alright, i was growing out this fish for a buddy of mine in my 125, but now that i have gotten attached to "King Midas" i am thinking of keeping him, however, i cant unless i put him in a tank of his own. i dont think he will get along with the 2 oscars, jag, and GT. so what size should i get, i have a 55 sitting around, but for a fish that can get up to 16 inches im sure this is too small.
what size of tank for single RD?
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a 75 would be the absolute minimum! A 55 gal would work for a little while and long enough for you to build enough money and make room for a 75 but it wouldn't work longterm.
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Well...it's hard to say. For an RD, it would be a 55gal minimum for a female all by herself, or 75gal for a male all by himself. But that fish you have has more than just RD or Midas in it, so it could add a bit of size to a female...so I'd say a 75gal minimum is safest.
If keeping a single red devil in a 55g is "inadequate" then how did this one - raised in a 55g - win ACA a few years ago?
http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php ... 24215&st=0
Bigger is always better when it comes to big cichlids, but come on.
Keeping a RD in a 20H leads to the deformities, etc. that you see in 80% of the RDs and Oscars that you see traded into LFS (where they're dumped into another 20H or a 55g with 4 others).
Keeping one in a 55g, while less than perfect (probably a 125g), is FAR from inadequate (and FAR better than the vast majority of RDs kept by fishkeepers).
http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php ... 24215&st=0
Bigger is always better when it comes to big cichlids, but come on.
Keeping a RD in a 20H leads to the deformities, etc. that you see in 80% of the RDs and Oscars that you see traded into LFS (where they're dumped into another 20H or a 55g with 4 others).
Keeping one in a 55g, while less than perfect (probably a 125g), is FAR from inadequate (and FAR better than the vast majority of RDs kept by fishkeepers).
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Taking into consideration that midas cichlids grow a bit larger then red devils and that most RD's/Midas sold in the hobby today are cross breeds I would have to say a 75 would be a long term solution with a 55 being suitable for the first year or so, unless you're absolutely positive that your red devil is of pure lineage, in which case you can use a 55 comfortably.
The original post I quoted was a gross exaggeration… and my response was a counter exaggeration… yet the principal of it I stand behind as true…
The original post I quoted said they would die for a 55... Which means they are in something smaller than a 55... Implying quite smaller…
I do believe that keeping a RD in a tank that is quite smaller than a 55 gal will most likely lead to an unhealthy, probably dead, fish.
As to the ACA winner in a 55 gal, notice how it is mentioned (“What's unbelievable was that he kept it in a 55 gallon tankâ€
The original post I quoted said they would die for a 55... Which means they are in something smaller than a 55... Implying quite smaller…
I do believe that keeping a RD in a tank that is quite smaller than a 55 gal will most likely lead to an unhealthy, probably dead, fish.
As to the ACA winner in a 55 gal, notice how it is mentioned (“What's unbelievable was that he kept it in a 55 gallon tankâ€
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what do u guys think of keeping an RD in a 55g for a year or so, then upgrading to something larger?
Also, is the main problem with keeping an RD in a 55g is the width or the water volume?
Also, is the main problem with keeping an RD in a 55g is the width or the water volume?
Length is the most important thing with big fish. Volume is important when it comes to cleaning. Big fish = lots of, well fish poop. Big fish with less volume equals more water changes. So to balance the fish with cleaning 75g would be a minimum. You could keep a RD in a 55g for a year as long as you have bigger tank plans in the future. However, an RD would LOVE a 6ft (125g) long tank.
Just to clear this up. I have had a female Midas in a 55g for two years now and she reached 10" in the first year.
That said it would be much easier to do tank maintenance if I had the 75g. I have to work much harder to ensure the water is kept clean.
Next time I'll do a 75g for sure.
That said it would be much easier to do tank maintenance if I had the 75g. I have to work much harder to ensure the water is kept clean.
Next time I'll do a 75g for sure.
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