[Suzanne]

hello, I have a great tank but a very bacd mix of cichlids (lake malawi, central and south). Although everyone is getting along for quite awhile and growing like crazy, I know I am in for big trouble (at least that is what everyone is telling me) soon. to make matters worse, a friend (meaning well) gave me one silver dollar fish which is in my 10 gallon tank alone. Not sure what to do with him?????

My current 157 g tank includes (Elec. yellow lab, 3 obs, 2 red peacocks, 1 pike, 1 red zebra, 1 tilapia, 1 ebjd, 1 eyebiter and a couple of muts which I just don't know) , 2 silver fin sharks and yes 1 Five Star General.........my ph level is approx. 7.6 - 7.8 and my temp is at a constant 78 degrees....

 

[bernie comeau]

Not too sure what an obs is ? Quite a few different species are called "Tilapia" ...... from mouth brooding Oreochromis to substrate spawners such as the hyper aggressive Tilapia buttikoferii. Most "Tilapias" are usually quite aggressive, though their is some range of temperments dependant on species. A pike, as well, is a very general term for over 100 different Crenicichla species, from very small to very large. Again quite a range of temperments, though most are fairly aggressive.
Never owned a 5-star, but from what I have heard and read, it's the fish that could give you the greatest problems in this mix.

You have got the fish already, so unless you want to make an almost complete change of stock, my only advice would be to keep an eye on the tank and remove any severely harrassed fish or overly aggressive problem fish, if they should arise. I'd add the silver dollar if you can't get rid of it.... one more fish to distribute aggression. Who knows, the tank may end up working better then expected...... often cichlids are less competitive with other cichlids that are of a different size and/or significantly differrent.

 

[DJRansome]

OBs are probably orange blotch. Can refer to peacocks or mbuna and is more of a color than a species.

 

[Suzanne]

Thank you. My Tilapi is a butterkofi and the ob's are peacocks. So far (for well over a year) my tank has been happy minus a couple of illnesses and losses. I regred the pike purchase which I believe is a Crenicichla Strigata or Vennie). Would like to get rid of it before it gets to big......I have been told that I am a bad fish person because the mixture will kill will not flurish in this tank due to ph levels and food diets......what to do, what to do???

 

[prov356]

I have been told that I am a bad fish person because the mixture will kill will not flurish in this tank due to ph levels and food diets......what to do, what to do???

I wouldn't say you're a bad person, but reading over your past posts, you definitely like to mix big, aggressive fish. Not sure what your question is here, as this tank has been up and running with most of it's current inhabitants for over two years. Seems when you lose a big, agro fish like the tetracanthus for instance, you replace it with another. Don't take this the wrong way, but you've got an interesting style of fishkeeping. It's your hobby, and if what you like is attempting to keep aggressive fish together, then why not. I see you were able to resolve the agrgression at one point by adding plastic plants. Are you having a new problem now, or just worried about having one. If this thing has been going for over two years with minimal losses, and you've got some experience with dealing with aggression, then why not just keep monitoring things. And, again, don't take my post in a negative way. I find it interesting, and would love to see a video of this setup.

 

[bernie comeau]

Thank you. My Tilapi is a butterkofi and the ob's are peacocks. So far (for well over a year) my tank has been happy minus a couple of illnesses and losses. I regred the pike purchase which I believe is a Crenicichla Strigata or Vennie). Would like to get rid of it before it gets to big......I have been told that I am a bad fish person because the mixture will kill will not flurish in this tank due to ph levels and food diets......what to do, what to do???

Well, I have very breif experience with butti many years ago. Definately one of the most aggro fish i ever kept..... didn't end well, got killed by a Red Devil. I wouldn't want one for a boss of a community tank, though every individual fish and every situation is different.

IME, Crenicichla sp.'venuzuela' made an excellent boss for a mixed tank. It was pretty laid back, but I had nothing that could really challange it. Not even large male Oreochromis mosambicus would mess with it. But my brother had lot's of problems trying to house one with a male trimac; they battled for supremacy of the tank and ended up pounding on each other before he finally put a devider in the tank. Keep an eye on it and the butti as they tend to be fish that don't like to play "second fiddle".

pH ...... if your fish get straight tap water (declorinated of course), what's the difference anyways? Water chemistry is not too critical for most lugabris type pikes anyways as they are tolerant of a wide range of conditions; Crenicichla sp." venuzuela" is not really a soft water fish anyways. Ours did well in pH low 8's.
Food.....all the cichlids you have will do well with a quality pellet.

 

[bernie comeau]

the mixture will kill will not flurish in this tank due to ph levels and food diets.

NO, make no mistake about it, in 157 gallons, potential AGGRESSION is the issue to be concerned about.

If you have had most of these fish for a couple years and you have just added the pike and are now considering getting rid of the pike...... by all means go ahead and get rid of the pike! The pike would have to work it's way up the pecking order ladder to become the dominant fish. A Crenicichla sp. 'venuzuela' is certainly capable of killing other fish with out too much effort.....if it doesn't end up getting killed itself, before it even gets the chance to get big.

 

[clgkag]

I have never kept most of the africans you mentioned, but I have had a venny. The pike will grow to 12" very quickly and all small fish will be considered food. If the africans are smaller, say under 3-4" when the pike hits a foot or more, he will definately consider them a food source. If they are larger you will probably be okay. I have had several lugubris pikes and the only aggression I had was usually with other pikes. I am not counting chasing for food as aggression. The only fish I would worry about is the ebjd as the one I had was not an aggressive fish and was pushed around constantly. I would just keep an eye on the tank and be ready to pull any fish that started showing undue aggression.

I forgot to say, unless you plan on getting the SD more friends to school with I would rehome it. They can get quite large and really don't do that well if not in a group.