Adding more Cichlids to my 55 gallon

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

Your going to have aggression and your going to have some fights. Your not going to be able to stop it completely it's their natural instincts.

Completely accurate.. i bought a longer tank to help with my aggression but even with the extra length i still have some fights here n there

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

It should calm down some having higher numbers in the tank. You'll probably have some aggression still but it's normal. Once they figure out who is going to be dominated.and sub dominate things should calm down some. What temperature is the tank at? A higher temp makes them more frisky

Its at 80f

[mariah]

Originally Posted by kjacks

Completely accurate.. i bought a longer tank to help with my aggression but even with the extra length i still have some fights here n there

My cobalt blue mouths are getting darker like where they have been bit or hit from them fighting

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

Its at 80f

Lower it to 78f and that should calm them down a little.

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

Lower it to 78f and that should calm them down a little.

Okay will do! Ill put it down one now and another degree in about 2 hours. Alsoooo i did a water change almost a week ago and did a 75% and didn't put the epsom salt back in. They are not fat or anything. Should i leave it as is and let it get to nothing and add it when needed?

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

Okay will do! Ill put it down one now and another degree in about 2 hours. Alsoooo i did a water change almost a week ago and did a 75% and didn't out the epsom salt back in. They are not fat or anything. Should i leave it as is and let it get to nothing and add it when needed?

Yea if the bloat is gone then it's not needed. Just hold onto it for future use.

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

Yea if the bloat is gone then it's not needed. Just hold onto it for future use.

Okay sounds good thank you

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

Okay sounds good thank you

Yep no problem

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by mariah

My cobalt blue mouths are getting darker like where they have been bit or hit from them fighting

Mine has some scarring on their mouths where they have locked lips a few times i havent had serious injuries yet and since beig moved in the bigger tank fighting hasnt happened as often an usually is just chasing except when one gets closer to my female thats holding fry . Then they back up n charge each other . Kinda like playing chicken .. its kinda funny

[mariah]

Originally Posted by kjacks

Mine has some scarring on their mouths where they have locked lips a few times i havent had serious injuries yet and since beig moved in the bigger tank fighting hasnt happened as often an usually is just chasing except when one gets closer to my female thats holding fry . Then they back up n charge each other . Kinda like playing chicken .. its kinda funny

So when the fish list says like lab (2-2.5) 15 of them then cobalt blue M 15 of them.... what size is it?

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

So when the fish list says like lab (2-2.5) 15 of them then cobalt blue M 15 of them.... what size is it?

You'll need to ask your shop to be sure but it sounds to me they will be 2-2.5 inches and they have 15 in stock maybe

[mariah]

Originally Posted by kjacks

Mine has some scarring on their mouths where they have locked lips a few times i havent had serious injuries yet and since beig moved in the bigger tank fighting hasnt happened as often an usually is just chasing except when one gets closer to my female thats holding fry . Then they back up n charge each other . Kinda like playing chicken .. its kinda funny

Yeah its mainly just chasing but sometimes they nip the other fish. There is a bit missing out of the top fin on the dominant male cobalt. I hope adding the 8 mote fish doesn't make it so there is more fish to pick on

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

You'll need to ask your shop to be sure but it sounds to me they will be 2-2.5 inches and they have 15 in stock maybe

For the cobalts?

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

For the cobalts?

Yea if they list them by size then they probably just don't say over and over. Its just 2-2.5" and then list all the fish at that size and how many. You'll have to ask the lfs how they do it and what it means that's just my guess

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

Yea if they list them by size then they probably just don't say over and over. Its just 2-2.5" and then list all the fish at that size and how many. You'll have to ask the lfs how they do it and what it means that's just my guess

Ohhhhh okay i will ask them thank you. Is it bad if the fish are .5-1 inch bigger then my current ones?

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

Ohhhhh okay i will ask them thank you. Is it bad if the fish are .5-1 inch bigger then my current ones?

If they are to much bigger than they may eat each other. But an inch to two shouldn't be a problem. BTW IMO they always list them bigger than they are.

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

If they are to much bigger than they may eat each other. But an inch to two shouldn't be a problem. BTW IMO they always list them bigger than they are.

Ohhh okay like if they have to round they round up not down. The fish i have are exactly 2 inches and they have 2.5 inch fish for me to order and M might mean a bit closer to 3 maybe. I do have a 2.5 strawberry peacock in there and he just stays in one spot doesn't do much lol

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

If they are to much bigger than they may eat each other. But an inch to two shouldn't be a problem. BTW IMO they always list them bigger than they are.

Sooo.... I got a few more fish on thursday. I currently have
5 electric labs
4 coblat blue
3 red blotch zebra
2 strawberry peacock
It looks kind of full now. are you sure that there will be enough room for the 18 in there? should I still get two more cobalts and 2 labs? The one ob that I originaly had, is picking on the one new one and the smaller new one, has been in the top corner for the past two days....

[Andrew McFadden]

Originally Posted by mariah

Sooo.... I got a few more fish on thursday. I currently have
5 electric labs
4 coblat blue
3 red blotch zebra
2 strawberry peacock
It looks kind of full now. are you sure that there will be enough room for the 18 in there? should I still get two more cobalts and 2 labs? The one ob that I originaly had, is picking on the one new one and the smaller new one, has been in the top corner for the past two days....

They should get use to each other. 18 is actually kind of a low number to some folks here.

[mariah]

Originally Posted by Andrew McFadden

They should get use to each other. 18 is actually kind of a low number to some folks here.

really? Will the nitrate level be okay? I am only going to be doing water changes every 8 -10 days. and i do 50% some times more