# A 5 Gallon Tank as a Grow Out Tank?



## march84 (Jan 16, 2011)

I have an 80 gallon tank filled with about 25 fish, most of them are lake Malawi Cichlids ranging from 1" to 4" and everything is ok but, they have been breeding and I need to grow out some of the fry (for some reason certain fry keep getting chased around the tank). I am running the 80 with 3 Magnum 350 canisters and a Magnum HOT filter along with frequent water changes. The fry are smaller than an inch right now.

I want to put them in the 80 when they are atleast 1"1/2"... Can I use a 5 gallon as a grow out tank until they are that big? There are 6 fry that would be in the grow out tank.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

I doubt that they will survive to the 1 inch mark in a 5g tank. They are often territorial even when small.


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

What species are the 6 fry? I agree with #6 that if they're something like demasoni/crabro/kenyi, it won't work. YL/rusties/peacocks/something a bit tamer? I'd say it's worth a shot.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I grow out yellow labs and metriaclima lanistacola in a 10G. I can easily have 2-3 dozen in there, and grow them out to 1" to 1.5". The tank has a sponge filter, heater, and a big clump of Java moss in there. That works very well for me, with good growth rates. Feeding several times daily with NLS 1mm pellets. Weekly 50% water changes. Those two are some of the most peaceful mbuna out there, and I haven't bred any of the more aggressive types in ages. Number6 is likely right that my setup would not work for all mbuna, but it might help that I have no decorations that lend themselves to serve as markers for the staking out of territories.


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## Terrylen (Jan 18, 2011)

I grow out my yellow lab fry in a 160ltr about 30gallon plastic storage container easily available (and cheap) from most superstores - it has the added advantage that it holds heat pretty well - especially with the lid on


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## RRasco (Aug 31, 2006)

I keep my fry in 10g and move them to a 20 or 29 once they get a little bigger. Never had any problem in my 10s though. They are only $10 at wally world, take the plunge.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

IME, many fish in a 10g is more likely to work than 6 in a 5g tank. With only 6 fish, they will turn on the weakest fish in the tank. Just my experience and opinion


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

5gal is okay for fry, but unlikely once they get past 1/2" (as mentioned above)


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