# stock rennovation help needed!!



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

I'm currently finding out that I made a mistake in stocking my 125... I don't have the money to get into african's and have fallen for a few fish in my tank... so i'm thinking i'll build everything around them...

tank specs:
125gal
2 eheim 2217s for filtration
aerated
biweekly water changes
pH 6.2
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 20

(if i mixed up nitrite and nitrate...sorry...)

okay here's the ones I want to keep...(if they're compatible) opcorn: 
1 6" GT
1 blue acara 3"
3 (could go to two) severums 2 green one gold... all about 4-6"
3 female convicts, there's room in a 25 gallon tank... for them if they can't go in here... since the only other fish in that tank is a few panda cories and the "franken fish"

what else is in the tank other than the above...
i'm not too hooked on these guys, if i can keep any great, if not...oh well...

1 JD 4" male...BEAUTIFUL!
1 FM

I know GTs are mean, but he's peaceful as of right now and is large... I know not close to his 10-12" growth... any and all information is much needed and appreciated. I'm looking for suitable tankmates for what I want to keep and if I what I want to keep even works... thanks!

if you have any questions or need any more information just ask... I usually reply very quickly!


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

What if you removed the JD and FM like you said but also remove one of the Severums too. Then get yourself a chocolate cichlid! Or get rid of all three severums and get three uaru....


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

I vote chocolate cichlid for pure awesomesauce.


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

:lol: :lol:


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

The chocolate cichlid mafia has spoken. 

-Ryan


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

see below...


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

ugly fishie! in my opinion, maybe the pictures i'm seeing don't do it justice...

so here's the new dilemma...

i got rid of a severum...so so so sad... he was BEAUTIFUL!! but the other two i'm assuming paired off... (is this a right assumption? behaviour: swimming together, locking lips and smacking each other while circling around each other..)

the fish that was sold to me as a blue acara is a female jack...i have a male jack... they've laid freaking eggs... why me!? so... now i'm donering what to do, but that explains the sudden aggression on the jack... so... i found homes for the JD...firemouth is already gone... wanting to keep the female jack she's so peaceful, but if they've already spawned... there are some eggs left, but the catfish got most of them... tried to get pictures, but they're under the driftwood and hard to see.

I do NOT want to overstock the tank or anything again...
here's what i've been thinking...

i love my gt...but am now wondering if he's a saum... very peaceful and long flowing fins... need to get pcitures posted of him and see what people think.

but here's what i want to do...

keep the gt or saum whatever the heck he is...
keep the two severums
keep the convicts until they get harassed enough or harass too much then move them (they're so cute)...
add 9 giant danios...
but... i need other color... so don't know what else to add or if i can add...

anyone who knows of a colorful cichlid or school of something that would work...do share! i'm very open to opinions, sorry about the chocolate...just looked brown and drab...but maybe the pictures didn't do it justice.

open to criticism...almost certian that the "blue acara" is a JD... ****. wanted something blue in the tank...


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

What the chocolate cichlid lacks in color he makes up for in personality...it's like having a pit bull that wants to do nothing but snuggle.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

but i want color... honestly...my severums and giraffe cat have plenty of personality...

it just hurts that i can only have like 3 cichlids in the tank...


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

With your green terror, are the dorsal and anal fin lined with gold or white, or just flat out green in color?

If they're green in color it's a true green terror, which is very rare.

As far as other tank mates, you could look into somthing from the festivum complex - or possibly a more robust geophagus/satanoperca. Though I'd recommend getting rid of the convicts.


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

You can also look into bosemani rainbow's, they've got color and personality...


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Chocolates (_H. temporalis_) from the web:


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

They're one of those fish that don't photograph well - look a lot better in person, and change color like it's going out of style, mine literally changes hue's as it swims around in the tank.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

beautiful chocolates...

could i do the chocolate with the 2 severums and the GT...

it's not a true gt... gold/red tips.... beautiful hump on the head and fins... will try to post a picture tonight!


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

It's a gold saum, and yes. Chocolate cichlids are very mild tempered but can hold their own if confronted - if anything I'd say the chocolate cichlid will be the ruler of the tank as it grows up.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

but could i do a chocolate, gold saum, and the two severums?

really wanted something blue, but maybe i'll get that from the danios since they have a little shimmer of it in them... and looks like the chocolate can go blue...

how much are the chocolates usually? and how easy are they to find? (in general)


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

I don't see it being a problem.

Finding an actual chocolate can be harder to do, they're rare out here. A 3" fish sells for about 12 bucks - adults are hard to come by.

Just dig around the local fish stores.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

i know a supplier... i should be able to get one, hoping they grow quick... lots of caves are available... the saum is being a little terror protecting his log, but the severums are peaceful...everyone's coming out more since the main male dempsey is gone....

any other cichlids other than chocolates that could work?

I will still do danios, but maybe another school as well? don't want to overstock...

so here's my question... is this possible...
1 gold saum
2 severums
1-2 chocolates or other cichlid *probably just 1 chocolate since they get 12"
1 gibby (love him!)
1 bristlenose pleco (want one again...they don't get big...but don't know)
2 catfish (already have these guys)


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Can't do multiple chocolates, they'll flat out kill eachother, they hate eachothers guts, hehe.

Stocking levels look fine to me.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

i know not multiple chocolates, but are there any other cichlid ideas?


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Not that I can think of off the top of my head.


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

If you want color get this:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=105

but I still vote chocolate ,you _will_ be very happy if you do....


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

not trying to be rude to any of you...but what's the deal with this chocolate obsession?

are they really just that sweet and full of personality? it can't exactly be their looks...they don't look bad though...

just put the 9 danios in the tank... the fish are coming out a lot more and there's a TON of activity in the tank!!

thanks for helping me out guys!

Still need to "get rid" of the female jack dempsey! some stupid person sold it to me as a blue acara...looked it up on this site, didn't think it was an acara, found the eggs and flipped...probably why the male was so mean...

why no convicts? i love mine... all females...like the black, pink and blues on them... need a picture of the g/t though... to see what you all think!

thanks so much to everyone!!!!!


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Chocolates have one of the best personality's out there, they're similar to an oscar fish with attitude.

They're peaceful and easy going but can hold their own against just about anything out there and will literally murder anything that doesn't learn it's place in the tank.

They're very personable and very inquisitive...just an all around awesome fish - a lot of human traits you can link to their behavior.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

but they're nice enough to not hurt the severums right!? the green terror or... gold saum whatever he is is just sweet... got some okay pictures of him, waiting on better ones... added the danios...lots more action!


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

He shouldn't hurt anything unless he's harassed to the point of having to defend himself. But like I said, he'll establish himself as the king of that tank.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

as long as he doesn't hurt anything, I am good.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

oh and why is everyone saying no convicts, they're still in the tank, but i found a home for them... just curious...


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

They'll harass the **** out of everything in the tank.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

lol thanks!

they are so sweet at the moment... just swim together in a shoal... all females... wish i could keep them, but have no where for them...


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

20 gallon long is suitable for one, two might end up shredding eachother.

True convicts don't get past more than about 3-4", but everything is so inbred that most convicts are monster hybrids that get around 6".


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

pictures of a few of the fishies...especially the G/T... or saum lol...

tell me what you think...yes the quality sucks...but other than that...









long fins!









still shy...even though he's big...









i'm in love with his fins...









giraffe nosed cat and the gibby...









the severum pair...please say the green one will look better when he gets bigger...


----------



## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

Definitely a gold saum.

In terms of color they don't improve much, but they get a lot better looking once they reach adult size and start to thicken out.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

good... he's not fattening up much...shy to eat, but does eat...



need color in the tank!

still looking for a chocolate though...


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm curious about the giraffe cat... Could you give me more info? Do you know it's scientific name by chance?


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=149

that's all you need to know.... they get massive!! i'm getting rid of mine if he happens to be the one type of species that gets 35" long... he's already pushing 9.


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm sorry for that... I already knew what he was... I was just making sure you knew what he was! What do you plan to do with him? Large fish are kind of a specialty of mine as of lately...


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> I'm sorry for that... I already knew what he was... I was just making sure you knew what he was! What do you plan to do with him? Large fish are kind of a specialty of mine as of lately...


Speaking of large fish eventually needing rescue, there's an ad on an Ohio Craigslist that has a 55 gallon tank... with 3 oscars, two pleco's.... and an alligator gar. Made me think of you, TFG.

-Ryan


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

just sucks because i love him... cute and full of spunk!

he might not be the species that does get that big...was reading that the only way to tell what type of giraffe cat is by their size...

but oh well...already have a "home" picked out for him...


----------



## ksane (Mar 19, 2008)

poeticpyro said:


> the severum pair...please say the green one will look better when he gets bigger...


Looks identical to my Turquoise Severum when he was little. He's 6" now (but that counts his tail) and looks absolutely beautiful. Here's his picture a month ago. He's not quite a year old so still has growing to do. In real life his fins are a bright orange-red and super long. Guess I need a new pic of him.


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

i hope he'll look that nice!! yours is gorgeous... i wanted to get rid of the gold one because I doubt it will look nice, but I think they paired off...lip locked and everything...unless they're fighting? but they swim side by side...


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

hope i made the right decision on the green terror... he's big, but very thin...doesn't seem to be very voracious...

the jack was much more lively and just beautiful!


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

poeticpyro said:


> i hope he'll look that nice!! yours is gorgeous... i wanted to get rid of the gold one because I doubt it will look nice, but I think they paired off...lip locked and everything...unless they're fighting? but they swim side by side...


That's courtship behavior: cichlid love hurts! 

Lip locking is kind of a "feats of strength" test, to see if a potential mate is worth the time and effort". It the wild, it keeps them from pairing up with a not-so-great mate. Glad people don't do this, or my girlfriend would have found out long ago that I'm hopeless! :roll:

Definitely worth keeping them together. In terms of happy, a mate is pretty much as good as it gets for a cichlid.

We were hoping for a pair, but wound up with two males:










Got to figure out what to do about that... 

-Ryan


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

pretty!! I just hope my male is as colorful as the first one... the yellow one is hideous looking...just...plain i guess... not very bright...lots of scarring on the lip now... but they're very close to each other.


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks! The one behind is showing his "what's the camera for?" colors.  He's got a very happy personality that just makes me smile at feeding time. The one in the foreground is definitely more alpha and colorful, though he's got a very "business-like" personality.

Your's are pretty too! I've never been super fond of the gold severums either... though, once I've committed to a fish, my perception of their happiness is really all that I need to make me happy.

-Ryan


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

yeah... i got it because i wanted color...and now i feel like i can't get rid of it and had to get rid of the nice looking other male... well.. he's still in the tank, but he will hopefully get a home soon... so cute...wish i could keep him...and get rid of the g/t...but i'm sure the gt would be nice if he just fattened up!


----------



## ksane (Mar 19, 2008)

I appreciate the comments, my male is one of my favorite fish (but I say that about all of them!). Here's my female, she's only 3" and in with a full grown Oscar. She stripes up every time she's darting after food lol. She can run circles around the Oscar, no way he could ever catch her. I didn't want to put her with my male because I read how they'll kill the females if she's not ready to breed, is that true?
RyanR, how on earth did you get 2 males to get along? I tried a male Eartheater with my male Severum and had to take him out 15 seconds later-the Severum whupped him pretty bad. I was so surprised at his aggressiveness :-O


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

since this topic has turned into severum 101 i have some questions because you all seem so knowledgeable!

1. so the behaviors were mating!? (****)
2. please say they'll never spawn...like the catfish will take care of it all...?
3. can't split them now right?
4. the male, or what i think is the male (green one) is black...like jet black except for his very blue face...he's 4-5" (got him when he was 2" 2 months ago...he blew up when he got into this tank) the possible female is 3-4" very very drab... nice lemony color, but she's MEAN! more so than the male, they weree protecting a terra-cotta pot a few days ago, but have since left it...nothing is visible.

i never wanted to breed!!! lol...wanted two boys, but ended up getting a pair, or so it seems since most of you have said 'YES!" to the mating behaviors...

oh cichlids...all the personality....

issues with the g/t still very shy and not eating much...think it's just getting used to the place? had him for about... a week or so...


----------



## ksane (Mar 19, 2008)

They probably will breed. I'm not sure how specific (usually on the soft side) your water has to be for the eggs to hatch though. Even if the catfish don't eat the eggs the parents (probably the male) will eat the fry after a few wks when he wants to breed again. The only thing I've ever had breed is Convicts and they'll breed in anything. (1/2 a can of beer as someone said once lmoa!). So I don't know about Severum breeding but I imagine it's similar.


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

The behavior isn't necessarily mating/courtship... I'm 90% sure we have two males, and they've had a couple of courtship "incidents" and one episode of lip-locking (that I've seen!). Though, they definitely are not fond of one another. The "alpha" male will bully the other around a little bit... which is why I'm probably splitting them up when I can afford a new tank. Sounds like you have a pair, though....

They might spawn, and if they do they'll be very protective.... but I think a giant catfish can pretty much say "I think I'll be eating those".

I dunno about splitting them up.... I've heard of other SA cichlids getting depressed after loosing a mate. Severums are probably similar. If they're happy together, you probably should keep them together... though, that's just an opinion.

One of our males turned black for a few days when spring started (I was worried)... probably hormonal. If your fish can see a window, they know its spring, as their biorhythms (circadian rhythms) are tuned by day length. I noticed weird behavior in both of our tanks this past spring. Keep an eye on them. 

A pair is better than two males with any SA cichlid species, I think. You'll get better colors ("Hey, check _me_ out!"). We have two males in our 75 gallon tank, and it's not working that well. Fortunately, they're the "gentle" severums, so they haven't killed each other like more aggressive cichlids probably would, but I'm keeping a close eye on them... and cruising CraigsList in search of another tank, just in case.

Give your GT some more time to get used to things. A week isn't all that long. I stressed the **** out of our teeny tiny chocolate cichlid last weekend (long story, see the chocolate thread), and it's taken him/her about a week to forgive me.

We, too, have found SA cichlids to be nutty fish, but they've been the first fish that I've really enjoyed having. I actually update my folks on them when I call home. So much so, that my parents will ask, "So how are the fish doing?".... their scaly grandkids! 

-Ryan


----------



## poeticpyro (Jun 15, 2008)

amazing... thanks for all of the help... yeah he's actually a sweet one...everyone has told me that from the picture the green one is the male, but the yellow one's a little devil. still trying to get rid of a JD...she is a terror...looking for a chocolate, but can't find one  any other cichlids that would go well just in case?

the chocolate's looks haven't really taken my heart, but how much you all talk about how you adore them does... the JD killed all of the danios... very sad indeed. they were all fairly large 2"...whole school...demolished. Going to replace them once she is gone. Thanks everyone for being so awesome and helping me through this...

hopefully I'll get some decent pictures of the fish this weekend!! If so I promise to post them! Thanks again...

any and all information regarding anything related to the fish I'm keeping is always much welcomed... I'm just beginning, but have already been reading tons of profiles and past threads just to make sure what i'm doing is right and so I know what to look out for with cichlids.

Yes they are close...very close...to a window..partially the reason the pleco's so big already...he loves the algae...but it's diffused light, so it's not direct! Bought a new test kit... it's the API one and my perams are different compared to the other jungle test strips...I think I'm going to believe the API ones since it's drops and is a lot more accurate looking.


----------

