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Howdy all, I just got a new 160 gal tank which im gonna let me Texas grow old in. He has 3 mates in his current tank, 2 convicts and a Jack Dempsey. As their new tank is expected to being cycling this week, I was wondering if those 4 will be ok growning up in the tank? I have 2 USD cats and a pictus in cleaning the botton of their 60 gal at present (The convicts are like 1" the Texas and Jack are 3" ea). Will I need anymore bottom feeders?

Thanks!

I haven't kept those fish but did keep oscars.. Your fish are a little smaller but still high bioload fish.. I'd guess and say 40 gallon per fish when full grown is appropriate the dempsey maybe 50 but those keeping those fish may correct me or get more specific if I'm wrong, I'm just guessing..

Also I did keep a pictus cat (a close cousin P. Blochii ?)with my SA and CA cichlids and found it the perfect choice for a cleaner fish with them. One should be perfect but these fish like to school. I only had one however, and it was just fine and held his own with the oscar.

edit - I forgot, DO provide the catfish with a low lying sturdy rock cave he can hide under if one is not there.. Sometimes cichlids can get moody and your cat prefers to use that type of cave as a lair as well.

Last edited by DaFishMan at 04-Aug-2005 16:53

The Amazon Nut...

those are some nasty fish you chose there, the only problem i really see is that the texas will get very big and nasty but if they are grown out together you may have a good chance of keeping them together witout problems.

chris

Chris, I got the Jack and texas around the same time. And I got the Convicts together. They seem to be getting along, but just wanted to check with a 5ft tank that they would have enough room.

They will be just fine to with each other thats a big tank. You will love water changes. You could put a oscar a raphel catfish a green terror a fire mouth cichlids a blue acras a green severm and a earth eater/demon fish.

Nows actually a good time to introduce fish, since it can help establish the "pecking order" in the aquarium, and allow the cichlids to accept new tankmates since they're small.

You might want to add a bristlenose in there in case you get algae, of course, it's optional though.

160 is alot of room, even for those cichlids. A pair of pike cichlids would do great in the aquarium. Geophagus brasiliensis can also be a good choice depending if your jack dempsey is moody. Severums can also hold their own. Pollenis and jewels would also hold their own.

there a lot of fish you can add right now, be sure you add some piles of rock for the cichlids to create territories, you could put in some bala sharks or some silver dollars as dither fish a couple bn plecs would be a good idea

good luck

Joe

The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an bacon and egg breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

If it were me id add a red devil or a green terror or some kind of colorful ciclid that grows large.