Too Many Fish?

[Hokyfish]

I recently set up a South American Cichlid tank. The 60 gallon tank has two 60 gallon filters on it. I have a pleco, a parrot, an Oscar, a green Severum, and a Synspilum. As of right now none of the fish are over 2 inches but I know they will all grow to be much larger. They all seem to get along very well but do I have too many fish?

[Lab_Rat]

The problem with your set up is you have a bunch of fish that get way too big to be in a 60g tank together. Is the parrot a psittacus or is it a blood parrot hybrid? I'd advise you to pick one of those fish and keep it as a lone specimen in the tank. Even then, depending on the footprint of the tank, that tank may be too small for a full grown adult. The only exception is if that parrot is really the blood parrot hybrid, not a true parrot cichlid. In that case you could do a couple of them as they do not get as huge as the other cichlids in your tank. I'd be making some arrangements sooner rather than later.

[Hokyfish]

I appreciate it. So if I move one or two of the fish out of the aquarium how big should that aquarium be? And it is a blood parrot.

[Lab_Rat]

I'm not sure I understand your question. If your favorites are the BP and sev, they should do ok together. I'd rehome the oscar and synspilum. If either the oscar or the synspilum are your favorite fish, then I'd rehome the others and keep just that lone specimen. The pleco may or may not be fine with any of them depending on what kind of plec it is.

[Hokyfish]

Alright I see what you mean. What if I kept the Oscar and the BP in the 60 gallon together and put the sev and the synspilum in another 60 gallon tank? Could that work? Sorry if my questions sound dumb but I need some help!

[rich311k]

An oscar alone in a 60 gallon is pushing it. I would not give him a room mate.

[teddscau]

I think oscars should only be kept in a minimum of 100g.

[Lab_Rat]

Alright I see what you mean. What if I kept the Oscar and the BP in the 60 gallon together and put the sev and the synspilum in another 60 gallon tank? Could that work? Sorry if my questions sound dumb but I need some help!
Not dumb questions at all, better to sort it out now rather than later, when problems arise quickly. I think you really need to choose, it's either the O or synspilum in a 60g, or the BP and the sev. I've not kept a synspilum (would like to one day), but from what I understand, it would not take kindly to the sev in it's tank when the tank is that small. The O needs his own tank when it's that small too. Big cichlids need big territory.

Sevs and BPs tend to be quite mellow. You could do a little flock of BPs in a 60g, I know Hobbs is successfully keeping a few in a 55g.

[MCHRKiller]

Both the Oscar and the Synspilum have the potential to grow to 16" in the home aquarium...a 60G is not a long term solution for either of those fish. Severums also grow to around 9" and depending on the specific mix Blood Parrots grow 5-9" as well. You can see how a tank the size of a 60G tank will not be adequate for long. Most 60G tanks are only 12" wide, both your Oscar and Synspilum have the ability to grow from a cute 2" baby to a foot long monster in less than a year. Synspilums are amazing fish, and arguably one of the best looking "Vieja" but they need space. 125G minimum...they are also extremely aggressive when grown...they are best kept to a species tank. I honestly would not keep anything outside of a mated pair in less than an 8ft tank.

Oscars to really be treated properly should have a 6ft tank...they are VERY prone to HITH disease which id primarily caused from cramped conditions and poor water quality as well as diet. Give them the space they need and a halfway decent diet and you will not have issues with the disease.

The Sev and BP arnt bad choices for the tank...it is debatable as to if they would work long term in the 60G, but of the 4 mentioned they are the best options.

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree with everyone here. I'd take back the Oscar and the Synspilums since your tank will be too small for them and get another parrot or two.

[speezer]

My setup in an 80 gallon tank has 2 tattoed blood parrots;3 blue acaras;2 salvini cichlids;1 slant nose gar;2 tin foil barbs;1 clown pleco;1ancistrus pleco. am i going to have problems down the road?

[skullduggery1]

The slant nosed pike characin will not be able to handle the aggressive nature of the Salvin's cichlids,and the blue acaras can be belligerant when in pairs also.Tinfoils get to around 16 inches.(I have personally seen them this size,and are quite impressive)