a strange mix of fish

[jibboo]

Here's a snapshot of my strange mix of cichlids and loaches. I thought I'd drop an update on my scenario. I added a mix of 13 juvenile africans with my current mix of redtail shark and yo-yos + 1 botia historonica a little over 4 months ago. It appears that the cichlids are beginning to approach maturity as one of my kenyiis are finally starting to change colors. Interestingly enough, it wasn't the largest kenyii, which is the one I suspected to be a male. So far everyone is healthy and active.

The pic below is of the group swarming on a sinking algae wafer:

you can see the botia historonica (left), 2 kenyii, 1 aurutus, 2 red zebras, 1 yellow lab (bottom middle), 1 yo-yo loach (bottom right) and the head of my redtail shark coming into frame top right.

 

[GlitcH]

wow that's a big redtail shark ya got there........and the rest of the gang look heathly and happy.
Who is the boss of the tank?

 

[Jarred Darque]

that redtail near full grown? about 6 inches? I really liked mine, need to get another

I found my last one in an african cichlid tank

 

[JodiMartin2003]

I got rid of my last red tailed shark because he was a MEANIE. Always picking on my rainbow shark and my flying fox.

 

[Jarred Darque]

I had to get ridof mine cause he picked on a bichir senegalus that wa sthe same size. I hope to get anotehr one, only problem is that the tank will have alot of bottom feeders, so he may mess with some of em.

 

[Andos99]

Your fish look great! I had a red-tailed shark once and he was the one that got picked on! For some reason my tinfoils didn't like him too much so I had to put him in a different tank.

 

[lovemybarbs]

My red-tailed is nice to all of my fish. He doesn't do much but clean all day.

 

[jibboo]

yeah, I've had this fish for at least 5 years. I had him in a 10 gallon tank for at least 3 years. I'd guess that he's about 5 inches. Nice and thick. For the most part he hides in this hollow log decoration that I have, but lately he's been making his presence known to the cichlids. Which is actually kind of funny since the Kenyii and Aurutus are supposed to be really nasty fish. I'm hoping that everything works out since the cichlids were added as small juveniles and the shark and loaches were already in place and full size. My yo-yos are about 4" as well.

Sorry this pic doesn't really show the true beauty of the shark (the flash kinda washes out the deep blackness)