[vodoochild]

I just inherited a 75 gallon tank. The guy who gave it to me had a 2oscars 3in, one 5in jack dempsy, one 5in green terror, one 6in jaguar, one 4in pike, and a male convcit 3in and a female convict 2in. He has this tank overstocked I know. I would like to keep the pair of convicts and one or two others. I was wondering what you guys thought on possible combos with what I have inherited. Thanks.

 

[Lestango]

You have the "Death Row" in a Federal penitentiary piscatorial equivalent in your tank. lol. I don't mean to take your posting lightly, but I know no other way to answer your inquiry. In a tank of your size one, or a pair of only one off the species you have named can live happily, IMO, with any form of guarantee of survival. With tongue in cheek i added "guarantee" as an excape clause on my behalf.

 

[Lestango]

Now that I have had time to recover from my reaction to reading your post I realize that I was quite impulsive and insensitive, and apologize. To me a pair of convicts would get lost in a 75g tank by themselves. Perhaps a single fish of each of the species could survive and make the tank an interesting show tank. The tank is long enough that pair of Dempseys and a pair of Convicts could occupy the far ends of the tank.

I would be inclined to try to build the occupancy around the pike, but I am not sure how. I will, therefore, leave this thread open to others who have had more direct experience in keeping the species you have than I.

I am very fond of all the species you have - so much so that I would hesitate to try to keep any together in your 75g tank.

I think your friend is a sadist!

 

[SinisterKisses]

If you'd like to keep the breeding pair of convicts, in a 75gal tank I'd say pick one of the remaining fish only. The jaguar will get much too large for a 75gal, so I'd find a new home for him/her. So I would say keep either one oscar, the jack dempsey, OR the green terror. Use that as your central focus for the tank.

From there, you can look at some larger dither fish such as giant danios or something, if you think the tank looks empty.

Keep in mind though, the oscars, JD, and green terror are all still babies. They're going to get much larger, so plan for the tank with the fish as adults - not as they are now.

 

[vodoochild]

thank you all for your advice im gonna have to sleep on it then make a decision

 

[duds]

If the tank were mine I would keep the pair of cons with the pike (assuming the pike won't get too big). Decorate the tank to allow for multiple hiding places and sight-breaks. If the cons pair off (which they likely will), you'll have tension in the tank, but with enough cover the pike should be fine. If you don't love the pike, I would say keep the JD. You might be able to pull off the GT in the tank with the cons.
Right now I'm keeping a pair of cons with a pair of nics in a 75 and they're doing fine, even with the cons spawning regularily. The decorations really allow for distinct territories, which is key when keeping territorial fish together.

 

[remi]

I think you should send the pike to me for further observation. JK sounds like you need to do some thinking on what your going to keep and find homes for the rest. Good luck.

 

[TheFishGuy]

I think you should send the pike to me for further observation.

LOL That's funny...