New 90 Gallon-Advice on Splitting up my Cichlids

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Wailing Banshee

Wailing Banshee

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
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I understand (now) I mixed NW and OW cichlids from buying from a mixed "African Cichlid" tank. 5 years later, a very aggressive red zebra and a blood parrot are my original surviving fish.

My LFS will take my zebra in for trade, but I've become fond of the bugger after 5 years. He constantly spits rocks out of "his" log. Could he be a she and not a he?

My two blood parrots will be getting their own tank (yes, I got another one and I know they are hybrids).

I currently have the worst combination ever, no need to tell me...

2 baby jewel cichlids (1 1/2" fast as lightning)
2 young female convicts (dumb, I know) The bigger one is very aggressive and the smaller stays pale and hides.
1 territorial red zebra about 4 1/2" who owns the tank "Mine! Mine!"
2 blood parrots about the size of the back of my hand who are passive unless picked on.

They are in a 50 gallon tank with many hiding places, caves and we are lucky enough here in N Florida that our well water taps into a spring. I do use prime and aquarium salt in my tanks, but add water to my 300+ gallon koi pond without treatment. I am setting up my 90 gallon tank this weekend.

Who goes where and who goes back to my LFS?? (Told me convicts were African -_-).

I really like the jewels as they already follow me everywhere. I DON'T want baby convicts. Would adding 3 more female convicts to make a school of 5 settle them down? Is there anything you can put in a convict tank? If I decide to keep the convicts, I'd like to go back and get some albinos but I know it's harder to sex them. They leave my blood parrots alone.

What do I put with my red zebra? Sadly, I think he killed my original crew over the past 5 years-a nice yellow lab and I'm sure a Jack Dempsey and others... (Mixed mystery tank selection)...

I have room for more tanks. My husband likes this hobby better than my 4 legged babies.

Advice without admonishment, please!

Thanks :)
 
I'd remove the convicts, jewel, and parrot cichlids that way you can have a Malawi cichlid tank
 
No the convicts are not worth it IME. I hate them. But im still going to breed them.

I would get the parrots there own tank and start fresh with the 90g and do a new world tank. What fish are you intrested in??

I would leave the parrots in the 50 with the jewels and sell everything else (personally i would sell everything) but i dont think you want to do that.
 
Oscar98 said:
No the convicts are not worth it IME. I hate them. But im still going to breed them.

I would get the parrots there own tank and start fresh with the 90g and do a new world tank. What fish are you intrested in??

I would leave the parrots in the 50 with the jewels and sell everything else (personally i would sell everything) but i dont think you want to do that.
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Thanks!! I am considering taking the convicts back as I've only had them a month.

From the behavior of my red zebra, I'm not inclined to buy more Mbuna but am interested in the non-mbuna cichlids of Lake Malawi. Maybe if I had all Mbuna from the start, he wouldn't have turned out to be so aggressive. I think he is going to outlive me!!

Thank you for your input. ;)
 
Anytime! If you want to do an african tank i cant help XD i dont do africans. I can identify them and tell you about some pf them but i have no clue when it come to them unless its frontosa or tilapia. And even ten i dont know a lot. XD good luck!
 
Oscar98 said:
Anytime! If you want to do an african tank i cant help XD i dont do africans. I can identify them and tell you about some pf them but i have no clue when it come to them unless its frontosa or tilapia. And even ten i dont know a lot. XD good luck!
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Down here in Florida, people must be breeding them in kiddie pools because baby convicts are at every LFS. Are you breeding them bc there is a demand in Pa? Do you prefer Central or South American cichlids?
 
Wailing Banshee said:
Down here in Florida, people must be breeding them in kiddie pools because baby convicts are at every LFS. Are you breeding them bc there is a demand in Pa? Do you prefer Central or South American cichlids?
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I prefer both XD haha. Im breeding the convicts for safe, disease free feeders. I have both centrals and southerns. I am getting three more south american cichlids next week. (Red terrors). I have my tanks on my youtube channel. Just look up "keegan ellis" on youtube channels. I have
4-5 videos of just fish tanks
 
Nice videos! How old do you think that red devil is? Now I see why they say the blood parrot is a hybrid of the RD. I've never seen a mature one with the hump/low set head. My husband thought I was the only one who videotaped their fish! I'm excited about my 90 gallon and eventually a show tank. There is a 200+ gallon with stand and everything for only $300... I'm so tempted.

I have to video my red zebra. He is so furious about the convict that won't back down, he is quivering like he's having a seizure. I do have a good video of my newest blood parrot fighting with the red zebra. The parrot is much bigger and won't back down. Convicts as feeders? I do like the looks of them, but they are so territorial. I guess when I get my Oscar I've wanted all along, I may be feeding him convicts, too!!
 
Ya cons are perfect feeders XD. My little 3" salvini (the yellow one with black horizontal bars) is the boss of the 6' tank haha. I sold the red devil but u have no clue how old he was. Very mean. But was about 9". Im going to be setting up another 55 for the convicts and jewels. Then the three new red terrors will go in the 150. I like centrals because they are generally more aggressive and southerns because they are generally more colorful. So i like red terrors because they are super aggressive and super colorful.
 
Oscar98 said:
Ya cons are perfect feeders XD. My little 3" salvini (the yellow one with black horizontal bars) is the boss of the 6' tank haha. I sold the red devil but u have no clue how old he was. Very mean. But was about 9". Im going to be setting up another 55 for the convicts and jewels. Then the three new red terrors will go in the 150. I like centrals because they are generally more aggressive and southerns because they are generally more colorful. So i like red terrors because they are super aggressive and super colorful.
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I almost bought 3 Severums a few weeks ago. They were gorgeous. Do you have any experience with them?
 
Oscar98 said:
Nope, i have 0 exp with them. I might get some super red severums though. I really like them.
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The ones I saw were dark orange with white pearly flecks-about 2 1/2" each. Who do you recommend to order from online? I also want to start keeping shrimp.
 
Are these super reds? I was calling them red spot golds.

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I have severums and love them, beautiful and peaceful =) I've read they make good tank mates for oscars. I have a juvie Oscar too.
 
This is my 5 or 6 inch female. Boring ol'green sevs are my favorite. Redish orange lower fins with blue on the face, looks like she's got blue eye-shadow =) I also have gold which are pretty too, but one of my 2 in. ones is a meanie
 

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