CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Hello

I've had some progress since my initial introduction post and I just wanted to share with you all how things are going.

My setup so far:

4ft tank (250l) 1.2m x 450
300 w crystal glass Aqua H20 heater
Tetratec EX1200 canister filter (1200l/ph)
Black gold gravel

I'm collecting all my logs, rocks, canopy, lights and toys (plastic plants) tomorrow and will probably spend hours scaping only to have the darn O's re-scape it eventually.
My fish will be arriving within the next 2 weeks - 2 red tiger oscars (small uns - so I can grow em right from the start) and a gibbiceps (he's at my supplier now and is already 18cm - so no probs with the O's outgrowing him immediately)

I will post some pics this weekend after I've done the scaping 

Kim

Funny that I had to do a look up on your gibbiceps.. could not for my fish memory recall this fish at all.. SO once I did find out, SHOCK!!  Ok not really but I was surprised.. A common Sailfin Pleco as we call them in the USA.. So now I know...


ON the name, it is no wonder that this did not sound farmiliar:

The Sailfin Pleco was first described in 1854 by Kner as Ancistrus gibbiceps. It was renamed Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps in 1980.
~ The scientific name Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps became valid in 2003. (taken from the text below)

As yours is like 7 in. now, just wait...He wil get bigger fast.. With Oscars, make him a place on the bottom that he can just get into.. Sometimes Oscars get nosey and they might pic on him.. He will swim away and hide or defend him self with his fins.. Some fish do eat thier eyes out.. Mostly African cichlids do this...   Mine got to ONE foot+ American size... As I was feeding him in a smaller tank,  I traded him in.. So be aware of HOW big they do get.. I Saw a female that was ALMOST 2ft long in a inside pond!! Man, she was huge!!  Her head was just enormouse for a Pleco.. 

http://www.wetpetz.com/gibbiceps.html

NOW on your tank.. Your 250 lt tank is a little over a 66 US gal tank here.. So just make sure that you have just the two oscars and that Pleco.. At adult this tank is going to be full.... Also you are going to have to feed that pleco as a new tank does not have a good sorcse of Algae for a few weeks.. Mostly what wil show up is that Red/brownish algae that most plecos dont' like.. PAY ATTENTION TO THE DIET of the pleco in that Profile  and what you can feed him to help him out.. this is important as some do starve as ppl dont' know that algae is NOT enough for them ONLY...They will feed off the top like they say.. MINE did this as he liked the floating pellets too..

As you have enough tanks, I guess you know about cycling and such.. I Like the sound of your gravel color.. Black and gold.. Sounds like a neat Idea for a substrate..   GET us some pics when you can .. 

Hey Barb

Thanks for your comments and views - it's always a good thing to listen to what ppl have to say.  I have one rule in my home iro food - give them the best you can afford or don't bother    I will be feeding the o's on hikari gold and bloodworm - Im not a believer in giving them live foods for 2 reasons. Firstly I don't like the thought of it and secondly there is minimal nutritional value and the chance of parasites in live foods.  The plec will be fed with a Tetra product... green tablets - can't think of the actual name off hand.

I found the perfect log today... it has quite a deep and wide hole in the side which will be perfect for the sailfin during the day.

Im pretty much sorted with everything now...just waiting for my fish - I really can't wait!!

Canopy will be going on tonight - I will post some pics of the tank by tomorrow.

Here are a few pics... still need to get some java moss for the logs though.  Very happy to find the larger centre log... has a nice deep crevice for the sailfin.

Next pics will hopefully have some fish in them 

Ha...I bought a 35cm high pleco and my little 18cm oscar knocked it sensless......  big fight there........landed up sending the pleco back to the lfs. I guess you should put the pleco in first and the oscars will then not feel threatend then when you dump a big plec into their territory, cos judging from my exp even a small oscar will attack a big pleco if its droped into their home. My fish might just be a real bastard, he did rip a clown knife fish twice his size to pieces so i'm not sure.

Mewik, the 2 oscars and sailfin will be introduced at the same time.  Thank you for your concern though