Controlled overstock cichlids

[Johnsbra123]

Seems like this thread is 'overstocked'. I just had to crack a joke! I'm going to keep them till they get around 4", then I will sell them to some one and keep the lab pair. I have 2 labs, 2 albino, 2 orange, 3 Mbuna.

[mistahoo]

Because you don't know what you're talkin' about, I have the problem? Typical...

Mark

Whoa... My apologies Mr. Expert. I just offered what I knew and have seen

[wesleydnunder]

Whoa... My apologies Mr. Expert. I just offered what I knew and have seen

Which wouldn't fill a thimble.

Mark

[Dien16]

What an awesome friendly forum this is! Thought this place was a gathering of people with common interest and hobbies not a place to prey on the people who are learning.

[mistahoo]

What an awesome friendly forum this is! Thought this place was a gathering of people with common interest and hobbies not a place to prey on the people who are learning.

+1

[mistahoo]

I know I'm derailing but lately, I've noticed that quite a few "older" members have been attacking or degrading several of the "newer" members. Did everyone become E-thugs or something?

[wesleydnunder]

What an awesome friendly forum this is! Thought this place was a gathering of people with common interest and hobbies not a place to prey on the people who are learning.

It is a friendly forum. No one is preying on people trying to learn. The OP was told by at least two experienced members that his 26 gal was inadequate for the stocking he has. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. He was given misinformation, which was corrected.

I know I'm derailing but lately, I've noticed that quite a few "older" members have been attacking or degrading several of the "newer" members. Did everyone become E-thugs or something?

Look around. Most of the older members have left or very seldom come around. I've talked to many of them. They left because they got tired of the constant misinformation the overnight experts rear up on their hind legs and bleat out. No one is saying don't help. Just get your facts straight before you post. In this thread, the OP got the answer he wanted to read. Doesn't mean it was the right one for his fish.

I've been keeping fish longer than most of you have been alive. A couple decades ago, I had patience for ignorance. Now I guess I'm something of a curmudgeon, and have very little patience for the glorification of dumbing down.

I was a Mod here and asked Traci to drop my Mod status. Work has gotten heavier and I wasn't sure I'd be able to devote the time to site it needs from Mods. That was one reason... the other was, I saw the writing on the wall with many new members and I knew it'd be a matter of time before threads like this one cropped up. Knowing myself and what my reaction to a bunch of the posted crap would be, I didn't want anything coming back on Traci for my posts.

I'm sure I'll be banned soon for saying what needs to be said without saying "pretty please" first, so likely you won't have to put up with my thuggishness much longer. I just find it a little sad that supadave was the only other one with the sack to speak up.

Mark

[makatak123]

well, this is getting out of hand...

[mistahoo]

It is a friendly forum. No one is preying on people trying to learn. The OP was told by at least two experienced members that his 26 gal was inadequate for the stocking he has. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. He was given misinformation, which was corrected.



Look around. Most of the older members have left or very seldom come around. I've talked to many of them. They left because they got tired of the constant misinformation the overnight experts rear up on their hind legs and bleat out. No one is saying don't help. Just get your facts straight before you post. In this thread, the OP got the answer he wanted to read. Doesn't mean it was the right one for his fish.

Mark

I never said I was an expert. If you want to believe that then by all means, believe what you will. Most of us here aren't and I know for sure I'm not. And for the overstock issue, there are tons of people, most of which you and I probably don't know, that have tons of fish in one tank that really isn't "safe" but they are able to handle the problem. You should try out Google and YouTube! They're awesome! Come back after you see what searching "overstocked aquariums" gives you. I'm only using the 10gal as a holding tank, but compared to these crazy people, they actually keep their fish in the small tank! I'm just giving the OP insight on what overstocked tanks "usually" look like.

I did mention,

OP, if you want to see more overstocked tanks before you decide to start one, check out the videos on YouTube. A lot of them are under- maintained and pretty booboo. You're gonna need to give the tank more attention than if you were to do a normal setup

If some guy over in Japan or some LFS can stock their tanks with a lot of fish, I don't see why can't anyone else?

[wesleydnunder]

I never said I was an expert. If you want to believe that then by all means, believe what you will. Most of us here aren't and I know for sure I'm not. And for the overstock issue, there are tons of people, most of which you and I probably don't know, that have tons of fish in one tank that really isn't "safe" but they are able to handle the problem. You should try out Google and YouTube! They're awesome! Come back after you see what searching "overstocked aquariums" gives you. I'm only using the 10gal as a holding tank, but compared to these crazy people, they actually keep their fish in the small tank! I'm just giving the OP insight on what overstocked tanks "usually" look like.

I did mention,


If some guy over in Japan or some LFS can stock their tanks with a lot of fish, I don't see why can't anyone else?

:aua:

Mark

[mistahoo]

[Johnsbra123]

These guys are checking this thread. What is java moss ? Can I help my cichlid tanks?

[supadave]

These guys are checking this thread. What is java moss ? Can I help my cichlid tanks?

Java moss is a plant . I don't think it will help your tank . Unless you plan on turning your tank into a planted tank .

[mnemenoi]

With you current stocking, plants certainly could not hurt. I would try and utilize as much tall rocks and anything offering shelter (holey rock) as possible and plants interspersed into the rockwork will assist in breaking up 'line of sight'. As to the original question, I would say your certainly heavily stocked and would recommend perhaps swapping out some of the residents for different stratums of fish. All of your current fish are rockdweller types and are very aggressive concerning space and territory, especially as they mature. Perhaps adding some interesting Synodontis catfish or even a Malawi spiny eel in place of some of your current choices would diversify the activity while easing the real estate that your other species will eventually war over.

[barrettsline]

If some guy over in Japan or some LFS can stock their tanks with a lot of fish, I don't see why can't anyone else?

What Mark is trying to say is simple (Mark if im wrong PM me and yell at me). Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
A fish store generally has more filtration in there aquariums than most general
hobbyist. They also turn over fish more often than an aquarium owner. It's just
like what I said earlier in my first post, you need more filtration. In saying that,
perhaps what should have been said is that is can be done with enough
filtration. But it’s not right to do. Your fish will suffer health wise, grow
and color will not happen like it should or would, and (not that it’s a bad
thing) but a heavier devotion towards water changes, water quality, etc. will
have to be maintained. If the OP can’t do that, then they shouldn’t keep that
many fish. If the OP can eventually devote money and time to (daily to every
two day) water changes and can see to it that the fish at least have good water
quality fine. However just because a fish eats and seems healthy doesn’t mean
it is.

Not to take sides or anything (because believe me my 72 gallon is over stocked
but I can manage mine), but take your 100 gallon for example (I’m not trying to
take you down a peg or anything so don’t take it the wrong way). But with your
fish stock the fish will never obtain the highest quality of life, health or
care. Even with your upgrade you don’t have the space to properly house them.
It is to a 180 if I remember correctly. You own fish that need in excess of 500
gallons of water for a full grown specimen. So what will you do? I would hope
the answer is devoting the proper amount of time and care they need and
eventually find a proper home for them.

I'm a young guy, but I have been raised into this world. I’ve been doing this
longer than some of the old guys. I’ve setup and sold more tanks than most ever
will in there time in this hobby. It's not a hobby it’s a life style to me. I
have seen it on a few signatures before and must agree with it. If you take one
the responsibility of a living creature, then it is your responsibility to see
to it that it receives the best care it can have.

Can I condone or condemn what some do? No, all I can do is ask that they put themselves in that situation and think how they'd feel. I also ask that people do research before jumping in to the unknown.