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**Zulaab** · 05-10-2009, 10:44 AM

I am going to agree with EK.. 9 is not enough, you want more in your tank. You can blend non-trophs into a tank, but honestly, get two nice groups, or better yet.. one large number of fish into one tank.
If Dan can ship I would get him to do it for you. Get 25-30 fry and grow them out. You will be so much better off.. what size tank are you going to put them in ?

**vmahaffe** · 05-10-2009, 02:04 PM

120 gallon tank (4'x2'x2')
If the group is co-existing right now, wouldn't 9 be okay?

**Zulaab** · 05-10-2009, 09:03 PM

You can try it.. just know this.. if you end up with 1 fish left.. then dont tell us "what happened?" because with only 9 what is going to happen is that one male is going to attempt to control the tank. If a second one (there always will be one) who challenges him they will fight. He kills him, because there is not enough of the others for him to swim in between and hide in the group. You now will have 8.. another male will attempt to step up to the plate and try to be beta male. Same thing will happen, and if the alpha gets to irratated he will kill off a female that is in the way. Now you will be at 6 or 5 left.. if there is no other males available, you are potentially going to have peace, until all the females are prego and she does not want to spawn with the male, and he will kill her, now you are down to 2 or 3.. if your lucky they will live, but you have to be on top of things. Unless you know the person who is selling the fish exceptional well, and he / she can tell you that there is an established male and he is not fighting the others, and you can see an obvious alpha male who is going be able to continue to be the alpha male where ever you put him, you are going to be looking at a potential slaugher. I have a colony of that size in a 70, but I look everyday at the fish and make sure that if there is any problem I am going to split the male out, and I am growing out others right now as fast as I can to add to the colony because if I dont I am going to be worried I am going to be looking at a slaughterhouse in matter of hours..

**vmahaffe** · 05-10-2009, 09:29 PM

Ok, small groups bad, big groups good. Thanks.
The guy who has the moliro's has had them for awhile now, at least 4 months, with no problems and some of the females have held. I will probably pass so I don't end up with the issues outlined above.

**Zulaab** · 05-10-2009, 09:58 PM

The thing is you can get more moliro's but getting fry Moliro and adults, you still run the risk. I am lucky because my fish have been together from a large group and a crash occurred and there is one male who is the supreme alpha and he is holding his own. If I remove him I am looking at no fish in matter of a couple of days because there would be several males in my setup who would step up to the plate and because I have as few as I have over all, it would be a slaughterhouse... This is why I look at those guys for long periods of time to make sure my alpha is always in charge.. because if anything changes I am going to look at a whole bunch of dead fish in matter of hours.

Trust us when we tell you get, 25-30 fry and let them grow out together and see the fun of seeing them grow and see the hierarchy being established.

**eklikewhoa** · 05-11-2009, 10:01 AM

4 months is bot a long time and even if they are working for him once you move them you run the risk of disrupting heirarchy which will fuel up the fighting and possibly end up with 1 fish.

**vmahaffe** · 05-11-2009, 03:47 PM

Ok, I'll stay away and look for fry instead.
This is why I posted on here, I know there are some really knowledgeable troph keepers here!
Anyone know where I could find some Ilangi fry for about $10/ea?

**vmahaffe** · 05-11-2009, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by vmahaffe View Post

Ok, I'll stay away and look for fry instead.
This is why I posted on here, I know there are some really knowledgeable troph keepers here!
Anyone know where I could find some Ilangi fry for about $10/ea?

Found some! Local breeder who has a group of 25 (10 F1 and 15 F2) for $250. Sound like a good deal?

**Zulaab** · 05-11-2009, 10:16 PM

Yeah.. considering you are going to be looking at about a rate of 14-16 a piece online dealers for F1's. I would say jump on it. The prices you see here in Houston would be about the same about $10-12 a piece, for illangi that is.

**eklikewhoa** · 05-12-2009, 06:37 AM

That is a fair price.

Online sells fry for upwards of $18 for F1
I was selling mine $8-12 for F1
Having the F2 in there is not my cup of tea but for the price it's a good deal.

**vmahaffe** · 05-13-2009, 08:24 PM

Ok, I am the most indecisive person when it comes to fish. Unfortunately I don't have the tank space, or basement space, for every fish out there, so I need help again.
I thought the Ilangi were the way to go, but now I found some T. sp. "Black" Magara or red saddles 18 for $180. I can't make up my mind. Should I go for the colony of 25 F1 and F2 Ilangi or the colony 18 Magara for $180? I like both pretty much equal. Any opinions????