Overstocking

[TheGrza]

It seems to be a universal consensus that overstocking curbs aggression. I have a 55 gallon with 14 cichlids and 2 synodontis cats. How much overstocking should I be doing? Here's a list of my current stock.
2 yellow lab
1 johanni
1 red zebra
1 rusty
1 venustus
1 frontosa
1 what's been ID'd as a perlmuth
1 yellow fin mbamba
1 acei
1 OB peacock
1 Jacobfriebergi
2 unidentifiable peacocks
2 synodontis cats

Please keep in mind this is my first crack at an African tank. I understand the frontosa probably shouldn't be in there but he seems to be doing quite well. The average fish size is about 1.5-2".

 

[HN1]

Generally, the recommendation to overstock in order to curb aggression is to stock more numbers of less species. I'm afraid a "community" rift tank will fail sooner rather than later. Though I have never tried it.

 

[tsk5035]

Yes. Overstocking works only if you have several species of fish with the proper m/f ratio. Orrr if you go with an all male tank. So if your stock list is all males, you should have an okay tank;

Simple guide lines to follow are basically make sure all your fish look different. I.e. They don't have the same color patterns and you don't say, house 2 species of Labridochromis

 

[kay-bee19]

...I understand the frontosa probably shouldn't be in there but he seems to be doing quite well. The average fish size is about 1.5-2".

At 1.5"-2" their full aggression potential isn't developed yet, and in most cases juvies of incompatible species will get along for a while.

In the long term the frontosa will have issues (in terms of the sheer size it can get; the fact that fast moving fish can stress out slow-moving frontosa's; different dietary requirements, piscivorous nature, etc). The frontosa along with venustus will eventually require a much larger tank (6ft+ length 125gal+).

Overstocking (as a counter-aggression technique) works best among compatible species and may not fully 'protect' peacocks in a mbuna dominated set up (again this is down the road, right now they're juvies and co-existing just fine).

 

[TheGrza]

I appreciate the insight. The frontosa seems to be doing well for now. He mingles peacefully. He holds his own well enough that nobody is chasing him, and he seems to not want to be bothered to be aggressive on his own so it's win win for now. I understand shortly I will be needing a second tank.

 

[TheGrza]

My real question though, how much overstocking should I be doing? 14 cichlids and 2 synodontis. Too much or not enough?

 

[NyteGTI]

like they've said above. overstocking will only work if you actually have groups of the same species. with the way your tank is setup(14 cichlids in 12 different species) overstocking really wont have an effect on you. you might want to think about rehoming some of the species if you have any females in there... otherwise this is an atomic bomb waiting to go off.

 

[TheGrza]

How can you determine sex on cichlids that are so small?