How many fish to have

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cichlidpaul

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
515
Location
UK , Birmingham
Hi all
After reading some posts on here it has me wondering if my fish list is too much what do you all think
25 cichlids peacock/haps mainly
2 plecos
1cat
tank size is 1500L x 600H x 500W

Sent from my X10i using Aquarium
 
everyone on here told me i have too many for my 55gal with:

1 oscar - 9in
2 parrots - 3in
1 giraffe cichlid - 3 1/2in
1 shovelnose cat - 6-7in
& 1 kribensis - 2in

i admitt the folks on here def know more about aquariums than i do, but my ph, amonia & nitrate levels are always golden & my tank is very harmonious. they all also eat great & have beautiful scales. but hey, what do i know lol :)
 
I have a 55 also, which use to house two oscars before they got to big,my tank just stayed dirty and I had to clean it every three days, so I sold them and i bout 12 mbuna,my tank is crystal clear now,but they say an single Oscar needs an 55 by itself, from my experience, their right
 
Hi all
After reading some posts on here it has me wondering if my fish list is too much what do you all think
25 cichlids peacock/haps mainly
2 plecos
1cat
tank size is 1500L x 600H x 500W

Sent from my X10i using Aquarium

I don't think your overstocked based on those numbers. In my 150g I was housing 70 mbuna/peacocks with the nitrate never going over 20ppm in a week. I use water quality to help decide stocking numbers. Do a 50% water change and monitor the nitrate levels I they stay around 20ppm within the week your good, but any higher I adjust stocking.
 
everyone on here told me i have too many for my 55gal with:

1 oscar - 9in
2 parrots - 3in
1 giraffe cichlid - 3 1/2in
1 shovelnose cat - 6-7in
& 1 kribensis - 2in

i admitt the folks on here def know more about aquariums than i do, but my ph, amonia & nitrate levels are always golden & my tank is very harmonious. they all also eat great & have beautiful scales. but hey, what do i know lol :)

You have enough fish to fill a 220gal+ tank with some of those fish. The shovelnose will hit 18", the "giraffe" which I'm sure is a venetus will hit 12", the Oscar will hit 14", parrots will hit 8-10", and the kribs stay small. These fish won't even be able to turn in a 12" wide tank, not to be rude but you have no business for the fish sake keeping those fish in that little tank. I would start thing about a huge tank set up or start rehoming fish.
 
everyone on here told me i have too many for my 55gal with:

1 oscar - 9in
2 parrots - 3in
1 giraffe cichlid - 3 1/2in
1 shovelnose cat - 6-7in
& 1 kribensis - 2in

i admitt the folks on here def know more about aquariums than i do, but my ph, amonia & nitrate levels are always golden & my tank is very harmonious. they all also eat great & have beautiful scales. but hey, what do i know lol :)


I think what we were trying to get across is also the fish selection you chose. Those giraffe cichlids will gorw over 9 inches. I have two of them and they are being rehomed to a friend as soon as I can catch em. lol

I used to keep 3 oscars and other fish ( eels, baracuda stuff like that) in a 55 gallon years and years ago. It was a huge mistake then, didn't seem too bad at first but trouble did arise.

We just want you to have a happy tank. :)
 
I currently run a 55g mbuna tank and have roughly 15 fish in it right now, and to me they just seem cramped for space. So needless too say i am picking up 120 gal this afternoon. i would say 25 africans would be fine for a 55 with the right rock scape and filtration. Good Luck with the Adventure i love my mbuna been keeping them for 10+ years now.
 
ok ok i get it. my tank is a disaster. i wont be asking anymore questions. thanks for all the help everyone :)

No one here is trying to make you feel bad because we all have made mistakes along the way. Twenty years ago when I first started, prior to the Internet, I didn't know about stocking, nitrogen cycle and adequate filtration. I had a 29g with oscars,tropicals and bala sharks, and I'm sure you can guess how that turned out. Learn from your mistake and share your new found knowledge with others. Good luck and please dont stop asking questions!
 
LOL I cant say much as I am overstocked, under filtered and mis stocked. BUT I am fixing that all with rehoming, a larger tank and a bigger filter. There are ways to fix some mistakes.
Its a good day when you know you can fix something you screwed up on.

Just my opinion though. :)
 
We all make mistakes, that's part of being a fish keeper, I have and pretty sure they have to. Keep asking questions, I have been keeping fish for 5 years and I still have questions from time to time.
 
I know Carey thats why i love this site and the people on it we all want the same thing a good and happy tank with no harm coming to the fish i look at the like being my kids if you see my point . Had an Oscar and a devil in a 4foot years ago all was good for a while till the devil matured then **** had to split them the devil is was the hardest fish ive ever seen or owned he killed the Oscar in the end i could not get him back even in his own tank oh both at 8/9 inch at this stage

Sent from my X10i using Aquarium
 
Sonomakid said:
I currently run a 55g mbuna tank and have roughly 15 fish in it right now, and to me they just seem cramped for space. So needless too say i am picking up 120 gal this afternoon. i would say 25 africans would be fine for a 55 with the right rock scape and filtration. Good Luck with the Adventure i love my mbuna been keeping them for 10+ years now.

Sonomakid thanks for your reply
I have read that in my tank size i could have 30 + fish of cichlids hmmm thats a **** a lot of fish i know but they will all be male and over stocking as such is good and make a calm tank

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Overstocking to a certain point yes, You overstock to much and you will have a war on your hands. Key is to make sure there is hiding spots for everyone.
 
ronnieroach said:
ok ok i get it. my tank is a disaster. OIi wont be asking anymore questions. thanks for all the help everyone :)
Ronni whats up why the hate we are a family here and here to help pm me if i can help i will

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no hate here guys. i thanked everyone & threw in a smiley face. i thought i was nice..?

most ppl were cool but i dont dig hearin over & over how all my fish are gonna kill one another eventually. & after i say i know theyve outgrown the 55, i hear that my tanks too small a few more times lol

i know im bein a lil touchy but even so, id rather just get my advice from local ppl instead.

nothin against any one person. its all gravy my fishy friends :)
 
well i feel like a clown :( lol

my fish that i was warned about (why i was all touchy in the first place) started getting aggressive & bully-esque. i feel like a 'word i cant use on the forum.'

i really love this fish & rehomed another so he could stay & not be bullied.

anyway, i'm rehoming my newest bully to my boy who is gonna start a 55gal tank just for him.

i've def just had some HUMBLE PIE & bow down to the fishy professors of the forum lol i'll probably keep asking questions, in lieu of my earlier post lol

my bad for bein a cornball errrbody :)
 
everyone on here told me i have too many for my 55gal with:

1 oscar - 9in
2 parrots - 3in
1 giraffe cichlid - 3 1/2in
1 shovelnose cat - 6-7in
& 1 kribensis - 2in

i admitt the folks on here def know more about aquariums than i do, but my ph, amonia & nitrate levels are always golden & my tank is very harmonious. they all also eat great & have beautiful scales. but hey, what do i know lol :)

Your fish aren't finished growing. Your oscar is a little better than half grown. Your giraffe cichlid is approx. 1/4 of it's full grown size, and that's just for starters. :)
 
yeah i know how big oscars get but i didnt know squwat about the venestus. i'm getting rid of the venestus. hes a dope fish; just not right for my tank. i'm gonna wait to add anyone else & if / when i do, it'll be when i've already upgraded my tank.
 
I'm glad you figured it all out. :)

I was going to rehome my two giraffes BUT instead I'm gonna buy a 125 gallon tank then I can keep anything I'd like. Well, almost anything lol
 
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