2 Green Terrors

[nfeagle5]

I posted earlier about a 55g dream tank, but from the lfs near my school i bought a used 150g tank that will be displayed instead of my room, in the science lab. I got the school to fund half of it and whats great is i get to keep all of it after grad.

I got 2 green terrors with it, both are about 8" long but i am told they get to be a foot long... I pick it all up Sat. Can someone please let me know how to set up the aquarium for these fish and if there are any other fish to go with them.

Whats sweet is i got it all for a pretty low price ($500)


Any help is appreciated.

 

[_dan_]

well 1" of fish per gallon.... 12x2=24 umm our gonna have tonz of room for more

 

[Menagerie]

The one fish per inch will not work here due to the nasty reputation of these guys! Since I do not keep aggressive South American cichlids, I'm not sure what will go with them. www.cichlid-forum.com is very knowlegable about all cichlids and will be better able to help on that front.

That sounds like a cool tank--post pics when it's all set up!

 

[_dan_]

thx for the correction Menagerie i dont want to give out false advice

 

[Menagerie]

You're welcome--the one inch per gallon is pretty limited (peaceful tanks) and it also depends on the experience of the aquarium keeper!

 

[_dan_]

how so the eperience??? :?

 

[Menagerie]

how so the eperience???

You can overstock, if you are really good about feeding (don't want to overfeed, or underfeed) and you keep on top of the water parameters. It also depends on whether-or-not the fish need lots of swimming room. Both my 50 and 25 gals would be considered overstocked and my 10 gal hex is definitely overstocked, but all the fish are doing fine, there is plenty of filtration and their colors look great!


Getting back to the tread at hand, larger, more aggressive fish need territory and depending if you have a mated pair, they may not allow any other fish in the whole 150 gals!!
nfeagle5, do you know the sex of the green terrors?
One fish I would definitely add to a 150 gal tank, regardless of who else is in there--a large common pleco. Often people return them to the LFS because tank size is limited. They are long lived and one would love to live in your tank. It would be like adopting an abandoned animal at the shelter!

 

[QTOFFER]

The green terrors will appreciate several clay flowerpots to call home. Make sure you buy them new, so that you don't introduce pesticides or fertilizers into the water.
No live plants, since these cichlids will just tear them up. Fake plants are OK.

I second the idea of getting a common pleco - and a big piece of driftwood for it too!

You won't be able to add anything else in that tank that is smaller than the green terrors because they will kill it. You may? be able to introduce another super-aggressive cichlid like a Jack Dempsey or a Texas Cichlid. I would check with the cichlid people first, tho.

 

[spence0416]

Once you get to see how agressive the Terrors are then you'll be better able to tell if you can add others to the tank. I would say that Convicts would go nicely in a tank like that.

As for adding another large Cichlid I'd be careful, especially if the Terrors are a pair. They might team up against any thing that they feel is a threat making life in the tank pretty rough. Stay with tough smaller cichlids to avoid this (still might not work).

Good Luck.

 

[nfeagle5]

Both Terrors are female and i have an 8" Pleco so i think that he should be fine. I am pretty on top of chemicals and maitnance so upkeep isnt a problem.

I have no experience with the clay pots tho....can u elaborate?

Also should i use sand or gravel?

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

The clay pots are those common types you see at Lowe's or Home Depot (kind of an orange-ish color). They're great for providing hidey holes for cichlids: just make sure they're BRAND NEW because used ones may have had fertilizers and such in them.

Substrate material really depends on personal choice, as either sand or gravel will be fine. Along with the pots, you could also add some driftwood and/or a few rocks: these will help break up the tank into territories. Plants probably won't survive unless you use java fern or moss, which can be attached to the wood or rock. Many cichlids like to dig/rearrange the substrate, so "planted" plants don't stay planted for long.

Overstocking a cichlid tank is only applicable if you're dealing with African species- which you're not. South and Central American species need enough space to call their own or there WILL be trouble. The fact that they're both females will help a lot, as you won't be dealing with protective parents. You could try to add a school of larger dither fish (tiger barbs, etc.), a pleco, or you can TRY adding some of the other medium-large cichlids and see how things work out. I'd avoid adding any breeding pairs though, as that will make things very chaotic.

If there are any other cichlid species you're interested in, post the names and we may be able to work out an acceptable tank list for you. Good luck with the new tank!

 

[spence0416]

I'd stay away from sand just because it's easier to vacuum gravel, and you won't create a sandstorm when things get stirred up during cleaning and water changes. Some sand will also change the pH of the tank water where gravel won't.

Only use clay pots if its the look you want in the tank. I personally think a large tank looks a lots better with a lot of rock and natural looking plants. And of course driftwood. The fish will like caves made from rock just as much as they like pots.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

Actually, sand is MUCH easier to clean than gravel: the detritus sits ON the sand's surface, rather than falling INTO the substrate- as is the case with gravel. You don't have to stir sand during water changes/cleaning: you simply hold the siphon near the sand surface and the debris is easily sucked in. In addition, unless you've purchased sand made for either marine or African cichlid systems, you shouldn't have to worry about it affecting your water chemistry.

People use the clay pots with the larger cichlid species because it's much easier to provide adequate shelter for the fish with a pot, rather than attempting to stack enough rock into the tank to form a cave. It's also makes tank maintainance easier, which is important because the larger cichlids can be messy. True, the rock looks better- but it's sometimes more important to provide certain items that'll increase the fish's comfort and health, rather than pleasing our own aesthetic wishes.

 

[nfeagle5]

My dad has Play Sand in his tank....it doesnt make a mess or anything....what i am asking is if this is bad for the fish

 

[Menagerie]

No, it is not bad for the fish.