# The community tank that should not be!!!



## Cory (May 2, 2008)

So I thought I would share this funny little situation that has cropped up in my bedroom 75 gal tank recently. I decided a few nights ago that I was going to plant the tank after removing the boisterous blue dolphins that had been residents up until a few weeks ago. All that remained in the tank was 6 Paratilapia Bleekeri and some rockwork. Since I was going to be bringing stuff from the basement upstairs anyways, I figured it would be a good time to do some culling so I grabbed a few deformed danios, some runt of the litter zebra obliquidens and any cherry shrimp I could grab that weren't red enough. I threw them in with the plants and brought them upstairs hoping the Paratilapia would be happy to have a live meal like they used to love when they were smaller.. 

Well, I dumped the fish and shrimp into the tank expecting them to become quick snacks but to my surprise the big paratilapia, rather than making food out of them immediately went for cover in the rocks. These are fish that are often called African Oscars because of their personalities which are generally friendly and outgoing. They usually hung out in the open and greeted me when I walked by. They even ate right from my hands. Even the biggest of them though went into hiding at the sight of these much smaller bite sized morsels. I thought maybe it was just shock and they'd soon be devoured but to my surprise all the new introductions were still around the next morning. 

And.. tonight.. they're still there swimming around like no one's business creating a community tank that just shouldn't be. It's almost comical to watch the bleekeri cautiously watching the little guys from their caves as they swim about in the open. The little ones dont swim too close but they don't seem worried either. Im hoping that eventually the paratilapia will make meals out of these guys as they are undesirables and Im not looking to keep them in the tank but for now it's making an entertaining display lol. 

Just goes to show again how there are no hard-fast rules in aquaria and reminds me again why I love this hobby!


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

will be interesting to see how it unfolds in the next month


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## MacFish (Jun 15, 2006)

I have a pair of Thorichthys maculipinnis in with my dempsey's that were supposed to be culls last year. I tossed them in when they were about 1" thinking my 6" Dempsey would chow down. The T. macs are now 3" and 4". They both have deformed gill plates but I figure that everyone gets along so I'll just leave them there. 

They breed every couple weeks but I never see free swimmers so someone is chowing down on the eggs.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

I have the same thing in my cichlid tank I had some redclaw crayfish that were not doing to good very weak out of 20 I put them in with my cichlids I thought as food well I sold all the rest but those three are still in there and one is about a 10ins . Nobody messes with her.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

LOL cory thats too cute...

Who wants to place some friendly bets? LOL I say they will still be there on sunday...but gone monday morning. Haha!


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Ciddian said:


> LOL cory thats too cute...
> 
> Who wants to place some friendly bets? LOL I say they will still be there on sunday...but gone monday morning. Haha!


I give them to Wed.


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