Hello!
I am new to the site but not to the hobby. I have kept a 46 G bowfront for about 10 years. Mostly fresh tropical, but at one time I had a mix of cichlids and tropicals: 2 severums, a Firemouth, 2 gouramies, several platies, and maybe a couple of tetras. Only aggression was the two gouramies, although the firemouth always ate the platy babies.
Now I'm back into the cichlids, and once again not following all the rules about the mix. But it's been 7 weeks and everyone is getting along. I have a firemouth, a red jewel, a red zebra, a yellow tail acei, an auratus, a peacock, and an interesting fish from the "assorted cichlid" tank. Best I can find is maybe it is a calico peacock. Also a yellow lab. Can you guess I was going for the diversity here? Almost all of these came out of the "assorted" tank and were bought at one time. Feeding NLS and Omega One Veggie flake. I have rock and cave works, but maybe will add more.
Currently running a Marineland 280 with Biowheel- I have used this for the 10 years I've had the tank. Fish are now 2 or 2 1/2 inches each.
A new filter is on the way- Marineland 400, with 2 larger biowheels, so I can't use the old biowheel on the new filter. My plan is to sink the 2 new biowheels in the tank for 2 weeks, while still running the old filter. Then I will switch to the new filter and sink the old biowheel. I'm looking to avoid a mini cycle while increasing the biological filtration before these fish get too much bigger.
Also: Overstocking to avoid aggression. I'm pretty happy with what is in there right now. Should I add any more to this mix? I'd rather add now, while the fish are still kind of small.
Thanks!
I am new to the site but not to the hobby. I have kept a 46 G bowfront for about 10 years. Mostly fresh tropical, but at one time I had a mix of cichlids and tropicals: 2 severums, a Firemouth, 2 gouramies, several platies, and maybe a couple of tetras. Only aggression was the two gouramies, although the firemouth always ate the platy babies.
Now I'm back into the cichlids, and once again not following all the rules about the mix. But it's been 7 weeks and everyone is getting along. I have a firemouth, a red jewel, a red zebra, a yellow tail acei, an auratus, a peacock, and an interesting fish from the "assorted cichlid" tank. Best I can find is maybe it is a calico peacock. Also a yellow lab. Can you guess I was going for the diversity here? Almost all of these came out of the "assorted" tank and were bought at one time. Feeding NLS and Omega One Veggie flake. I have rock and cave works, but maybe will add more.
Currently running a Marineland 280 with Biowheel- I have used this for the 10 years I've had the tank. Fish are now 2 or 2 1/2 inches each.
A new filter is on the way- Marineland 400, with 2 larger biowheels, so I can't use the old biowheel on the new filter. My plan is to sink the 2 new biowheels in the tank for 2 weeks, while still running the old filter. Then I will switch to the new filter and sink the old biowheel. I'm looking to avoid a mini cycle while increasing the biological filtration before these fish get too much bigger.
Also: Overstocking to avoid aggression. I'm pretty happy with what is in there right now. Should I add any more to this mix? I'd rather add now, while the fish are still kind of small.
Thanks!