New to the forum

[burzumaske20]

Hello all,I am new to the forum,I currently have a 125 gallon fish tank with South American Cichlids and a few African Cichlids at the moment.I currently have a 10 inch tiger oscar,5 in half inch Jack Dempsey,4 inch Green Terror,4 inch severum,3 inch baby JDs,two 2 inch texas,2 inch flowerhorn(which I am selling to a friend of mine shortly),3 inch salvini,2 inch black convict,3 inch eartheater,3 inch ob peacocks(which I am currently wanting to sell 3 of them).I know most will think I am overstock,but at the moment I see this as a temporary tank for about 2 years,until I get a 200 plus gallon tank.I do notice that the Tiger Oscar refuses to eat the smaller guys,due to I feed them well enough to reduce the aggression in the tank,which works a bit.I have just notice some minor things like the 2 inch texas trying to beat up the Tiger Oscar,but the Tiger Oscar isn't caring one bit and feels the Texas is no threat.Before anyone saids "Oscars can't fight",I use to own a 7 inch Jaguar that was beaten up by my Tiger Oscar,which is the reason I had to get rid of the Jaguar.

[Lab_Rat]

Welcome to the forum. Since you know your stocking is a bit ridic, I won't say it. Why would you say oscars can't fight? Also, what's your maintenance routine and nitrate level?

[burzumaske20]

Welcome to the forum. Since you know your stocking is a bit ridic, I won't say it. Why would you say oscars can't fight? Also, what's your maintenance routine and nitrate level?

Oh,well its not me who says that Oscars can't fight,its the usual "experts"who claim they can't fight.My Tiger Oscar fights when he feels like he is being threaten.As for my filtration,I am currently running Marineland Magnum 350 and 2 Marinland Penguin 350.I do once a week water changes.My nitrate level(NO3)40ppm,Nitrate(NO2)0.5,hardness is moderate,ph is 7.6(since I am on tap water).

[Lab_Rat]

Lol, any cichlid can fight, unless there is a structural deformity that prevents them from doing so. Those nitrates are pretty high, and there shouldn't be nitrites present in a cycled tank, so you may want to increase the water changes to get the nitrates lower. With that stocking you have, it's only going to get worse as the fish grow.

[burzumaske20]

Well,since I seem like a nutcase for this type of stocking and not being welcomed,I will be going then,yet others have done far worse than I have ever done with much smaller tanks.
My nitrate levels will always be that high either way.I never have gone pass the 8.0 mark at all.The lowest I can ever get it is,7.4 apparently.As I do the test,I am in the ideal range,which I am talking ph that is.As for the nitrates they seem to be ideal.

[Lab_Rat]

Never implied you are a nutcase. I am simply suggesting that 40 ppm of nitrates and 0.5 ppm of nitrites is not going to lead to healthy fish. Additionally, increasing water change frequency and amount WILL decrease nitrates. pH does not concern me. 40 ppm of nitrates is not ideal at all. It is on the high end of acceptable. As your fish grow, if you do not take actions to lower the nitrates they will not be healthy.

[burzumaske20]

Never implied you are a nutcase. I am simply suggesting that 40 ppm of nitrates and 0.5 ppm of nitrites is not going to lead to healthy fish. Additionally, increasing water change frequency and amount WILL decrease nitrates. pH does not concern me. 40 ppm of nitrates is not ideal at all. It is on the high end of acceptable. As your fish grow, if you do not take actions to lower the nitrates they will not be healthy.

well,since I am pretty new with the 125 gallon fish tank,came from a 55 gallon from the start in the beginning,what would be the ideal % of water change for the 125 gallon?20% or 25%?

[Lab_Rat]

I'd be doing a minimum of 50% water change on the 125g weekly. On my heavily stocked 75g CA/SA cichlid tank I change 80% of the water weekly. You do have to make sure you match temps when changing out that much water, but my fish do well and I am able to keep nitrates low with the 80% changes.

[burzumaske20]

I'd be doing a minimum of 50% water change on the 125g weekly. On my heavily stocked 75g CA/SA cichlid tank I change 80% of the water weekly. You do have to make sure you match temps when changing out that much water, but my fish do well and I am able to keep nitrates low with the 80% changes.

I currently did a test on the water now,from the last week water change.I have gotten the NO3 to 20ppm and NO2 to 0.

[Lab_Rat]

20 ppm is much better than 40. That is good that the nitrite is 0, that is where it should be always. As the fish grow, you'll need to keep an eye on the nitrates since the fish will produce more waste. I'd do a 50% water change each time they hit 20 ppm to keep the tank as healthy as possible.

[burzumaske20]

20 ppm is much better than 40. That is good that the nitrite is 0, that is where it should be always. As the fish grow, you'll need to keep an eye on the nitrates since the fish will produce more waste. I'd do a 50% water change each time they hit 20 ppm to keep the tank as healthy as possible.

Well since I do usually a 20% of 25% water change a week,I may want to experiment a bit on how high I should go,cause maybe it wont need 50%,but if the nitrate stays 20ppm,then I know I have to keep going up,until I hit that 50% water change mark.

[Lab_Rat]

You could do that, or you could just go to the larger water changes. The more water changed, the healthier your fish will be. But that is up to you. I would aim to keep nitrates less than 20 though. Like I said, my 75g gets an 80% water change every week.

[burzumaske20]

You could do that, or you could just go to the larger water changes. The more water changed, the healthier your fish will be. But that is up to you. I would aim to keep nitrates less than 20 though. Like I said, my 75g gets an 80% water change every week.

Doesn't filtration play a big part of keeping nitrates low or at least I thought it does?

[Lab_Rat]

Nope, not unless you're using chemical filtration with purigen, chemipure, or nitrazorb type products. Filtration keeps the ammonia and nitrite down, the end product is nitrate. Nitrate is removed by water changes or live plants (live plants also use up the ammonia before it's converted to nitrate).

[burzumaske20]

Nope, not unless you're using chemical filtration with purigen, chemipure, or nitrazorb type products. Filtration keeps the ammonia and nitrite down, the end product is nitrate. Nitrate is removed by water changes or live plants (live plants also use up the ammonia before it's converted to nitrate).

I use to have 2 moss balls inside my 125 gallon tank,the Severum and Tiger Oscar destroyed them,I can't have tall plants either,due to the same situation with the Tiger Oscar.Unless I was able to find a way to hide the moss balls from them

[Lab_Rat]

I totally understand, I have live plants in with my CA/SA cichlids and they destroy them. That is why the water changes are so important, especially when you are overstocked and have big, messy fish.

[burzumaske20]

I totally understand, I have live plants in with my CA/SA cichlids and they destroy them. That is why the water changes are so important, especially when you are overstocked and have big, messy fish.

The moss balls lasted about 2 weeks,which I thought I can fool the Tiger O of him not seeing the plants at all,since they were not even in his way.I did notice the tiny aggressiveness of my Texas and the Tiger Oscar isn't doing anything about it,except back away from it,the size difference is close to 2 inch Texas and the Oscar being 10 inches.I assume the Tiger O,doesn't feel like doing anything about it,unless its maybe the Texas hasn't pushed him hard enough to make the Tiger attack?

[Lab_Rat]

Texas are quite a bit more aggressive than Os. You'd probably be best to start thinking of what to do with him. He may irritate the O enough so the O snaps, or he may pester the crap out of the O. It is not a combination I would keep.

[burzumaske20]

Texas are quite a bit more aggressive than Os. You'd probably be best to start thinking of what to do with him. He may irritate the O enough so the O snaps, or he may pester the crap out of the O. It is not a combination I would keep.

Strange,I would of thought they would be capable of being tankmates,I do notice the Texas will not go into the Oscars territory at all.The black convict tried to pester my O,but the O scared the crap out of her a couple of days later.So she isn't pestering him anymore.

[DylanisHawttt]

Welcome to the forum :22:

[Lab_Rat]

Just keep a very close eye on them, as they mature you may have issues that will crop up quickly. You will more likely than not need to rehome some fish or set up more tanks to deal with aggression issues as the fish start to hit sexual maturity.

[burzumaske20]

Welcome to the forum :22:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
here is a picture of my 125 gallon tank.

[burzumaske20]

Just keep a very close eye on them, as they mature you may have issues that will crop up quickly. You will more likely than not need to rehome some fish or set up more tanks to deal with aggression issues as the fish start to hit sexual maturity.

My Oscar is too moody honestly.I am sure the Texas will learn real quick not to mess with the Oscar again.I will keep an eye on them though,so far I have noticed the Texas will not step foot into the territory of the Oscar.

[Lab_Rat]

Cool. The key to making your stocking work, along with the large water changes, will be for you to stay on top of any signs of aggression and be willing to make changes when needed. Good luck!