stepping down!

[Nautilus29]

I decided to step down to just my 55g tank instead of having my 55, 29, and 10g tanks. My ten gallon is now just my sisters baby guppy tank and my 29g has a few tetras in it.

I cant stand doing all the work on the tanks when I cant even put in any fish that I like into the smaller tanks. I started off at this hobby wanting only a small community tank with no aggression at all. But now that I got a taste of the cichlid world I will never go back. I figured That keeping my 29g is pointless becuase I dont even watch the fish That are in there! I have tried to put some smaller cichlids in there but the tank just isnt big enough none of them seem happy so I figured instead of keeping unhappy fish I will get rid of the tank.

I am definatly not going to quit on this hobby though. I love watching my 55g tank and When I buy a house I am going to have 2 tanks in the house my 55g tank and a 180g tank. IDK what im putting into the 180g but possibilities are endless.

for some reason I dont like watching community fish, like tetras platies and all of the other fish that just seem to want food all the time. I like fish with personality.

[Lady Hobbs]

Hi Adam. Nice to see you again.

Ah ha, the cichlid fever has hit you. What happened to your rams? You could have a tank of kribs and keyholes. I would keep the 29 gallon just incase. You may need it for fry later on.

[crackatinny]

I agree, I love cichlids now, but the wife is still hooked on her platties, mollies, tetra etc LOL

[Nautilus29]

This is what I mean by any fish I try to put in there seems unhappy. I tried my rams in the tank and they all looked pretty good for awhile but then they got discolored and didnt look very good. I checked everything and my water was good but the rams where still unhappy. Then one out of the four died and I decided instead of killing all of them that I would take them back to the store. And you know about the kribs I had. well I first had them in my 55g tank. And they where very happy. Then I switched them to the 29g durring the time that I changed my idea for my 55g tank. ANd then they got discolored and my female died and I gave my male to my gf.

I just think that a 29g tank is an awkward size becuase if its height. Not much territory room. So i dont want to put anymore cichlids in there becuase I know they need territory. Any noncichlid fish I put in the tank do fine but cichlids just dont like the small size or something.

[Lady Hobbs]

I like the 29. Big enough for small cichlids but large enough for a couple angels. But I know what you mean about knowing the fish you keep. I put my tetra's in the 55 and they color up and stay nice and black. I put them in the 29 and they fade out. They like the room to skoal and the more room they have, the darker color they get.

Where will you put all those baby cichlids? You just know you're gonna have some.

[gm72]

Glad that you are identifying the fish behavior and choosing to "step down". Too many people don't really pay attention to their fish behavior and end up torturing the poor things.

I, too am planning a 180 gallon for christmas. SO many possibilities, I think I am changing my mind on stocking every other day.

[cocoa_pleco]

ive lost my lust for my cichlids too. Theyre really cool, but it kinds gets old how you cant have many other species of fish with them. Thats why i like community tanks, you can plop in a extra platy or cory anytime.

Cant wait to build my 300g. Its definitely gonna me a community tank

[gm72]

Cocoa, you going with glass or acrylic for your 300?

[cocoa_pleco]

thats the hard part. Glass would look better, but acrylics easier but it scratches.