# My first SA Aquarium, Auqasacping & stocking advice need



## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Hi Guys,

I've just purchased a Juwel Rio 240 4ft aquarium (63 US Gallons), that I am looking to setup SA Cichlids. http://www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/rio.htm?cat=6

I recently purchased a pair of firemouths (I know there CA, bear with me) & added them into my community tank (good advise from fish store) & then decided a bigger Cichlid tank was the way to go & have recently just brought myself a 2" Blue Acara & 2.5" Ellioti which are chilling in my community tank, awaiting there new home along with the firemouths.

So on my hunt for a new tank I stumbled across this on eBay & after a phone call to the seller I purchased it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... MakeTrack= true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

I was after 240L & it's in black as well which is rare. It's a little more that I was looking to pay for a second hand tank but looks to be in good condition & plus 90% of them are beech so again it was worth it, plus it comes with the added bonus of the stock inside it & established filters.

I know a (not so local) LFS which I can trade some of the fish for credit so I am looking to get all of the substrate, driftwoord & rocks etc in exchange for some of the stock so I shouldn't have to pay anymore out of my own pocket.

My question is though as I am getting this tank with fish the parrots I'll trade in & the gourami's will go to a friend. But with 6 Severums it really seems like a shame to give up all of them so how many could I keep with the Blue Acara, Ellioti & Firemouths & would 5"-6" Severums be ok with smaller 2"-"2.5" fish?

Next up I need to work on the setup for when I get the tank does anyone have any links/ images as to how the setup should look & what requirements these fish have?

Sand or gravel? Caves rocks, plants (fake only, tried real once, never again), terratories etc?

Thanks in advance,
Stuart


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

I've just been looking into severums & I am not sure if they're right for my tank. No big deal as I can trade them in & maybe get a EBJD or something? (I also haven't got a clue how the guy I am going to get the tank off is keeping 6 in this tank as well as 6 other fish)?

I am completely open to suggestions here people, especially if someone can point me in the direction of what would be the maximum stocking a level for this tank. Nothings set in stone yet although I do have the Acara, Ellioti & Firemouth's.


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## Electrophyste (Aug 5, 2009)

i think i commented on this already in another thread but currently in a 75 gallon i have sevrums and a firemouth, the sevrums i find are more peaceful and get bullied by the firemouth on ocation but no fights just chasing out of territories, my male sev goes where ever when ever, hes the boss. i have had a blue acara and they were timid aswell, so cant see a problem with that.

my advice to you

i think you should keep what you have but lose 1 of the firemouths
keep a sev and you should be fine so lang as each can have a territory.

each fish will have to have its own place in the tank.

for me that means LOTS OF DRIFT WOOD!


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Electrophyste said:


> i think i commented on this already in another thread but currently in a 75 gallon i have sevrums and a firemouth, the sevrums i find are more peaceful and get bullied by the firemouth on ocation but no fights just chasing out of territories, my male sev goes where ever when ever, hes the boss. i have had a blue acara and they were timid aswell, so cant see a problem with that.
> 
> my advice to you
> 
> ...


Hi,

Thanks for the response, yep that was me in the other thread (before I knew what was SA & what was CA).

So, total stocking for the 240......

1 X Severum
1 X Blue Acara
1 X Ellioti
1 X Firemouth

I am still open to suggestions & as I've said nothings set in stone. I've not considored keeping Severum(s), it just seemed a shame to give a way a tank full of them without keeping one or two for myself. Still they do get big so if I could keep more smaller fish instead I'd probably go that route.

It doesn't look like an electric blue jack dempsey is to friendly so maybe that wouldn't be a good idea either, still I could handle a red tiger oscar, it's just a case as to whether he'd get along with the acara etc (I am slowly going off the firemouth although most websites state they seem to be compatible with most others?)

Still if I traded in the severums I could add my total stock list as juvies & maybe they'd be more tollerable of each other, as opposed to adding several 2" fish with a 6" severum?


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Nice looking tank.

I like the graval that is in it and gravel is fine with larger fish like you have. Plus the gravel has bacteria inn it so the tank will cycle faster.

Add rocks, driftwood, and fake plants.

I think you could try the firemouths, acara, ellioti, severum, and a blood parrot.

May be overstocked but I will asume you will have to thin the herd in the future when you get a troublemaker.

I was expecting to do the same in my 75g CA tank but they all grew up together and get along well a year later. Mine are all female ecxept the Nic pair (which I thought were two female and was going to keep the prettier one). I have lots of caves and they have their own territories and know their place in the rank.

Pic here http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... hp?u=56319

....Bill

....Bill


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Hi Bill thanks for the reponse....

I am collecting the tank tomorrow so I need to sort out the final stock, I am still not sure on the Severum(s), do you think I could have two of them instead of the blood parrot or is that not a good idea? (They seem to be touch & go for what I've read).

If I go for one shal I keep a male or a female? I have no intrest in breeding them so would to females get along fine?

Thanks,
Stuart


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Change of plan the shop which used to trade fish in dont anymore, so I am going to take the tank as is & set it up then try to re-home the fish somehow, aquatists classified or eBay I guess?


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

OK........

So picked the tank up today witha friend of mine & couldn't believe the state of it! Both the filters & the gravel were overflowing with s*** as if the previous owner had just been doing water changes (with raw tap water) & not cleaning it.

Me & my mate we're both amased that the fish we're still alive & shocked at the same time, I brought some more gravel on the way home as I couldn't reuse the stuff from the tank. After a 2.5 hour drive we only lost 1 of the parrots (which was pink so probably not to good) I gave another one to my friend along with the kissing gouramis leaving me with 6 severums & 2 parrots.

We set the tank up & here it is..........
































































& a Video on youtube for good measure........


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Anyway all seemed fine so I fed them some bloodworm & went to bed, they seemed fine this morning, but when I got back from work something was very VERY WRONG! The severums we're on the base of the tank gasping & the parrots we're taking air from the surface, plus the water had a yellow tint & looked like piss. My inital thought was is the water oxygenated? Then when I saw the pumps moving the surface & I s*** myself! I got the test kit out to find 0.5ppm ammonia & 1.0ppm of nitrIte.

NO GOOD!!!!

I did a 50% water change adding prime to it to reduce the toxins & after 10 minutes the fish started swimming & acting normally. The reason I didn't touch the filters as I was scared of disturbing the bacteria & am not sure if it died in transit as I did my best to keep it wet (although I am not sure if bacteria could live in that s***).

I figured seeing as the filters aren't doing f**all anyway I cleaned all the media which from what I could find wasn't in correct anyway & the Fluval 4 internal filter was only a single piece of foam? Jesus, was it clogged with s*** (I am not religous). I added nutrafin cycle to both filters & also added one of the pads from the filter in my community tank along with some of the bio nodes as well, then dosed I the tank with some more cycle.

I disturbed some of the tank while moving the filters etc but will be doing another big water change tomorrow so I'll start by letting the **** settle overnight & taking it out with the gravel cleaner. Hopefully I am on top of this & all will be well, but the sooner I can offload some of the additional fish the better really. I think I'll keep the 3 smallest greens for a while along with my other cichlids & look at thinning them out later. Anyone local to Southampton UK want a 6" severum?

Until then lots of testing, praying (I am still not religous, yet) & water changes. Fingers crossed. I was planning on buying bogwood & rocks but I think that money is going to go on a can filter to run along these two & then I'll work on the aquascape.....


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

thats alot of big fish in a 63 gallon tank... you are going to have a tough time keeping the water quality where it needs to be.

are you sure the fish arent victims of agression/overcrowding?


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

HONDO said:


> thats alot of big fish in a 63 gallon tank... you are going to have a tough time keeping the water quality where it needs to be.
> 
> are you sure the fish arent victims of agression/overcrowding?


Hi,

Can I ask what you mean by "victims" of aggression" they look fine & I've not noticed any? I am getting a large canister filter tomorrow (as this tank only has 2 internals!!!!) along with some media from a friends filter.

I am also looking to re-home probably all but the small Rotkeil so I can add more smaller fish.


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

just thinking that since its crowede they may be getting pushed by other more dominant fish to the sides and surface of the tank... basically, they have nowhere to go and cannot compete for prime tank space.

if you arent seeing any damage its not an emergency, just that they arent totally comfortable being right next to one another so the less dominant fish are forced to the furthest corners of the tank.

this could be completely wrong, just an idea.


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

I just saw one of the 7" Rotkeils have a pop at the other like he was trting to bit his front fin although it didn't seem very aggressive?

Either way that fish looks a bit f***ed, shal I get rid of the one who was having a pop at him asap?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

ditch one, aggression will likely only escalate higher and higher.


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

in a 63 gal tank i would keep one severum.
pick your favorite and find good homes for the rest.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

If it were me I'd keep the smallest Red Shoulder/Rotkeil severum, his fins are in the best shape.


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## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

i agree. get yourself a nice big school of tetras (blackskirts, bleeding hearts, diamonds or anything high bodied) throw some nice wood in there and you should be ready to rock and roll.

your fish are very nice by the way.


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

Hi guy's thanks for the responses.....

I am currently looking to keep only the small Rotkeil as mentioned & rehome the rest. Then add my 2" blue acara to this tank along with my ellioti & my firemouths. I really didn't ever intend on having a severum (or 6) so I think when the rotkeil gets big I'll rehome him as I'd rather have more smaller fish.

I am also going to get some big pieces of bogwood & tall fake plants as well. I got myself a big can filter yesterday & added some media from a friends established filter so all should be well.


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## Kaosone (Jun 29, 2009)

OK I noticed the 7" rotkeil that was beating up the other 7" one was also starting on the little one, so I pulled him out the tank along with the big green severum which was also a bit angry & took them to a lfs. While I was there I also got 3 big bits of bogwood & the main centrepiece of wood which was Â£25 thay gave me for free as of the two fish which was a result I wasn't expecting.

I don't see why they started fighting now when they've been in the same setup for ages, but hopefully they can make some terratories now & calm down a bit. I also fed the fish last night & then tested the water this morning to find the tiniest amount of ammonia & no nitrite, so I'll keep feeding & checking for a while.

Here's the tank now, it needs a lot more plants. I'll move those tall plants to the back & put shorter ones infront of the wood, & move teh heater to the other end of the tank & hide it behind some plants as well as trying to disguise the juwel filter & intake.










1250L an hour can filter rated for more volume than this aquarium, I'll give it a month & then throw away the fluval internal & keep this & the juwel one.


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