# Am I on the Highway to ****?



## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Hey, I know I've posted a lot about my tank of late, last time I promise. I _am_ a beginner here, please bear with me. The tank is a 29 with driftwood decor. I have an AC70 offering 10x filtration and all my parameters are fine. There is no real conflict in the tank currently, and all fish are healthy.

My stock is:
1 Female Salvini (Current Size: 2.75" Expected Size: 5"-6")
1 Firemouth (Current Size: 2.75" Expected Size: 5"-6")
1 Pictus Catfish (Current Size: 2.5" Expected Size: 5")
8 Buenos Aires Tetras (Current Size: 1.75" Expected Size: 2.75"-3")

Am I on track for a happy and healthy tank long term? Recent threads and conversations have given me pause...although previous advice led to the current arrangement. If I have doubts it really drives me nuts (and the gf by extension) so once and for all...what's the verdict???

PS-If I do need to restructure...I'd like to do so around the sal, even if it just means her and dithers...but what would you recommend?


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

Hate to break it to you but Salvinis' can get bigger than 6" - more like 10" for an adult male. IMO your stock list is compatible but you need a bigger tank in the long run. Personally I'd be setting up a 55 for them to move into.

It'll be a much more enjoyable experience for you and them - they'll grow faster, have more space to make territories and gives you more opportunity to do some nice aquascaping.

Matt


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Matt1986 said:


> more like 10" for an adult male.


Thanks for the input. This _is_ a female, though, and as such I'd be surprised if she surpassed 6", if that.

Thanks again though, I realize a 55 would be better but funds/space/gf's patience are all limited right now :lol:

Any more opinions? Will this work in the 29?


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

Sorry, I didn't realise you specified it was a female - are you certain though? 2.75" is quite a small size to definitively sex. Either way I think a 29 is probably too small long-term.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

It will really depend on your particular salvani and what she's like as she grows. This can really go the full range from working to ending up to have the sal by herself after a process of elimination.

I would think the best bed would be without the firemouth, but that's just an educated guess. All you can do is try and keep an eye and be ready to remove fish or divide the tank rather than lose anything.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> Hate to break it to you but Salvinis' can get bigger than 6" - more like 10" for an adult male. IMO your stock list is compatible but you need a bigger tank in the long run. Personally I'd be setting up a 55 for them to move into.
> 
> It'll be a much more enjoyable experience for you and them - they'll grow faster, have more space to make territories and gives you more opportunity to do some nice aquascaping.


I agree except one part! I hate to break it to you but Male Salvini barely reach 8 in. 10 is unheard of!

But I agree an upgrade is critcal for longterm success! I think a 40 gal breeder would be perfect but a 55 gal is perfect as well! :thumb:


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

I was just going by what I've read here: http://www.cichlidmadness.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1004


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Someone either here or on MFK has a pic of a 10in SL male sal ... might have even been *bernie* ... it can happen, but it's extremely rare. As *cichlid lover* said, even 8" is rare.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I think you should be fine as is. You never know with cichlids. Some weird courtships can occur, even among same sexes. If they grew up together they can be best buds. I wou;d leave it as is and worry later if there is a prob. My bet is all will be well. But remember, even the best experts cant predict their future

...Bill


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

MonteSS said:


> leave it as is and worry later if there is a prob.


Well it's nice to hear some people say I at least have a shot. I've done so much tinkering, that in order to keep the girlfriend's sanity I'm not going to fix it until it's broke 

And yes, sal's can be sexed quite small, and I am quite positive about mine.

Now we just have to find a place with a bit more room :thumb:


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

by the way...what originally started this ball rolling was the pictus...with so many mixed reports and rcommendations. Anyone keep these, do you think he'll be ok? he's doing GREAT right now.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

salvini are simple to sex at small sizes...

i think you will be fine, i have a pictus in my mixed african tank to problem, cant see why the salvini would cause problems.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks gage, I'll keep on keeping on.

Everything is good right now, the FM is all torn up but he goes through weird stages of split fins for no apparent reason, the sal is probably picking on him but he could just as well be crashing around of his own accord :lol:


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

Pictus can get quite large and rather aggressive. I have a 5-6 incher that totally dominates a section of my 75 gallon firemouth tank.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

You said you were expecting the pictus to get up to 5", but I thought that I had read and they reach a size of up to 12". I haven't seen one personally but one of mine is about 6" right now.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

That's part of the dilemma. For every source I've found that says 12", 3 say 6" and 6 say 4". Apparently there are two subspecies that grow to different sizes, but I've only found two sources for that and they specifically contradict one another.

Planet Catfish says just under 5"...

I'll certainly remove him if it becomes a problem.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

The problem is there are several closely related pictus look alikes that you sometimes pick up instead of the actual pictus cat, which also had two distinct locations. The amazon form of the true pictus does stay 4-5", the orinoco cat gets largre. Also, most pims will get larger in the tank becuase they get much more food in a tank than they can find in nature.


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## davidc81 (Oct 29, 2007)

that tank is way too small. i think you'll need at least a 75g tank. you're probably outgrow your current tank in less than 6 months.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

*dwarfpike*
do you have any additional information on how to determine which strain of the true pictus you have? links?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Here is link that shows pics of both the Amazon and Orinoco pictus:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=276

It would take quite some time going done the list looking for look-a-likes though.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Hey thanks, didn't see the colombian/peruvian labels first time through that page. I'll have to compare when I get home.


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