# Thinking of adding a Pike.



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

You may have read my thread over in the CA forum.

Tank is 130gal 5x2x2 and my current stocking idea is the following:
2 pairs of Cons
1 Female Salvini,
1 Male Texas,
1 Senegal Bichir
1 Raph Cat
1 Pictus
2 BN plecs
12 Giant danios
Maybe a medium hypostomas

Now i'm either considering a Festae or perhaps some sort of Pike if adding one is a good idea? Can anyone suggest a good species or is this tank just gonna be too aggressive for a pike?

Thanks guys.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

IME with pikes (dwarves and smaller sax types), they don't often start fights (except with other pikes) but will finish them. The texas might get worked over becuase it will most likely want to start fights. Adding it last will help. A sax type like a sveni could hold it's own if it was established first and was larger/same size.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

the 2 con pairs would be added first, then i think maybe the pike (Should i decide to go that route) then the Salvini and finally the texas. Everything else will be in the tank before the cons go in. (cats dithers ect)


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## straitjacketstar (Mar 8, 2004)

Sax type all the way! They get the perfect size and have just the right amount of attitude. I kept my big guy in a 135 and he held his own with rd's, midas, Viejas and other random things.
With your stocklist though, I think eventually the BN plecos would be gone after a while, unless you give them a ridiculous amount of coverage. And the Giant danios will also eventually get eaten.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Hmm......So would going without the Dithers be a better option then? I dont mind not having them TBH. And i'm guessing replacing the dithers with a festae is out of the question?


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

Can't comment on the pike, because I haven't kept them (very nice looking though). But I wouldn't recommend a Festae. They are really nasty---make red devils/ midas look tame. A somewhat similar fish that would do much better is N. Uropthalamus (Mayan Cichlid).


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

I think i'll leave the dithers and the festae, the more i read about pikes the more i start to like them hehe.

What do you fellas mean by Sax type? you mean the Crenicichla saxatilis as listed on out profiles pages? And also you say 'sax type'......are there different variations of Crenicichla saxatilis?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Becuase of the sheer number of pike cichlids, they are divided up into a number of groups. The dwarf pikes all stay smaller (2.5"-6") but it's not just size, they all have similiar builds and behaviors. The saxatilis group includes several of the more commonly found ones, like sveni that Petsmart has a lot. They tend to range from 6"-12". Then there are the big boys, the lugubris pikes like sp. venezuela pikes or lents or marms. They range from 12"-20". They also tend to be the nastiest in general. There are about 3-4 smaller groups as well, but the above three are the largest and most common.

The saxatilis group is the largest, with about 50 species that all more or less look very similiar. So when we say 'sax' group, we mean whatever species in that group that you find. Most will be sveni or lucius ...


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Gotcha! Are there any that i should stay away from in the Sax group?

I'm not sure how easy it is to get Pike cichlids over here but my LFS dude says he can get them, but he needs to check what species they are.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

You may need to push them to get the info, a lot of times they just come in as 'pike cichlid' ... sax types usually have some spangling down their sides like the one *straightjacketstar*'s ... though most don't have that many!!!


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

What are the most commonly kept Sax types then? So i can ask my fish dude to locate me a specific fish. Much better that way. If i can give him a few latin names hes sure to be able to find one of em for me


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Note what is available here might not be as common over there! :lol:

The most common is _Crenicichla sveni_ probably followed by _Crenicichla lucius_. Next would be _Crenicichla proteus_ and then _Crenicichla menezesi_. Not most are sold as either just 'pike cichlid' or as _Cr. saxatilis_ or _Cr. geayi_, neither of which is very commonly found though.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

And all 4 of the aforementioned pikes will be fine in the set up i'm planning?

Are there any dithers you can recommend? The GF like sa good shoal lol.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

_Cr. proteus_ is the smallest at about 6", so would have the best shot working with a larger dither. But becuase of the lack of size, might have more troubles with a tex once it puts on size.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Hehe that settles it. I want a pike and the GF loves the texas. I think i'll try to get a Sveni. Seems to fit the bill in size and looks. I definitely dont want one thats gonna end up as texas spaghetti hehe.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

If the BN plecs are likely to get eaten, what would be a better sized algae eater? I'#m struggling to think of one that WONT get eaten by a 12" pike hehe.


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

I like Rhino plecos---they do a better job than common ones, and they look cool.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

They are a nice looking pleco (As far as brown fish go). When you say they 'do a better job' Do you mean they're actually good for algae control? Or do you mean they eat a little algae. Its not hard to do a better job than and angry lazy poo machine that sits around doing nothing till feeding time lol.


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