# Would a large uarus be a safe addition????????????????



## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

I found a uarus for sale yesterday but he seemed a bit large for the fish already in the tank, I would say he was between 8 and 10'', the smallest fish in my tank is a firemouth maybe 1.5'' on the big side. Would the uarus be a safe addition or should I wait for some smaller ones to come along.


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

Bad mix , firemouth require hard water , high PH .... Uarus require soft , acidic water and enjoy a PH of 6.0 or lower.... Their diets are different as well . Stick with other C.A.'s if you want to keep the firemouth .... I would personally get rid of the firemouth and go for the Uaru ... a much cooler fish IMO ! But I'm baised ...


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

With the way things are anymore PH does NOT come into play at all. My uaru are in a ph of 8 and thriving. So are my fronts, and my CA's.

What size tank do you have?


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Uarus are very meek and don't eat small fish.


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

We are now thinking maybe the tank is full, It is a 150 gallon with 2 Fluval FX5 and a Aqueon 75 and this is what we now have for fish

2=Angelfish 2=Blue Acaras 2=Firemouths 4=Severums 1=featherfin and the 2 Silver Dollars when they are fit. do you think we have room for more fish ???????????????

I am now doing 15% water changes weekly


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Your water changes should be 1/3 once per week... Is this a 4'x2' 150 or 72"x18" 150? If it's the 72" I'd get the uaru. But that's me and I love the fish.

And uaru will most definately eat smaller fish if the opportunity arises, though they'd much prefer veggies (so will your severums, acaras and silver dollars) they are opportunistic feeders and you should never assume they will not eat small fish.


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

I posted some photos of my tanks, If interested click on the link below

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/rate-my ... post607826


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

Hmmm , your Firemouths and your Featherfins ( Aficans ? ) have a very different water parameter requirement than your amazonia fishes. Silver Dollars need to be in groups of six or more , correct ? I personaly would get rid of the firemouths , featherfins , and siver dollars and get three or four Uarus . Uarus with your other SA cichlids would make one sexy tank , but that's just me .


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Ok... Bamboo, I'm going to analyze your post. Please do not take anything I say personally...



Bamboo said:


> Hmmm , your Firemouths and your Featherfins ( Aficans ? ) have a very different water parameter requirement than your amazonia fishes.


First thing is you can throw water params out of the equasion. The firemouths surely do not care and I guarantee neither do the africans... These fish are not wild caught and have been being bred in cvaptivity for generations. I keep frontosa and a couple of other tangs, SA and CA. Not in the same containers but I use the same water and DO NOT change a thing, just add dechlor. Oh, and did I mention they are ALL breeding machines! LOL



> Silver Dollars need to be in groups of six or more , correct ?


Not entirely accurate... I've got two that are 13 years old... They seem to get on just fine. 



> I personaly would get rid of the firemouths , featherfins , and siver dollars and get three or four Uarus . Uarus with your other SA cichlids would make one sexy tank , but that's just me .


Whilst I agree with the sexy tank part of the statement (simply because I have a 1200 full of SA cichlids) it's not that easy to find good healthy uaru anymore... Not like in the 80's....

Don't hate me......


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

I want to thank every one for their input, But we seem to have hit our first stumbling block, Marilyn isn't happy with the chasing she sees in the new tank, she says she wants the Blue Acaras out because they are to bossee, they do push the angels around, but all the other fish seem to be fine together, I suggested moving the angels back to the 36 gallon but she doesn't agree. So my question is stocking the tank around the Severums what could we add and have very little or no chasing ????????????????


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

The options are too many. Tell us what you'd like to see in there and we'll give you our opinions weather you want em or not! LOL


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

OK then lets do a fresh start, first is four Severums to many to have together, second we both agree that a pair of uarus would be nice, and it sure sounds like Marilyn wants the angels to stay, and I still think a pair of spotted silver dollars would be nice. So what would be some good options with these fish, something that would add color and be on the hardy side, If my work requires me to go back on the road I wont be here to check them every day.


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

a chocolate maybe? Big gentle and really colourful.


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

> Marilyn isn't happy with the chasing she sees in the new tank, she says she wants the Blue Acaras out because they are to bossee, they do push the angels around, but all the other fish seem to be fine together, I suggested moving the angels back to the 36 gallon but she doesn't agree.
> 
> My point exactly .
> 
> ...


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

Adrian101 said:


> a chocolate maybe? Big gentle and really colourful.


we looked at some chocolate cichlids today, assorted sizes, priced from 9.99 to 16.99 , we will be getting one or two tonight. not sure what size yet.


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

they do hit a foot or so. Think of them as gentle Oscars and you should be fine. Depending on their age they can look boring but the colours they get at adulthood are amazing. Goodluck with them.


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

I really love the blockhead look on the mature males ...


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

We found four small uarus for sale yesterday but one of the four was very ill, its breathing was labored and it was covered with large white spots ( maybe 8 to 10 x larger than ich) I ask an employee about this and all he said was that uarus were very disease prone almost as bad as discuss. my reply was ( then I guess I shouldn't buy any of theses) and we left. the price was 3 for 65.00 and I may have taken the three that looked ok if he had been more encouraging.

Now I have two questions are uarus going to be a difficult fish to care for. ????????????

And how fast do the chocolate cichlids grow and would they get along when mature. ?????????????????


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## Bamboo (Jan 12, 2011)

In my short understanding in keeping Uarus , they are very prone to ich .. as for my own husbandry practice , I keep their water soft , acidic and temps at 82F , and stay on top of your water changes . You'll have healthy alert fish . If the others look good , I'd go back and get the healthy ones and ask for a break in the price .. I usually see them around $10 here for 3 inchers .. Aquabid usually has them although they seem to be seasonal . 
Chocolates I hear are very slow growing but great cichlids to have around . As a general rule , they do get along with others but you always have your bad , cranky ones .


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

dont know bout uaru but as stated above chocolates are normally gentle giants. Their growth depends on diet and water conditions etc. They can grow quick in the right circumstances.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Ich cannot survive in 83* or warmer water. I keep the 1200 unheated in summer with zero ich issues. The temp does not drop below 70*

I would strongly suggest NOT getting the other three out of the tank. Especially at that inflated price... I paid less than $25 a piece for wild caught fish @ 3"...


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

We brought the two chocolate cichlids home yesterday, what a pair, they're about 2'' long and follow me around the tank begging for food like they've been here forever :fish: . I can see that we will enjoy watching these fish very much in the years to come opcorn: . oh I should mention I fed them 3x yesterday and they where still asking for more.

We passed on the uarus because they are at the same FS that has the large uaru that inspired this thread and that fish is now very ill as well it has the same large ulcers on it as the smaller one, and it is also the same FS that sold me the injured silver dollars, Marilyn and I talk it over and we decided we would spend as little money as possible at this store. We are very willing to pay more for fish that are taken care of and treated well, which usually means they are in better health.

Also we gave the pair of Blue Acaras to our son yesterday they attacked the chocolates as soon as they hit the water and they also attacked the Geophagus brasiliensis we bout last week, and after checking at different FS's we see that some have the same fish listed as Green Terror we think that maybe the fish were accidently mislabeled, they were the most aggressive fish in the tank there was nothing peaceful about them.


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

yeah green terrors and blue acaras can be hard to tell apart when young unless you know exactly What your lookin for. You chocolates should quickly become one of your favourites. I know mine did. Just watch as they are prone to hole in the head like most large cichlids. Oh and id love to see pictures of your tank now


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## twohuskies (Mar 1, 2008)

Chocolates are a great choice! I'd get one if my 125 wasn't full with a beefy Oscar! :lol:


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

Marilyn and I are celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary today, so we set aside some time to go downtown Milwaukee and visit a FS we had never been to before, and OMG did we stumble across a great deal, For 50.00 this is what they sold us. 
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... ost5219641
Yep one super red severum and two uarus now the tank is full


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

I think we have stocked the tank to capacity, The list of fish has changed, the updated list is as follows

2 Green Severums 2 Gold Severums 2 Chocolate Cichlids 2 Uarus 1 Featherfin 1 Firemouth 2 Spotted Silver Dollars (when they are fit) and 1 Super Red Severum


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

sounds amazing. Id love to see a tank shot or two


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

Adrian101 said:


> sounds amazing. Id love to see a tank shot or two


How do we download photos on this site,I've tried but I havent firured it out yet. :-?


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

i just use photo bucket then paste the link into this site.


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

Adrian101 said:


> i just use photo bucket then paste the link into this site.


I hope this works, I put all my fish and tank photos in a slide show. http://s861.photobucket.com/home/djm761 ... =slideshow


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

I would like to thank the members here, I joined three boards when we decided to do a cichlid tank and this one has by far been the most helpful, Marilyn and I both are very happy with the fish we now have with the Severums, the only problems in the tank are the two yellow labs, yes I know I was told it wasn't a good idea but the silver dollars needed the hospital tank and the 150 was the only place I had room(now I wish I had taken them to the FS), I'm hoping my son will want them his tank is more aggressive than mine, Thanks again I will definitely stay in touch, and post things I think are intresting. Dave


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks pal. Hope we have helped you as much as everyone on here have helped me and hope that your tank works out. Look foreward to your future posts


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

Lets revive this thread one more time and talk bottom feeders, I love the corys but I'm not sure I should be putting them in with the cichlids and at the moment all I have in the 150 is 1 featherfin what would be recommended, again these are the fish we now have in the tank, with a sand bottom, 5 Severums 2 Chocolate Cichlids 2 Uarus 1 Featherfin 1 Firemouth 2 Spotted Silver Dollars (when they are fit) 2 yellow labs (short term)


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

*TheFishGuy*

Fishguy I would like your advice, could you pm me

Added: I just figured it out LOL


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Get one Chocolate. They get big.

If the Acaras are going you have some room in the bottom of the tank. Naybe a group of

Bolivian Rams or Keyholes. or Orangehead Tapajos or Guinacara.

....Bill


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## ollie78 (Jul 23, 2009)

djm761 said:


> I would like to thank the members here, I joined three boards when we decided to do a cichlid tank and this one has by far been the most helpful,....


And this is why I spend most my time reading the posts on this site opcorn:


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## djm761 (May 23, 2011)

sorry was trying to send a PM clicked the wrong icon

I guess it would be all right to post here hope it is enjoyed: I thought you mite enjoy this, we didn't think this guy was going survive the internal parasites, I was hand feeding the fish in the hospital tank and ounce the chocolate started eating there was no stopping him he even learned that he could jump out of the water to steal the food intended for the other fish. now he's hand fed every day and insist on jumping for his food, I think he considers that play time. this video dosn't show that because it is the first time I used this camera and I was alone so I had to prop it up, the fish was full when I finally shot this video clip and had to be coached at the end.

http://s861.photobucket.com/albums/ab17 ... nt=111.mp4


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## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

:thumb:


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