# Happy Christmas to me, Thorichthys Meeki & Rotkeil Sever



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

I took a trip to a local cichlid shop in the east end of toronto today and he had a boxing day special, buy 2 get 1 free.

I picked up 6 Rotkeil Severum juvies (1.5") and 6 Thorichthys Meeki (1.5-2")and now they're all adjusting to my heavilly planted 90G tank 

they share the tank with about 6 or 7 little tetras (pristella and something with blue eyes) a swordtail, 4 cories, 8 oto cats, and a big ole pleco.. I have been looking for some center piece fish and now I've got some. Woot!

I should post some pics with this thread but they're all hiding and getting used to the new environment right now.

Tanks got a rena xp3 and I think I might throw an AC50 on it too (they're on sale  )


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Sooooooooooooooooooo...Where are the pics? :wink:


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

lol, lights are on a timer, three more minutes till they switch on... longest morning of m life

I guess I could cheat and turn them on manually.. but then I'd be a cheater and I'd 'never win'


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## Norse76 (Jul 20, 2008)

> lol, lights are on a timer, three more minutes till they switch on... longest morning of m life
> 
> I guess I could cheat and turn them on manually.. but then I'd be a cheater and I'd 'never win'


Lol, but sometimes for the greater good, one must go above and beyond the call of duty


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

klumsyninja said:


> lol, lights are on a timer, three more minutes till they switch on... longest morning of m life


That's hilarious... I've sat in front of a tank many times staring at a clock waiting to see what's going on...

I hope all is well... and I'm looking foward to seeing your set up (be sure to include a full tank shot  )


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Pics are here : http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=1260176#1260176

Everyone is doing great in there, there is one firemouth that doesn't look so hot I didn't notice him like that in the bag at the store but I'm sure he'll fine in a couple weeks, I have lots of hiding spots and food.

Active fish! I love em...

Took some time getting them taken and posted but its done  In between all that I managed to stop and go strip two female white top hara's that were holding.. busy day..


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *klumsyninja*,

Very, very nice looking tank and fish.

I have been reluctant to post the following, but here goes...What are your long term plans for so many cichlids?

Also, do you know that Severums have a reputation for being voracious plant eaters.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Did I mention that I had a *LOT* of cherry shrimp in that tank...

or maybe I should say

Did I mention I *HAD* a lot of cherry shrimp in that tank... lol


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *klumsyninja*,

I forgot to mention, but I think you actually bought 6 Thorichthys affinis.

You might want to post some pics on the CA forum for conformation.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Deadfish: From what I understand I can keep the 6 firemouths in the 90 in a group that big, and that they will get aggressive only when spawning/breeding.. 
As for the Sevs I might just wait till they pair off and keep the pair in there with the firemouths

As for the plants, I can get more.. not too worried about them eating the plants, also from what I understand they only certain types of plants (probably the better tasting ones) and I'll watch which gets eaten and not spend too much on those ones..

The guys at the cichlid store I bought them from said they'd all be fine in a 90 though... Though maybe he just meant while they grow out..

There is a chance that I'll be upgrading my tank too.. man that'd be nice if I did..


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

DFF: ya they do look a lot like the Affinis. He had them labeled as Firemouth Cichlids there. They are reddish under their chin I just figured they grow into their coloration...


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *klumsyninja*,

Mate, I would have no clue about keeping half a dozen Thorichthys species in a 90 gallon. Have you asked the guys on the CA forum if it's possible?

As for the Severums, as far as they are concerned a 90 gallon is exactly the same as a 75 gallon. In that the extra hieght won't mean much in terms of territory. I would think a mated pair of Severums would dominate a 90g.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Anybody else? I am open to suggestions for sure. The only experience with anything like this I've had has been with Bolivian and German Blue Rams.. I don't have much knowledge about these fish at all.. Just went on what I was told at the Cichlid store for these guys.

(I am in no way comparing GBR's and Bolivians with Thors)


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Well I mentioned it in the CA forum so I might as well mention it here too.. I emailed the owner of the Cichlid store in Scarb and he guaranteed that they were Meeki and a very nice strain of them he also said the Sevs were F1's and that they will be fine in a 90 together. I trust him, he's a very reputable Cichlid breeder and retailer and his store is top notch. If you're in the area I highly recommend it (PM me for details).

Anyways I did a big WC today and re-scaped the tank added more Bacopa 'baby tears' in there to make it more green and took out the Firemouth that didn't look so good, I saw him getting picked on so I'll fatten him up in another tank and put him back in a month or so when he's stronger.


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## rmcder (Jul 9, 2005)

Yes, they're fine together, but 6 fish of each kind aren't going to be ok indefinitely. It seems as if you're looking for pairs? You MIGHT get away with a pair of firemouth and a pair of sevs in the 90g. Or two pairs of firemouth. Two pairs of sevs is unlikely in that tank, imo; they just get too big, and the height of the tank isn't as much help as having a bigger footprint would be. I'd guess that you might be ok for a few months, but you need to be prepared to thin the herd.

In the meantime, firemouth tend to be bullies, and you might have some issues with that. Eventually, the sevs will get too big to bully, and if they aren't bullies themselves (some will get aggressive as they get bigger), things should settle down.


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

klumsyninja said:


> Well I mentioned it in the CA forum so I might as well mention it here too.. I emailed the owner of the Cichlid store in Scarb and he guaranteed that they were Meeki and a very nice strain of them he also said the Sevs were F1's and that they will be fine in a 90 together. I trust him, he's a very reputable Cichlid breeder and retailer and his store is top notch. If you're in the area I highly recommend it (PM me for details).
> 
> Anyways I did a big WC today and re-scaped the tank added more Bacopa 'baby tears' in there to make it more green and took out the Firemouth that didn't look so good, I saw him getting picked on so I'll fatten him up in another tank and put him back in a month or so when he's stronger.


Can't speak for the firemouths, they may work out together, or they may not. The Rotters, on the other hand, are not going to work out long term. If you can keep more than two in the same 90 gallon tank, I'll be shocked. I have two Rotkeils in a 135, and they're not a pair, and they don't play nicely. I know very few people that keep multiple adult severums in a smaller tank. For our purposes, anything less than 125 or so is a smaller tank.

Out of your group of six, you're likely to get a pair, and 4 very unhappy fish if you keep them all in the same aquarium. In addition, once they get bigger, they're going to start snacking on your beautiful plants. Certain plants won't get touched, but the rest of them will get cleaned up pretty good.

Look on the bright side. Now you have time to pick out your favorites, and send the others off to your friends aquariums!


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

mithesaint said:


> Look on the bright side. Now you have time to pick out your favorites, and send the others off to your friends aquariums!


Ya that's what'll happen. I'll pick out the nicest and either return the rest to LFS's or post them on local forums or give em to friends..

It's looking like I'm getting a 6 foot tank off of my friend so happy days are coming.. I'll just sell this tank and stand if I do... I sunk a lot of money into this tank as a planted tank so I'm going to watch what the Sevs eat and don't eat and work it like that...

I'm very okay with thinning out the herd. I know how big Sevs get.. man they look great when they're healthy and full size..


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *klumsyninja*,

Unless you don't have the room for two tanks, do not sell the 90g. I would look at turning the 90g into a Thorichthys tank and the 6 footer into a Severum tank.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The tank looks great! Even if they do weed out the plants a bit for you, I think you'll be okay.

I don't have alot of experience with either species, but I do see another tank in your future. (Where are you going to put the brichardi??? :lol: )

DFF has given some sound advice. Let blairo1 weigh in on this, and between the two of them, you'll be in the best of hands! :thumb:


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

lol Kim too funny.. I don't see too many more tanks in my future, 5 is pushing it as it is... Those Brichardi sure are nice though

Here's a video of the tank for the fun of it...


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Would it be okay to add 2-4 Bolivian rams into this tank? I have 2 of them already in my 20G but was wondering about adding them to this mix. They'd 'look' really nice in there, but are they compatible?


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