb 17 2008, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

New worlds seem to separate out a lot better then the Malawis, but probably not as well as the Tangs. Amanda.[/b]

Now might be a good time to take a closer look at Tangs.
Many of the SA and CA are gorgeous fish. Anyone keeping them in a community tank (with surviving fry..) please chime in.

I saw an interesting example of community tanks at the last GWAPA meeting. Before I add it to this discussion I'd better check my facts. Need to find out if fry are surviving in that tank...
Later,
Marge

 

[dogofwar]

I had a 2'x2'x1' tank that started with 4 Neolamp. multies (shell dwellers) and 4 small (1-2") Placidochromis.

Over time the shellies multiplied and took over the debris in the front half of the tank (small rocks, 3/4" and 1/2" PVC pieces) while the Placidos got bigger (4" males, 2-3" females) and cruised around the back half of the tank...even bred several times.

I never saw the Placidos kill or eat multi adults or babies, but I did see multies lash out at the bigger "haps"... never any real damage but everyone knew their place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the best tankmates that I have found for Frontosa are severums...it would seem to defy a lot of "rules" but it always worked out for me.

 

[marge618]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dogofwar @ Feb 19 2008, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I had a 2'x2'x1' tank that started with 4 Neolamp. multies (shell dwellers) and 4 small (1-2") Placidochromis.

Over time the shellies multiplied and took over the debris in the front half of the tank (small rocks, 3/4" and 1/2" PVC pieces) while the Placidos got bigger (4" males, 2-3" females) and cruised around the back half of the tank...even bred several times.

I never saw the Placidos kill or eat multi adults or babies, but I did see multies lash out at the bigger "haps"... never any real damage but everyone knew their place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the best tankmates that I have found for Frontosa are severums...it would seem to defy a lot of "rules" but it always worked out for me.[/b]

Now that sounds like an unusual community tank. Sometimes I wish that a movie camera could accompany such descriptions. What Fun!
Later,
Marge

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Frank Cowherd has a community tank with a Jaguar Guapote and Neolamprologus brichardi. The brichardi hang out at the rock reef and duck out of site when the Jaguar swims by.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (marge618 @ Feb 20 2008, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dogofwar @ Feb 19 2008, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had a 2'x2'x1' tank that started with 4 Neolamp. multies (shell dwellers) and 4 small (1-2") Placidochromis.

Over time the shellies multiplied and took over the debris in the front half of the tank (small rocks, 3/4" and 1/2" PVC pieces) while the Placidos got bigger (4" males, 2-3" females) and cruised around the back half of the tank...even bred several times.

I never saw the Placidos kill or eat multi adults or babies, but I did see multies lash out at the bigger "haps"... never any real damage but everyone knew their place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the best tankmates that I have found for Frontosa are severums...it would seem to defy a lot of "rules" but it always worked out for me.[/b]

Now that sounds like an unusual community tank. Sometimes I wish that a movie camera could accompany such descriptions. What Fun!
Later,
Marge
[/b][/quote]

 

[dogofwar]

I love big fish with lots of little fish tanks!

I had a single, large Uaru in a 55g with lots of platies, variatus, and tetras.

The Uaru wasn't interested in eating the fish (he ate lettuce from my hand) and the little fish multiplied....

 

[marge618]

Bob: Jaguar Guapote and Neolamprologus brichardi... That's a surprising combo. Sounds like the brichardi hide only when they HAVE TO!

I am amazed at what seem like unusual tank mates to me. The fish have to figure out their own tank rules!
Later,
Marge


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sonny Disposition @ Feb 20 2008, 08:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Frank Cowherd has a community tank with a Jaguar Guapote and Neolamprologus brichardi. The brichardi hang out at the rock reef and duck out of site when the Jaguar swims by.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (marge618 @ Feb 20 2008, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dogofwar @ Feb 19 2008, 10:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had a 2'x2'x1' tank that started with 4 Neolamp. multies (shell dwellers) and 4 small (1-2") Placidochromis.

Over time the shellies multiplied and took over the debris in the front half of the tank (small rocks, 3/4" and 1/2" PVC pieces) while the Placidos got bigger (4" males, 2-3" females) and cruised around the back half of the tank...even bred several times.

I never saw the Placidos kill or eat multi adults or babies, but I did see multies lash out at the bigger "haps"... never any real damage but everyone knew their place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the best tankmates that I have found for Frontosa are severums...it would seem to defy a lot of "rules" but it always worked out for me.[/b]

Now that sounds like an unusual community tank. Sometimes I wish that a movie camera could accompany such descriptions. What Fun!
Later,
Marge
[/b][/quote]
[/b][/quote]

 

[marge618]

Dogofwar: I agree, a community tank of big fish with little fish is fun - as long as the little ones aren't lunch. A large Uaru in a 55g with lots of platies, variatus, and tetras- That's a huge size difference. Did you try getting a mate for the big fish?

Later,
Marge

 

[SubMariner]

Good luck Marge! I'm sure your community tank will be Great!!!!!!

 

[dogofwar]

I bought the Uaru as kind of a "wet pet" so I wasn't trying to breed them or keep a community. They get about 1 foot long, so a 55g was pretty tight just for one.

I dropped in the variatus as a treat (food)...which he didn't eat...and the variatus began to multiply. So I added other small fish. Pretty soon it was one big fish and bunch of little ones.

My Uaru lived for about 8 years (growing from 6" to nearly a foot). He ate (lettuce) from my fingers. He liked to be petted. He would play games with stuff in the tank.

They're not the most gaudy fish in the world, but I've never had a more owner-responsive but gentle "pet" fish.

I've always wanted a tank big enough to keep a whole group of them (a really big tank!).

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SubMariner @ Feb 22 2008, 01:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Good luck Marge! I'm sure your community tank will be Great!!!!!![/b]

 

[DeeCee]

I like the differences in size too in a community tank. The discus tank is now planted with vals and java, and has 2 discus, 6 clown loaches, about a dozen Bolivian rams, about a dozen neon tetra, and a pretty little unknown cat and a couple ancistrus. Getting full! Ooops that's right -- we also have the Montezuma swords in there for now. They seem to like it fine, but will probably outgrow the tank eventually. We have 3 males and one very popular female........anyone looking for a male at all???

DC

 

[cyradis4]

Lol.....

I love the Montezumas...... Never have to ask if I want one!

Amanda.

 

[marge618]

Here's a site that talks about compatability in a community tank. Still intend to ask them which exact species and what was breeding successfully in the tanks.

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/general-fr...-get-yours.html

And another
http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/joined.html

Still, I think I would like to go with the experience of people at CCA - who I can talk to in person!

Later,
Marge

 

[marge618]

More sites for community fish combinations (There is no mention of fry that survive in these tanks)

http://elmersaquarium.com/c106community5barbs.htm

http://elmersaquarium.com/c106community6severums.htm

http://elmersaquarium.com/c106community7silverdollar.htm

http://elmersaquarium.com/c106community8firemouth.htm
Later,
Marge

 

[SubMariner]

Wow, those are a lot of links Marge!

 

[Sonny Disposition]

OK. It's not cichlid related, but there's probably a lesson someone somewhere can benefit from. I had a really neat minnow tank, with stuff I had collected from lots of trips. A couple of colorful ones, too, like rosyside dace. The neatest fish in the tank, though was a rosyred feeder. He didn't get fed to anything, and had a chance to grow up. He picked out a spawning spot on the bottom of a stump I had pulled out of the gunpowder river, and developed those big spawning tubercles on his head.

Then I noticed, that I had fewer minnows. One day, the rosyred wasn't there. \

Then, the little green sunfish I picked up at fishing creek in Frederick yawned. His mouth didn't look that big when it was closed, but as soon as he yawned, I figured out where those minnows went.

Beware of the green sunfish.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cyradis4 @ Nov 26 2007, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hi!

Pat Kelly wants more fun/meaningful posts, so lets talk about community tanks......

Lets post about the community tanks people have had, those they liked, didn't like, didn't work, and would like to try. Also, include any thing special you did, such as aquascaping, water parameters (salt, pH, etc), levels of aggression, and anything else you can think of.

I'll start.

I once had one large (6+ in) Discus with one large Koi angelfish in a 55. Other then some mollies, they had the tank to themselves. They also spent most of their time together. I think they liked each others company!!!! This seemed to work out really well, both fish were happy and healthy. But what a waste of tank space!!!!!

One combo that didn't work out was a female Pink Convict with 8 Bolivian Rams. At the time, I didn't know what the convict was and she had come with the Bolivians, so I put them in the same tank. It was fine for a few weeks, until the Convict decided that she now owned 3/4 of the tank. That was when I took her out and took the time to figure out what she was.

One of my favorites currently is a tank with a LOT of half inch and up Bolivian Ram juvies, 4 Adult Bolivians (not the parents of the juvies), two wild Angels, and a bunch of Marble Angels, and a swordtail. A very interesting tank!!!! They have a sand bottom, a few small rocks, and a log with Java fern and Java moss.

What about you guys?
Amanda.[/b]