Help me save these fish

[*silver*]

Hello! First post for me on this forum, so be gentle.

While visiting a friend from college, I noticed a very neglected tank. She said it was her boyfriends tank and when he moved out, he left it there, and she knows nothing about fish, so she said she's just waiting for them to die. :S Weird, I know. So, I told her I'd take the fish and the entire set up and gave her $50 for everything. The tank is a 55g with an AC 110. I had some extras laying around the house, so I added them to the tank: Penguin 350, stealth heater, added substrate and some decor, and put in a bubble wand. I also have an Eheim 2217 thats been sitting in the basement for about a year, and I can't figure how to set it back up, and I know that would add great filtration for this bioload. The fish include: A 9 inch red oscar, a 3 inch female convict, a 3 inch red terror, a 12 inch common pleco, and a 6 inch common pleco. I realize that this is way to many fish for a 55g. My question is, what size would you recommend? The fish seem to all get along great, and even though it's been two weeks since I've took them in, they just look so much more healthy and happy. There are no signs of aggression right now, but I do realize that in the future, the occasion can arise. Especially when the red terror matures. Thanks for taking the time to read my long post.

 

[Big Ben]

It all depends...how long do you plan on keeping the plecos? We both know they will grow very large. Someone correct me if I am mistaken, but Im not so sure the oscar would survive living with a fullgrown red terror.

 

[*silver*]

I've been doing a bit of research, and I don't think this is a true red terror. From what I've read, I am guessing this is a Uropthalmus (false red terror/mayan cichlid). Some say they are aggressive, some say they aren't. Some say if they've grown with other tank mates, that they won't be aggressive towards them. Also, they don't get nearly as large as true red terrors.

I do realize plecos can grow quite large. That's why I'm asking what people what they would do if they were in my situation.

 

[Big Ben]

Does the fish look like this http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/Amphilophus_festae_2.jpg. Check to see if the first two vertical stripes join together like in the picture, otherwise it is a false.

I can't advice you what to do unless I know if you plan on keeping both plecos. If you do plan on keeping them both or just one, for how long? etc.

 

[*silver*]

I plan on keeping both plecos. What else would I do with them? It's not like I can just flush them down the toilet or something. I took these fish in to help them....not to get rid of them. We are in the midst of the plans for building our own tank. We are hoping for a 300+ gallon. Now, these fish that I took in weren't in the plans for this tank, but I'm thinking that this is where they will go.

And yes, "rex" is a false red terror.

 

[plecoperson]

What else would I do with them?

"Not keeping" doesn't necessarily mean "killing." Sometimes people turn large fish in to a pet shop, or find another aquarist who can house (and wants) the fish.

 

[*silver*]

Oh, I know that. Sorry. That's not what I meant by "not keeping." But, the pet stores here don't take in large fish. I tried that once when PetCo sold me two oscars for my 20g tank. That was my first tank and first time I bought fish. The sales person said it was ok to house 2 grown oscars in the 20g. So, when they were getting bigger, I thought that they just looked sick and cramped. So, I called to see if I could return him, not even wanting my money back, and she said no. She said that they don't take in fish over the 15 day limit. :S


So anyway, here's my deal for now. I have a spare 29g that I have set up and cycling for the convict and the smaller pleco for now. The Oscar, False Terror, and Large Pleco are in the 55g still. They are such pretty fish and I'd really hate to lose them. Well, we'll see what happens. Maybe I'll post the plecos on craig's list.

 

[Gillie]

My question is how does a three inch Convict survive living with a nine inch Oscar?

Either way Mayans are still too agressive to be kept with an Oscar, remember the Oscar got it's reputation by eating anything that will fit in it's mouth not agression. Hey I guess I just answered my first question.

 

[evercl92]

My question is how does a three inch Convict survive living with a nine inch Oscar?

My friend's 14in oscar is just fine with the 3in convict that's housed with her. Doesn't bother the newly added 2-3 inch pictus cats, nor the blue gourami.

I think most of it has to do with how its raised - I rarely gave this oscar feeder fish, she was raised on pellets.

 

[*silver*]

Gillie....are you even in the fish hobby? Wow! If you can't say anything intelligent, please back off my thread. kthnxbai

 

[black hills tj]

Gillie....are you even in the fish hobby? Wow! If you can't say anything intelligent, please back off my thread. kthnxbai

Speaking of speaking intelligently. The phrase "kthnxbai" makes you look like a genius.

On another note, I agree with evercl2. A fish's behaviour, especially pacus, oscars, and similar species is guided by the way it has been raised, the tankmates that it has grown up with, feeding habits, etc.

 

[Sicklid]

I have kept convicts forever. They are fine until they are in breeding mode. A single specimen is not going to get too boisterous against others, especially heavy hitters like an oscar.

 

[*silver*]

Gillie....are you even in the fish hobby? Wow! If you can't say anything intelligent, please back off my thread. kthnxbai

Speaking of speaking intelligently. The phrase "kthnxbai" makes you look like a genius.

On another note, I agree with evercl2. A fish's behaviour, especially pacus, oscars, and similar species is guided by the way it has been raised, the tankmates that it has grown up with, feeding habits, etc.

I know. I hate when people write kthnxbai. But, I was feeling a bit cocky and thought I'd throw that at the end of my post.

 

[Marconis]

I didn't even notice him saying anything unintelligent.................He was just trying to help.

 

[*silver*]

Yeah, I was probably just super crabby that day. I apologize. I just started a new nursing job and it requires me to work the overnight shift and I'm having a very difficult time trying to adjust.

Anyways, we decided to put our tank building plans on hold. We don't plan on buying a larger tank at the moment, as well. So, what I've decided to do is call around lps/lfs within a ninety mile radius to see if they will take in the fish I have been caring for. It's going to be hard since I've put a lot of time and effort into the fish and the tank. But, I can at least be happy knowing that I DID give these fish a better life. Plus, I can keep the 55g tank and maybe start up an African colony, which is what I've wanted to do for quite some time.

Thanks for the help everyone! This is a great site!
~Niki

 

[Gillie]

Gillie....are you even in the fish hobby? Wow! If you can't say anything intelligent, please back off my thread. kthnxbai

Wow if that doesn't twist the nip a bit. :x . No hard feelings though.

 

[*silver*]

I said I was sorry. You should see my crabbiness here at home! Working the night shift is not for me!

 

[Gillie]

I know how that goes. Like I said no hard feelings. I'll try to be of some actual help next time

 

[kribensis12]

They will make it, and to show you that anything is possible, here is a pic of 2 yellow labs a few days after rescuing them from my bio-logy teacher left them at school over summer, without a filter, pump, food, or water change: http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u274/krib2007/yellowlab2.jpg
Here is a video: http://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u274/krib2007/?action=view&current=yellowlabvideo.flv

Sorry about the quality. As to the fish, there is room to keep the oscar, convict, and flase terror( or whatever it is), and you might want to get rid of the pleco's.

 

[crazyderik]

My question is how does a three inch Convict survive living with a nine inch Oscar?

Cause they are nasty SOBs
I have 2 convicts in with a full grown Jack Dempsy, 2 red terrors and a super huge plecko... the convicts pretty much control the tank