# TheFishGuy! I need stocking help



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Well, I posted this a little while ago, but didn't really get much response. Maybe you could help?

120 Gallons
-1 Tiger Oscar
-1 Senegal Bichir
-1 Geophagus Surinamensis
-1 Green Severum

All Juvis, what else do you think I could add?? Or am I fully stocked? I don't really think it is that stocked, but I need a knowledgable opinion. Thanks! If you get this... :/


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I think the geophagus would feel threatened by the oscar when the oscar gets bigger and hide a lot. Is the 120 a 6, 5, or 4 foot tank?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Dude... Putting my name in your title might not get you a rescponse.... OK, it will... :lol:

I would get about three or four more geophagus then call it done...

Seeing as they're all juvis Im supremely confident the oscar will be just fine with the geos. But geos like to be in groups...

Not the most ideal situation but I once kept a fully grown fully mature four year old oscar with angels in a 55... I'm not telling anyone to go out and do it but I knew my fish, I knew she would be just fine.

Will smaller cichlids feel threatened by larger cichlids? Yes, 8 days a week. But feeling threatened is a part of cichlid life in a cichlid community. It's how the cichlid reacts when it feels threatened is key. Will it fight or will it flight? My guess would be at first the geos will flight... untill they realize oscars have more bark than bite.


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Well, I have a much different situation now  so I will post tomorrow, but on one of your topics. Ha this is crazy. I love my fish


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Good call TFG, sorry if my responses aren't the best, still trying to learn as much as possible, as it's my 2nd year in the hobby


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

I found a little Jack Dempsey in the tank. I can post a vid later explaining, but I pretty much though my Oscar ate it! Either way, here is my new stocking:

-1 Oscar
-1 Jack Dempsey
-1 Bichir
-4/5 Silver Dollars

And then I am not sure what else? I got that large of a tank to hold more fish, so I know I am not at my limit. I just don't know what to put in there now :/

I think any other cichlids would cause trouble. Except severums or Geophags, but they would get attacked alot, so non of them :/ pacu and plecos get too big :/ so. I really don't know!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Why do you think they'll get attacked a lot? I'm confused.


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Well, I thought since they were a pretty mild (on cichlid terms) an Oscar or. Jack Dempsey might be more aggressive towards them. I heard severums can stand their own, but I wasn't too sure


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Oscars and jack dempseys, in my opinion are on the mild end of the cichlid aggression scale... Now if we were talking midas or black belt or any of the guapotes... then I wouldn't consider a geo...


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

ahh, well you got me to get a severum. I heard they get so beautiful when they grow, and I had only seen Juveniles. I looked up the adults, and these are beautiful fish!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I have green, turquoise, red shoulder and rotkiel...

AND http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=516


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Wow! Where do you get your fish?!?!? The only fish I can get around here are from a very limited LFS, or Petsmart/Petco :?

You are awesome fish guy! thanks! :thumb: :lol:

Btw, how many GPH do you think my tank will need? (I haven't even bought the tank yet, and when I do, I will be broke) so, the only filters I could give it at the moment would be:

Aqua Tech HOB-150 GPH
Fluval U2-105 GPH
Tetra Whisper ex 30- 340 GPH
Tetra Whipser 20- 125 GPH

Total: 720 GPH. I heard Oscar Tanks need around 10x as much GPH than the number of Gallons. So is that true?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Ten times seems a bit excessive to me. Not sure where the fish would get a break from all the current! LOL

Honestly I've never subscribed to "standards" as far as filtration was concerned. All of my tanks besides the big three are run with air driven sponge filters. The 1200, 240 and 185 all have sumps. The 1200 cycles three times an hour, the 240 also three times. Not sure what the 185 does...The 1200 has an automatic water changer in the form of a "drip" if you will and the other tanks get 1/3 changes a week. Been doing it that way for years with zero issues.

As for where do I get my cichlids from.... I belong to the Ohio Cichlid Association and am a board member of the club also. We have a lot of members and we don't keep firemouths, jd's and convicts... Well, I do, LOL Point is, join a club if you want to get fish and supplies really really cheap. I haven't got fish from a store in years.


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Well, I guess the filters are all a little small, so the current wouldn't be too bad. Well, does my filtration system sound ok? All those little filters added up? I guess I could mix around all the filters, and move my Penguin 350 to the tank, and put some small filters in a 55 gallon. hmm I have a lot of options!

And ya? I have never ordered my fish online :/ Since I'm only 17, and don't have a debit card or credit card, my parents wont do it for me. ahhh just 1 more year. I can't find any fish clubs out in Colorado (Springs). :? sad day


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

scarhbar said:


> I found a little Jack Dempsey in the tank.


How did you "find" a JD in the tank? It didn't get there unless you put it there....

Slow down and research THEN stock.


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Here is a little video of me explaining the whole situation:





Sorry for the sloppy camera man work :/

But in case you didn't understand me (and my mumble-ish self), I saw this tiny Jack Dempsey in a tank full of Firemouths at Petsmart. It was getting beat up like none-other! I told the lady working there, that it was in the wrong tank, and she was like, "I know how to do my job" or something like that. So I said, "Your Firemouths are $3.50 and your Jack Dempsey are almost $5.00. If that Jack Dempsey is a 'Firemouth', then I only pay $3.50" So that's what happened! I rescued the little .5" JD from all the aggressive Firemouths, and I got a deal on it! Good deal. So I brought it home later, and let it acclimate. My Oscar is SOOOOO shy, that I thought he would not eat it. When I took him outta the bag, it swam up to the Oscar, and the Oscar was a little curious. I kept checking on them every 15 minutes, and it seemed like there was a little aggression between the two. Later on, I was working on the computer, and I saw a flash and heard "GULP". I looked all around the tank, and couldn't find my JD. I thought my Oscar had eaten him  I live between two houses, so I left for a few days. I left the lights off (since they get a little natural lighting) and my dad fed them. I came back about 4 days later, and when I turned the light on, I saw him!! :dancing:

That's how I 'found' him. If you read that; thanks!


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Oh ya, and I've been researching at least 2 hours a day for the past month and a half. That's no exaggeration. I am usually up till 12 or 1 on school nights just researching possible tank mates for the tank 

So I DO research haha


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Sounds like you are learning "on the fly" which seems to be working.

I will repeat what TFG preaches. Buy the tank and then the fish.

You have a decent size tank now (55?) and the current fish are fine for a while. I would not add more till you get a bigger tank.

If you are considering a 120, I would start looking on Craigslist now. Get an idea of how much you will need to save up. You may be lucky enough to get a complete setup complete with proper filter. Dont forget search CL under "aquarium" and "fish tank".

Also as stated, check out you local fish/cichlid club to see what is for sale there.

GL....Bill


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

I already have the 125 






Thanks though. Ehh not on the fly either. I spend at least 2 hours a day coming up with possible stocking plans. Right now I have my baby JD and a juvenile Oscar. No matter what setup I choose, it will have Silver Dollars as dither fish (6 of them).

I may add another Oscar, and call it good there, even though that is a lot.

Also, maybe add a Convict or Severum and a Peacock Eel (or Senegal Bichir).


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Do NOT add another oscar to the mix.


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Ya? Well, I've read your "Oscars 101" recently. Sounds like it just wouldn't work. Anyways, would one of the smaller cichlids work? Like a Convict?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

possibly, timing is everything when adding cichlids with oscars. Keep in mind that an oscar and convict of the same size are drasticly different in age!


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Oh I know  My Oscar is now almost 3", and my JD is about 1/1.5" If I were to get any tank mates for them, I think when my Oscar is about 4" and my JD 2". That should be pretty dang soon! Maybe another month or 2?

So here is my plan for the tank (Sorry I am constantly changing it!):
-1 Oscar
-1 Jack Dempsey
-6 Silver Dollars
-1 Peacock Eel*
-1 Senegal Bichir*
-1 Geophagus Surinamensis*

*=only a possiblity, read below

1.) The Geophagus, is not a true Surinamensis. Not sure on what type it is, but it will stay under 12" for sure. This is the one I am not even positive I will get. I just find them extremely beatuiful with their long fins, and nice colors (sometimes).

2.) I know Peacock Eels stay a little on the smaller end. I am hoping by giving one, a 17x72" home, it will grow to it's full 10"-12" potential. That way it wouldn't become spaghetti for the Oscar. Even at 6", I think that it is safe, but just want to stay on the safe side. The bichir is another factor I take into consideration too. Since Senegal's can get up to 14", I think that the Eel could become a snack as well.

3.) The only problems I see with a senegal, are it eating the Bichir, or other smaller fish. I heard they get aggressive sometimes too. Definitely not something I want.

What I might do is: Get the fish, and raise them up together. If anything goes wrong, I can move them to different tanks, or sell them.

The other tank I have is a 55 (that has the OScar and JD in it now). It will be home to 2 Angelfish, and 2 German Blue Rams. If the 125 became too much for some of the fish above, could I move the Geophagus and/or Peacock Eel to the 55? (with the fish I listed above)

Thanks for reading if you did read the whole thing! Sorry this was such a late reply!


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

under_control said:


> scarhbar said:
> 
> 
> > I found a little Jack Dempsey in the tank.
> ...


read the whole sentence?



> I pretty much though my Oscar ate it!


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## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Thank you pepo!

and I know this is really late, but I have come up with a final stocking plan.

2 Oscars
1 Green Terror
1 Senegal Bichir

That'd probably be it. Don't see any room for any other fish.


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