ive got a bit of a problem!!!! ive got a 70 g tank with 2 juvenile tigers, 2 clown loaches, 2 plecsa nd 2 convicts, the thing is the bigger one of the 2 convicts is harassaing the smaller one and i dont think its fair and no matter how many caves i try to create the smaller one keeps getting bullied
WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP THIS?????
another thing is since i put in sand i must have to clean the sand near enough after every feeding, i know i must get a external filter to help drag all the crap!! but i just cant afford that at the moment, so what can i do to help this ???? cut on on feeding besides cleaning it at least twice a day????
i know how messy feeders oscars are and any other cichlid for that matter, i dont want to get rid of the convicts because they are my wifes best fish, the only other thing is that i must purchase an external filter,,
has anyone got an external filter for sale???
if i buy an external filter will this help with the crap all along the top of the sand????

any one with an external filter will you post on here or pm me plz


ashley-john

I'd better make something clear, whether you have sand or gravel, you would still have the same amount of crap in the tank, you probably just wouldn't see it as well with gravel. I suppose this is the only disadvantage of having a very light-coloured substrate, it don't show up the dirt more than a dark-coloured substrate like gravel.

A good external filter would sort your problem out straight away. I've said this time and time again, external filters that have a large capacity for holding biological and mechanical filtration the way to go when keeping Oscars. By nature Oscars are messy little critters, if you haven't got a filter that is capable of pulling all the solid waste out, you're going to end up with a filthy tank. The filter may very well be very efficient when it comes to biological filtration, it's not much good if it leaves all the solid waste in the tank.

Personally, I would go for the biggest external filter you can get. Some of the Eheim filters are real beasts, they can handle 1200 L quite easily. Putting one of those other hundred gallon tank would mean that only cleaning it every six-months

another thing you might try is to get a powerhead and direct the flow of water to push your waste to a corner. also you can sculpt the sand to create a low spot in a corner to help in collecting the waste in one area.

I have sand in my discus tank and i find all the crap collects under and around the edge of the decor so it dont look dirty. Still got to clean it regular tho

As for the convicts there is much you can do to stop the fighting. Convicts are aggressive cichlids, If the smaller fish is getting injured or is miserable and hiding away all the time then i would rehome one of them

well here is a pic of the 2 convict cichlids, i think that they are really nice fish, if one of the 2 has to go which one goes is it the bully or not???????obviously the bully aint it????

well i went up to my tank and i realised that 1 of them had dissapeared i think that he went up the intake, its a bit dissapointing i know but 1 of them had to go, i now for a fact that my o's wouldnt have touched them as they aint like that 1 bit, my tank now consists of
2 juvenile oscars
2 clown loaches
2 plecs
1 convict cichlids

is this ok and am i overstocked?????