Tank Mates

[cyradis4]

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.

 

[Pat Kelly]

</span>

Meaningful. Not me.

I once had 8 full grown Gold Severums in a 90 gallon tank. (little tight)

For the heck of it I put in 6 P. demasoni at about 1 1/2 inches in there with them.

At first the Severums tried to catch and eat the Demasoni. After a day I found all of

the Severums huddled into one corner and the little demasoni had taken over the rest of

the tank. Every time one of the severums ventured out of the corner it got chased back

into it.

It was just funny seing 9 inch fish being pushed around by 1 1/2inch fish.

After about a week, I took the demasoni out and the severums calmed back down. Big

babies. lol</span>

 

[ltrepeter2000]

I rue the day I placed a pair of convicts into a 75 gallon tank....nuf said.

 

[mscichlid]

Do you have a lot of the small fry? Those that are 1 in and less. If you do and you still want to get rid of them...

 

[mscichlid]

I have rarely had a community tank because most of the fish I like occupy the same strata of the tank.

Recently, I have compressed a few tanks together and it seems to be working right now. In this tank are festivums, cardinal tetras, a couple of stray apistos and a group of tatia pergiqua (sp). So while in this mood, I will put a group of corys, plecos and a group of bleeding heart flame back tetras together in another tank.

 

[DeeCee]

I love community tanks, especially when they're planted. I'm not very good at aquascaping or having the tank very "true to life" but if it looks purty and the fish are happy, then I'm happy too.
I recently set up a tank with a few discus, some Bolivian Rams (thanks Amanda & Paul!) and stuck the 3 clown loaches in there as well. They're great at eating anything the discus & rams miss, and they'll fatten up nicely there I think. There's quite a few small rocks in the tank & just a light layer of gravel for a few plants to hang on to. I was planning on adding a school of cardinal tetra but think I'd be pushing it at this point. It's nice & active now, and I love to just watch it.
It's almost as good as watching fry or breeding tanks!

almost.

DC

 

[longstocking]

I rarely do species only tanks as I like seeing the interaction between the species.

I have quite a few "community" tanks....so I'll just mention a couple that I'm really enjoying at the moment. I set my community tanks up to breed, if I choose my tanks mates wisely it works very well for me.

Trophues, Gobies, Petrochromis, Limnotilapia and Simochromis all in one tank ! Most are breeding and it's a fun tank to watch. Very active... but it's definently an AGRESSIVE tank !

Second is a tank I just set up. Parcyprichromis in with Astrotilapia. I like this tank because it's mellow. The complete opposite of the other tank. Very little agggression if any, and some stunning colors.


Tanks I wouldn't try again ... there are TONS of those ! Gobies in with leleupi ... gobies got pounded. Mbuna in with Petrochromis... it worked but I really didn't like the interaction bewteen the 2. Those are just a couple but there are tons of combinations I've tried that were a complete mess !

 

[Charlutz]

Tanks I wouldn't try again ... there are TONS of those ! Gobies in with leleupi ... gobies got pounded.[/b]

I have my gobies in with leleupi. 7 foot tank so they can avoid each other. Worst part is that one goby (male I assume) chases the other around constantly, so I have to put him in jail every so often. I've had cyps breed in that tank, but not as regularly as I'd hoped. And the featherfins are starting to show some interest, but there may also be some conflict there.

My julies bred in a 40 with some 2" leleupi, a pair of brevis and a trio of callochromis. The callos also bred, but swallowed the eggs.

 

[longstocking]

Are your leleupi breeding?

I didn't have the problem untill they started to breed ! But, this was in a 4 foot tank. 7 feet... you can break almost every rule/suggestion !

 

[Charlutz]

I thought they did a couple times, but I haven't seen fry. I think I may have 3m/1f, but I am not sure yet. The males don't seem to fight amongst themselves, which surprised me. The female has been herded to an upper corner the last week or so, but I haven't been able to net her out. The leleupi spot where I think they have bred is on the opposite side of the tank from where the gobies typically stay.

 

[SubMariner]

Let's see....right now I have a community tank of Malawi Peacocks and Haps with a few Mbunas sprinkled around. They are in a 92 gallon tank and are just doing fine.

I also have a Community tank of Mbuna's for that past couple of years. Interesting thing about them is when they decide to kill someone in the tank they hide the body. Ya know, like the Mafia! LOL! When they put a hit out on someone Moose and Rocko do a great job of getting rid of the body. :smashfreakB:

It's amazing...

 

[Sonny Disposition]

When alligators grab their prey, they often hide it under the water and come back to it later. Maybe that's what your mbuna are doing.

Let's see....right now I have a community tank of Malawi Peacocks and Haps with a few Mbunas sprinkled around. They are in a 92 gallon tank and are just doing fine.

I also have a Community tank of Mbuna's for that past couple of years. Interesting thing about them is when they decide to kill someone in the tank they hide the body. Ya know, like the Mafia! LOL! When they put a hit out on someone Moose and Rocko do a great job of getting rid of the body. :smashfreakB:

It's amazing...[/b]

 

[SubMariner]

Sonny, maybe you're right, but on the other hand, I really think that they are trying to hide the dead body from me.

Apparently, they don't want me to find the dead fish. I still think their behavior is fascinating!

 

[animicrazy]

I am currently hip deep in the "Great Tank Migration" - a stop in the morphing process from hobbyist on steroids to serious something.

Therefore lots of fish get thrown into impromptu community tanks out of necessity.

1) 75 - (48) Tropheus sp. Red Ndoel Bay, (1) 7" Nimbochromis Venustus, (2) Metrioclima Hajomaylyandia, (4) Orthebates Lithobanks, (17) Alounacara Jacobaverti, (2) Albino version of previous, (?) God knows what else. Everyone is happy and the arrangement is temporary.

2) 65 - (3) Blue Acara, (~25) Geo. Stendacheri, (1) 4" Geo. Bahia Red, (~4) Geo. Rhumbus, (?) some other Geo. that I forgot the name of. +++++'s: the white sand bottom is always clean; --------'s: DO NOT FORGET to feed the Acara - bad things happen.

I have other weird tanks, but since I really don't know the kinds of fish I have (that's Amanda's job) it is really pointless to continue. The lesson I learned is this: As long as the fish are healthy, breeding, and not killing each other, what's the problem?? I used to be a purist: HAD to have just the right water; HAD to follow all the rules (who made them anyway?); HAD to do ALL THE STUPID stuff etc.

If my fish are happy - I am happy - take THAT Plato!

Paul

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Maybe they don't realize that you're not going to eat it.

Sonny, maybe you're right, but on the other hand, I really think that they are trying to hide the dead body from me.

Apparently, they don't want me to find the dead fish. I still think their behavior is fascinating![/b]

 

[ltrepeter2000]

So thats how the Mbuna dip is made for the Christmas party.....floaters.....

 

[SubMariner]

LOL!!!

 

[marge618]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (longstocking @ Nov 28 2007, 10:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I rarely do species only tanks as I like seeing the interaction between the species.

I have quite a few "community" tanks....so I'll just mention a couple that I'm really enjoying at the moment. I set my community tanks up to breed, if I choose my tanks mates wisely it works very well for me.

Trophues, Gobies, Petrochromis, Limnotilapia and Simochromis all in one tank ! Most are breeding and it's a fun tank to watch. Very active... but it's definently an AGRESSIVE tank !

Second is a tank I just set up. Parcyprichromis in with Astrotilapia. I like this tank because it's mellow. The complete opposite of the other tank. Very little agggression if any, and some stunning colors.[/b]

Amanda and Sarah,
I am bringing this topic back up because I have decided that planning a community tank ahead of time sounds like a great idea.
Amanda: You're right, community tanks are often a challenge. Your angels, Bolivian Rams and swords tank sounds interesting. Do you get many fry in your community tank?
Sarah: I liked your 'set my community tanks up to breed" approach.

So, what I'd really like to hear about are more community tanks set up to breed.
Seems that would be a great combination - a fun tank with lots of fry!
Looking for suggestions for each community tank 'set up to breed' category : CA, SA, Malawi, Victoria, .. Tang ..Other
Later,
Marge

 

[cyradis4]

Lol..... The Bolivians might be breeding, and I know in a previous tank I had Mollies dropping fry that survived a tank with Angels, but I don't breed my Angels in community tanks. So I'm no help there....... Most of my breeding tanks are species only, though I prefer "naturalistic" breeding.

Later!
Amanda.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

That's a tall order, Marge. I think the best you could do would be to mix a couple of livebearers with similar requirements, like guppies and mollies. Most egg layers will eat the eggs and fry of other species (if not their own species). And territorial species, like many cichlids, will probably kill their tankmates.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (marge618 @ Feb 17 2008, 10:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (longstocking @ Nov 28 2007, 10:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I rarely do species only tanks as I like seeing the interaction between the species.

I have quite a few "community" tanks....so I'll just mention a couple that I'm really enjoying at the moment. I set my community tanks up to breed, if I choose my tanks mates wisely it works very well for me.

Trophues, Gobies, Petrochromis, Limnotilapia and Simochromis all in one tank ! Most are breeding and it's a fun tank to watch. Very active... but it's definently an AGRESSIVE tank !

Second is a tank I just set up. Parcyprichromis in with Astrotilapia. I like this tank because it's mellow. The complete opposite of the other tank. Very little agggression if any, and some stunning colors.[/b]

Amanda and Sarah,
I am bringing this topic back up because I have decided that planning a community tank ahead of time sounds like a great idea.
Amanda: You're right, community tanks are often a challenge. Your angels, Bolivian Rams and swords tank sounds interesting. Do you get many fry in your community tank?
Sarah: I liked your 'set my community tanks up to breed" approach.

So, what I'd really like to hear about are more community tanks set up to breed.
Seems that would be a great combination - a fun tank with lots of fry!
Looking for suggestions for each community tank 'set up to breed' category : CA, SA, Malawi, Victoria, .. Tang ..Other
Later,
Marge
[/b][/quote]