New to cichlids

[DaiMasters]

I got mine in Sept. 2-3" long. Now they are 8 and 9 inches long. =) So pretty quick.

[dblondfemme]

wwarning..... +1 on the quarantining the rosies. You almost need to continually keep a small tank running to put them in so they don't give your big tank ick or anything else. I wouldn't stress they aren't eating and are hiding. They can easily go weeks without eating without suffering much damage. However, those particular fish, if not fed will begin to try to eat each other lol. The reason I stress the quarantine... I had a friend who lost a super large tank FULL of fish because of feeder fish.

[jwh0818]

That's awesome. Maybe I will just add 3 jacks and a green terror, what else can go with these fish

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[jwh0818]

How do I set up a quarintine tank?

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[jwh0818]

So with the quarintine tank, do I need to just keep the heat at 82 and have aquarium salt in it

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[CRUSHER]

lol say good bye to the plants.. oscars will destroy them... like a cat playing with some yarn. you can have 2 oscars, but the do get to be a foot long. and when they are on a pellet strike you will know... mine would take each given pellet crunch it up and spit it out... every single pellet and then he would sit there and stare at me...little turd

This is my tank right now, it only has a jack and an Oscar

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[DaiMasters]

Just set up a Second tank. I'd keep it bare. Whenever you bring Feeders home, put some media from your filter into the filter on the Qtank so you won't have to wait for it to Cycle. Keep the feeders isolated for like 3 weeks to make sure they aren't sick. If you want Go a head and dose them with Melafix and Primafix. I would feed them Omega One Cichlid Flakes while they are in there too to gut load them for the Oscars and other fish. =)

[dblondfemme]

I have a male jack who is largish but not an alpha... Also.. and quarantine tank is just a small fish tank you keep running all of the time and keep fish in for a week or two to make sure they don't develop any illnesses. Some dose the tank with quick cure regularly as a preventative. Also this tank can be used if one of your tank becomes ill or injured because it is much cheaper and easier to treat a small tank than a large one.

[DaiMasters]

Oh yeah +1 on Plants. I have a Huge plastic Plant and they keep trying to Uproot it. I've had to weight it down with about 5 Pounds of river Rocks just to stop them from Yanking it up. lol

[jwh0818]

I'd feed a Stable of either Omega One Cichlid Pellets, NLS Cichlid Pellets, or Hikari Cihlid Pellets.

If you want to feed live food, Feed Crickets every so often. Rosies like once a month or so, after quarantining them, If you had an extra tank I'd say breed Convicts and Feed the babies to the oscars instead of Rosies. That's what I want to do. If you want to give them an extra awesome special treat, get some mealworms and let them sit for a week and turn into mealworm Beetles. your oscar will adore you for it.

And be prepared oscars like to go on "pellet" Strikes. Mine are on one now, going on a week and a Half. What I do is just not offer them anything but pellets until they eat again. Fish can go like 3 weeks without eating, so it's more of a battle of the wills between you and the fish lol.

That's really amazing. Where can I get live meal worms? Sorry about the questions but I have been wanting these fish for years but never had a tank big enough and now I'm excited and thanks for the pleco, he is aweaome. I put him in my pond I just started instead of my tank but, non the less. MEAL WORMS, were can I get em

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[CRUSHER]

just a regular steup in a much smaller aquarium with filtration and bubbler and nice place to hide, sand for substrate... all gunk stays on top... 15 - 20 gallon would do.. if petco is still having their $1.00 a gallon sale take advantage of it

How do I set up a quarintine tank?

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[dblondfemme]

I get mine from a store up here on the north side, but you can get them in the fishing section of Walmart (last time I checked) and t petsmart in the refrigerator.

[DaiMasters]

lol No problem! He'll love your Pond. Petco Has mealworms. I Go to the one on the corner of Spencer and Burke. The Aquatics Specialist there, Joseph, Knows his stuff. He's helped me out a lot. The Mealworms will be in Reptiles. Also Mine like Nightcrawlers from Wal-mart. =)

[jwh0818]

Well then. This just gives me an excuse to get a breeder for my live plants

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[jwh0818]

lol No problem! He'll love your Pond. Petco Has mealworms. I Go to the one on the corner of Spencer and Burke. The Aquatics Specialist there, Joseph, Knows his stuff. He's helped me out a lot. The Mealworms will be in Reptiles. Also Mine like Nightcrawlers from Wal-mart. =)

That's were I go too but they wouldn't take the red Texas back so he is siting in a bag here. I cannot put him back in the tank because he is mean. Point blank mean. So who wants him. I want another Oscar or jack

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