tankmates..

Question
QUESTION: i have a 2 inch flower horn.. along with a pair of salvini cichlids n a 1 inch green terror in a 25 gall tank. till now there's been no casualties but they do chase each other around a bit.. should i be worried?

ANSWER: Hi Boo,
 You might be okay for a while but eventually there are going to be problems.  You can lessen the problems by having lots of plants/wood/rocks etc to break up the space and provide lots of
hiding places.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i've kept some plastic plants n lots of rocks for them to hide in.. planning to get a bigger tank once the flowerhorn gets bigger.. what's the minimum size i'm going to need? and can i put any other smaller fish in at all?
ANSWER: Hi Boo,
 An adult flowerhorn is typically a 8 to 10 inch fish so you are going to need something around 50 gallons or larger.  Unfortuntely, flowerhorns do not play well with others so I wouldn't put smaller fish in with him.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: the local shop here sells these small fish really cheap for feeding the bigger ones.. is it ok to use them to feed the flower horn? it won't make too much of a mess will it?

Answer
Hi Boo,
 Do not use feeder fish. They almost always carry various parasites, including ick which easily transmit to your larger fish, eventually killing them.  Every week I answer questions about dying fish because of this exact cause. Don't do it.  Not even "just a few times".

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>