Just curious ...

thatsfishy · 02-07-2005, 10:49 PM

As I sat in the lobby of a local hospital today, I was fascinated by a chiclid tank they had on display there. It was quite a large tank, 70-100g is my guess, with lots of rocks, a few fake plants, normal natural gravel substrate and a variety of different colored fish, some very large ... all in all nice looking.

What struck me though is the amount of fish that were crammed in there. I've counted around 20+ varying in size from about 2 inches (only a few) to mostly 4-8 inches. I'm not into chiclids, I'm only guessing they were mostly Mbuna. The majority looked like "bumblebees" (black/yellow striped), a few larger ones were almost all black, a couple white ones, one yellow, some pale grey-blue w/yellow fins, a black-white marble looking pair, and one royal blue/black oddball (he looked a tad different from the rest, smaller but with a wider mouth, not quite the same body shape). Some of the larger ones were quite agressive, chasing the smaller versions into the rocks to hide. Fun to watch, but ... it just seemed overstocked. Or is it? Like I said, I'm just curious ...

Lexus · 02-07-2005, 11:00 PM

I read somewhere that it is better to overstock/crowd cichlids as they wont be so territorial

**Cichlid Man** · 02-08-2005, 10:52 AM

Your right Lexus.

Malawis aggression is reduced by moderate stocking to prevent a particular fish from being bullied. (Note: if you do this with bettas you will probably end up with a war

)

thatsfishy · 02-08-2005, 04:31 PM

Thanks all! So what's a good stocking ratio? And how do you sex them, btw? Had my nose almost in the tank, still couldn't figure out which was which. Bettas are so much easier at least in that regard.

**Osiris** · 02-09-2005, 09:08 AM

Sexing couldn't be any easier when comes to Africans, males are the beauty's and females dull grayish color usually (in peacocks/haps anyway). Best to have overstocked then understocked as then go have some floaters then...

But doesnt sound overstocked too bad, usually show tanks have that many males to show.

02-07-2005, 10:49 PM	#1
thatsfishy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 185	Just curious ... As I sat in the lobby of a local hospital today, I was fascinated by a chiclid tank they had on display there. It was quite a large tank, 70-100g is my guess, with lots of rocks, a few fake plants, normal natural gravel substrate and a variety of different colored fish, some very large ... all in all nice looking. What struck me though is the amount of fish that were crammed in there. I've counted around 20+ varying in size from about 2 inches (only a few) to mostly 4-8 inches. I'm not into chiclids, I'm only guessing they were mostly Mbuna. The majority looked like "bumblebees" (black/yellow striped), a few larger ones were almost all black, a couple white ones, one yellow, some pale grey-blue w/yellow fins, a black-white marble looking pair, and one royal blue/black oddball (he looked a tad different from the rest, smaller but with a wider mouth, not quite the same body shape). Some of the larger ones were quite agressive, chasing the smaller versions into the rocks to hide. Fun to watch, but ... it just seemed overstocked. Or is it? Like I said, I'm just curious ... __________________ TF Member IBC and CNYBC. Shameless Plug -> CNYBC now offers *Betta Gear* - Get it while its HOT!

02-07-2005, 11:00 PM	#2
Lexus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 2,406	Re: Just curious ... I read somewhere that it is better to overstock/crowd cichlids as they wont be so territorial __________________ 55 Gallon 2 Blood Parrots 2 Angelfish 1 Fantail Goldfish 46 Gallon 1 Albino Bristlenose 2 Angelfish 4 African Dwarf Frogs 4 Black Skirt Tetras 5 Zebra Danios 8 Tiger Barbs 9 Neon Tetras 13 Assorted Corys 29 Gallon 8 Daffodil Cichlids & fry 1 Electric Blue Crayfish 10 Gallon 2 Snails

02-08-2005, 10:52 AM	#3
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Re: Just curious ... Your right Lexus. Malawis aggression is reduced by moderate stocking to prevent a particular fish from being bullied. (Note: if you do this with bettas you will probably end up with a war ) __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

02-08-2005, 04:31 PM	#4
thatsfishy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 185	Thanks all! So what's a good stocking ratio? And how do you sex them, btw? Had my nose almost in the tank, still couldn't figure out which was which. Bettas are so much easier at least in that regard. __________________ TF Member IBC and CNYBC. Shameless Plug -> CNYBC now offers *Betta Gear* - Get it while its HOT!

02-09-2005, 09:08 AM	#5
Osiris Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 25 Posts: 3,714	Re: Just curious ... Sexing couldn't be any easier when comes to Africans, males are the beauty's and females dull grayish color usually (in peacocks/haps anyway). Best to have overstocked then understocked as then go have some floaters then... But doesnt sound overstocked too bad, usually show tanks have that many males to show.

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