# Adding an adult to a juvenile tank OK or no?



## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

So, I have done another rescue of sorts today, mostly to get a few more mbuna so my tank is fully stocked, and also picked up a Tilapia adult. Is it possible to add this big guy to my wifes 65g with a juvie jd, juvie jewel, and juvie firemouth?

This 9" Talapia for some reason was housed with the following
3 angelfish
4 pink convicts
6 Kenyi with two kenyi small juveniles
all in a 55 gallon

We will be trying to pick up a certain 75g very soon, but for QT the talpia and 2.5" pink convicts are in a 29 gallon.

My question...
is it possible to add an adult to a newer tank with the three juvies?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Probably not. I believe a 65 gallon tank is going to be maxed out with the cichlids you have in it already.
What species of Tilapia is it?
I see these things - alive - at oriental food marts, and wonder about this stuff sometimes.....
Unfortunately, all the food Tilapias are pretty much 'butt ugly', except for a few species such as Mariae or Buttikoferi.
-
But, if you're really stuck on this fish, get a 6 foot long aquarium and then stock the JD, FM and Jewel in together with it.


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

It is the Buttikoferi..sorry, I must have forgotten to type that in. Im not stuck on it, although it is a huge fish, but my wife is hoping that would round out her first Cichlid tank..lol.

You dont think the 75 would be enough room in the future with this Butti's laid back demeanor?
the JD is 3.5"
Jewel is 2.5"
Firemouth is about 2"

Rock scape is done with alot of flat stone and soon alot of fake plants.

I had read quite a bit on the Butti for the past few days that these guys are almost always tankmate eliminators once they reach about 5 to 6"...Im not sure how this couple was able to house what they did with this big guy, but currently is is doing his own Bob Vila show in the QT tank, and is already very curious when we walk up.

Thanks Auballagh for the reply, and info!!!


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## sjwrx (Apr 15, 2009)

IT may work for a little while with your jd etc. The Buto probably wont see your JD as a threat but once the JD Matures into size you may have your hands full.

Other than that Auballagh pretty much covered it.


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

Hmm..Thanks sjwrx...I wonder if we pull the Jewel it may work better? I think I know what your saying that the colors/striping pattern of the JD might resemble the Butti's too much?
We may just get the 75 anyways, and either put the Butti in there, or swap tanks and put my wifes trio jd, etc in the 75, with the butti in the 65.
any more suggestions?
Thanks for the help!! :thumb:


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## sjwrx (Apr 15, 2009)

the Butti will pretty much fill the 75 itself. i would not add anything else except ditchers, If you do intend on keeping him.

The colors of the jd and butti are different but cichlids often see other cichlids of similar size as threats/competitors. Every cichlids temperament's may vary, but in a 65 it doesnt leave much room for the loser to get away. Nipped or stressed fish is never a good thing.


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

ok, thanks for the info....does it matter though that the JD will never get the size of the Butti? JD is only 3.5" maybe, and Butti is about 9" +/-? The way it is set-up rockwise inside the tank, all the smaller fish have easy get-aways...at least 3 per fish. The Jewel cannot get to the Firemouth in three places, ditto with JD if it went after Jewel.

Believe me, Im not trying to second guess your response, but better to understand the why's and why nots. :thumb:


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## sjwrx (Apr 15, 2009)

The JD can get up to 8". my male JD is topping 9" if well taken care of he should hit the 7/8" mark in a year. Though i do not know the temperament of your Butti, nonetheless i would not keep him/her with anything else in a 65G, they can get up to 12-14".

The fish will continue to grow, and will not always be able to hid in those tiny nooks and crannies. 
As they get bigger they require open swimming space as well, a 65 just doesn't allow it for the butti,JD,firemouth, and jewel. Minus the Butti is a different story.


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

Ok, Thanks for the info...we will try to figure out what to do with the big guy, and if we end up with the 75, then the 65 will be Butti's home.

Any Idea or past experience why the previous owners had 2years of somewhat bliss with the concoction they had going on??..lol I mean 3 angelfish with pink convicts and Kenyi????


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

jturkey69 said:


> lol I mean 3 angelfish with pink convicts and Kenyi????


Sometimes angelfish are pretty much ignored by other cichlids; given special consideration....sometimes. They look significantly different; don't pose a real threat and are confident fish. But I'm sure there is some aggression between the cons and kenyi.....IME they can co-exist O.K. but are usually quite competitive with each other.

Most people who have kept butti in small tanks end up with a lone specimen.......always exceptions, but usually just a matter of time as 2 years is not even close to the life of a fish.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Here's an idea of what this butti can do and how big he can get... This one was in a 55 at a LFS by me... He's now in a 90 gallon (same footprint as your 75 but taller) and that's still not ideal..



















He is a FAT 14-15" fish, and freaking MEAN


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

WOW!!!...Thanks for the reality check chubbs..Maybe newbs like me need these type of pics to show what the future holds with some fish...LOL.....well now we have a dilemma..lol. The 75 we are looking at is a trade with our bearded dragon custom enclosure, and have not been able to find a larger tank at all around WI that would trade. Like you said not an ideal size. Looks like our lil rescue attempt is now another rescue dilemma. 
I think I will be forced into the 75 for now, so my apologies to the future inhabitant, and all you guys here on the forum. I will see what I can find, but I think I really need to get that 75 here, and up and running.

Thoughts anyone?


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I think the 75 will be fine until he is around 12", I just like the idea of the 125 or a 5 foot 120 so he can have more swimming space...


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Awesome reply Chubbs! It's the power of the picture. And _*'Godzilla'*_ is just what those T. Mariae and Buttikoferi always do eventually, when stocked with other cichlids. 
Jeeeez, seeing that brute in there all alone in that 90 gallon tank....?
*shiver*
That's power, man. 8)


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Auballagh said:


> Awesome reply Chubbs! It's the power of the picture. And _*'Godzilla'*_ is just what those T. Mariae and Buttikoferi always do eventually, when stocked with other cichlids.
> Jeeeez, seeing that brute in there all alone in that 90 gallon tank....?
> *shiver*
> That's power, man. 8)


I know right? And in the picture he's only in a 55... But the person who bought him cleared out their 90 gallon african mbuna tank and have just him... He apparently is the center of attention in their living room - if I find out who took him I'll try to take some pics!


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks all..the 75 will be here tomorrow, and I will use as much substrate as I can fit into the filters using wifes nylons?...SHHHHH and start my cycling. Butti will have maybe one or two tankmates...one of the pink convicts that he has been raised with, and Im assuming I should have some type of algae eater?
Filtration will be AQ110, and magnum 350 that I will use foam or floss in, gravel, and some larger stones from other tanks....does this sound OK??

side note..this big dude was rubbing past my hand for a minute or two today!!..lol I had my hand in the tank and just left it there to see what the butti would do, and now its crazy...he follows our every move, and hasnt flared or flexed yet....is this typical? It seems he really loves attention to the point of contact?
very weird..although this is all new to us.

Thanks all for the help to avoiding a worse disaster..lol


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## sjwrx (Apr 15, 2009)

algae eatters arent necessary, i never keep them in any of my tanks. They Poop WAY too much.


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## jturkey69 (Jun 6, 2011)

:lol: ...ok...then we have a plan.


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