# Mixing a Duboisi w/ SA Cichlids/ Oscars



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

Hello Forum!

So today i was at the LFS and I picked up a Duboisi.. it still has its spots and is only just over an inch..my question is, how do you think hes going to hold up in a mixed community of 2, 2.5 inch oscars, a 2.5 inch convict, a 2 inch jack dempsey a 1.5 inch buttikoferi a 1 n a quarter inch electric yellow and an upside down asian cat? My tank is a 45gal (4ft) and has a decent amount of rocks and hiding spots to flee to.. and so far the only one showing interest is my convict, but my convict is the tank bully.. and the little buttikofreri chases him away if he goes near its cave...
any tips or precautions i should take? I know its risky and maby even an amateur move to add him, but if he works out, id love to see him full grown in my tank! i think it would be a contrasting mix IMO..


----------



## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

Take him back.


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

You think hes going to get munched on?


----------



## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

If he doesn't "get munched on" I'm pretty sure he won't do well. Tropheus can be very sensitive to water conditions, and if your set up for CA or SA cichlids it's just wrong


----------



## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

Also, tropheus don't do well alone, best in large groups


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

shellies215 said:


> If he doesn't "get munched on" I'm pretty sure he won't do well. Tropheus can be very sensitive to water conditions, and if your set up for CA or SA cichlids it's just wrong


 So what kind of differences are there to conciser in their environment? temp, ph, ?



shellies215 said:


> Also, tropheus don't do well alone, best in large groups


Yea, I was reading this after I got home.. I think the guy at the LFS didnt know what the **** he was talking about, because when i got home and googled the little guy, what I read was way different from what the guy told me..


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I suggested this in your "Tanks" posting, your entire stock needs to go back to the LFS.



> These fish are completely inappropriate for the tank size you have. Once they grow up, most of these fish wouldn't do well in the tank you have alone, let alone with the fish in there. I would return the fish to the store immediately, and start with fish that will work long-term in the tank you have. If you were to keep the fish you have, you would need approximately an eight foot long, 300 gallon... minimum.


The buttikofreri is a fish that grows to 15", the Oscars about the same.. (though more normally to about 12-13")... If a LFS sold you these, for your tank size... they really shouldn't be in business.


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

as far as size of the tank is concerned none of my stock are over 3 inches, so for now, i KNOW the 45 will do for the next few months. and I have a 150 gal in my moms garage that I plan on pulling out once we move out of our apartment and into a house in july... and you say the entire stock?? i think i do have two fish that dont necessarily belong, but the oscars, butti, convict, and the jack should all be quite compatible, no?


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Dane559 said:


> as far as size of the tank is concerned none of my stock are over 3 inches, so for now, i KNOW the 45 will do for the next few months. and I have a 150 gal in my moms garage that I plan on pulling out once we move out of our apartment and into a house in july... and you say the entire stock?? i think i do have two fish that dont necessarily belong, but the oscars, butti, convict, and the jack should all be quite compatible, no?


No, the butti will kill everything in a 150, if it is a male. If it is a female, it might kill everything...

Even in a few months, the butti will start on the killing spree in such a small tank.

the oscars, convict and jack might work in the 150 though.


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

So what can be kept with the butti? At the LFS i seen an about 11 inch butti in a 45gal with a couple pacu's..


----------



## Heyguy74 (Aug 11, 2005)

Dane559 said:


> So what can be kept with the butti? At the LFS i seen an about 11 inch butti in a 45gal with a couple pacu's..


I'm sure they are trying to sell the fish at the store. Its a short term thing. If not I would recommend not going back to buy from that store. There are only a few species that can be housed with Butti's. They get just as large and tough as the butties. Plus that would require a huge tank.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Dane559 said:


> So what can be kept with the butti? At the LFS i seen an about 11 inch butti in a 45gal with a couple pacu's..


Does that really sound like a good idea to you? You know how large Pacu's get? Did the fish look like they were at their best in such a setup?


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

Fogelhund said:


> Dane559 said:
> 
> 
> > So what can be kept with the butti? At the LFS i seen an about 11 inch butti in a 45gal with a couple pacu's..
> ...


okay.. so i think im going to grow Kalifa (my butti) to about 2.5 / 3 inches and put him on Craigslist up for a new home. maby ill get another further down the line. but ****, he just has a kick ass personality! lol

thanks guys..


----------



## mike1234 (Feb 16, 2010)

get rid of the duboisi, no matter what, then decide on what to keep. the yellow should go, being an african and needing different water parameters(8+ ph). if you have a 150 gallon, id go for your south americans, get rid of the tilapia, and get maybe a red devil or something like it. honestly, i might sound mean but your group of fish are completely impulse buys. read up on any fish you get. youll find that the tilapia will kill most of your fish, and your yellow and the duboisi will die from wrong water conditions if the others dont kill them.


----------



## Dane559 (Feb 27, 2011)

can the yellow and the duboisi be mixed in a different tank?


----------



## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

Not trying to be rude, but there are loads of information on the internet about all of the species you have. Take some time to read a profile or two on your current/future fish and I'm sure you will have a better feel for what mixes and what does not. After you read a few profiles, its easy to avoid extreme "no no's" like you currently have in the tank.


----------



## mike1234 (Feb 16, 2010)

theyre from 2 different lakes, so itd be difficult. trophs do best in large groups as well, so all in all, the duboisi is a poor choice.


----------

