C.R.E.A.M. Thoughts?

[Matteus]

Hey folks, I am brand new to the cream crew so I'd like to hear some of your thoughts....

I just picked up some ocellaris a few weeks back, but was only able to snag 3. I was originally budgeting for 6. The lfs where I picked these ones up are saying they will be getting some kels( which I originally wanted and asked for) and also some azul. I know the kels are a smaller species but I can't seem to find much or any info on the size of azuls. I keep reading that kel grow fast and azul grow slow.

So my current dilemma. I have the ocels that are almost 4" right now and seem to be growing like weeds on brine shrimp only, they still won't take anything else, not even bw. The new batch will be 2" when they arrive in 2 weeks. I'm almost thinking it would be better to just grow these guys out as fast as possible so they can go in my main tank before the new ones arrive. But they need to be big enough to not be Oscar food. My o is 8-9" and will absolutely be intrigued to taste test any new arrivals.

Do you guys think it would be better to:
A)slow down feeding my current chichla so they will be closer in size to the new ones?
B) speed up the feeding to try and be bigger than o's mouth in 2-3 weeks? Not sure if the growth will be fast enough.?!
C) not get the other 3 till these ones are much bigger

 

[Matteus]

Also for a reference, my wife and I are planning to move across the country in about a year, so I am only growing these guys out for a year. If I can not sell them when the time comes I already have a home sorted out for them with a breeder friend.

Another question is, what are the resale values of these guys? Ocellaris, kelberi, and azul.

 

[Nove Sedici]

Hey folks, I am brand new to the cream crew so I'd like to hear some of your thoughts....

I just picked up some ocellaris a few weeks back, but was only able to snag 3. I was originally budgeting for 6. The lfs where I picked these ones up are saying they will be getting some kels( which I originally wanted and asked for) and also some azul. I know the kels are a smaller species but I can't seem to find much or any info on the size of azuls. I keep reading that kel grow fast and azul grow slow.

So my current dilemma. I have the ocels that are almost 4" right now and seem to be growing like weeds on brine shrimp only, they still won't take anything else, not even bw. The new batch will be 2" when they arrive in 2 weeks. I'm almost thinking it would be better to just grow these guys out as fast as possible so they can go in my main tank before the new ones arrive. But they need to be big enough to not be Oscar food. My o is 8-9" and will absolutely be intrigued to taste test any new arrivals.

Do you guys think it would be better to:
A)slow down feeding my current chichla so they will be closer in size to the new ones?
B) speed up the feeding to try and be bigger than o's mouth in 2-3 weeks? Not sure if the growth will be fast enough.?!
C) not get the other 3 till these ones are much bigger

I would say: Get a second growout tank ;-)

The growing speed will mostly depend on what they will eat. Al the moment I am growing out 3 Kelberi and 2 Occelaris, 1 of each is growing slower because they are not taking smelt or pellets yet. The others are eating smelt ans sometimes pellets and are growing way faster then the other 2.
In my memory an Azul can reach about 75 cm in length (29 inch), quite a big species!

I wouldn't take the risk of adding the Kelberi before the occelaris are moved to the main tank. In 2 weeks they will possible be around 5 inch, adding new 2 inch Kelberi's might be too interesting for them.
I would choose option B

 

[Matteus]

Thanks for your input nove. At the moment they won't touch anything outside of brine Shrimp. I have even tried starving them for most of the day and sneaking in some bloodworms/ crushed pellets. They swam fast into the cloud then turned their nose up and started attacking each other. They looked pissed at me and each other for this nonsense called bloodworms. This tells me anything smaller than them is a goner as soon as it hits the water..

 

[TheWolfman]

2” is nothing in the long run. You should be fine once the new bass bulk up a bit. I would grow out the new arrivals for a bit then add them. I don’t think mixing the oscer with the bass is a good idea at the size your bass are now though.

 

[Matteus]

2” is nothing in the long run. You should be fine once the new bass bulk up a bit. I would grow out the new arrivals for a bit then add them. I don’t think mixing the oscer with the bass is a good idea at the size your bass are now though.

My concern is that my current 4" will destroy 2" if I add them together.

I would love to do another grow out tank but we are moving and it doesn't make sense to buy more tanks to move across the country

 

[TheWolfman]

They probably will try. I wouldn’t mix the two until there closer to 6 inches to 8 inches is nothing 2 inches to 4 is a different story Personally if I was moving I wouldn’t be getting any fish that or get rid of the big fish you happen just keep small might be easier to move small fish then large Oscars

 

[Matteus]

They probably will try. I wouldn’t mix the two until there closer to 6 inches to 8 inches is nothing 2 inches to 4 is a different story Personally if I was moving I wouldn’t be getting any fish that or get rid of the big fish you happen just keep small might be easier to move small fish then large Oscars

I won't be moving any of the big guys. Either selling or will go to local friends. Already have next year and a half of my fishkeeping planned out.

 

[Tony A.]

Just keep the ones you have. Why get large growing fish knowing your going to have to get red of them .

 

[Matteus]

Just keep the ones you have. Why get large growing fish knowing your going to have to get red of them .

Thank you for your thoughts. That is why I posted this. To hear people's opinions.

I really enjoy them and I don't want to stop fishkeeping because I am going to move. Chichlas have really good resale value once they are big. I am not keeping them for a profit, but there is a chance that I may at the end of the time with fish that I already was going to feed and grow up. Lots of folks want bigger fish so they can add to set ups that they already have.

The way I see it, is im gaining more experience with the fish that I do eventually want to keep long term. Learning about them and watching them grow is all sorts of fun. I could easily be sitting on the bench not getting any hands on experience for the next year, or I can start learning and possibly get paid in a year. Also the person who would be paying for a larger specimen would have an understanding of its value and would most like be invested to take care of it and make sure it is housed well. Imho it's not like an oscar that someone can buy for $5 and just treat it like garbage because they don't know what it i,s and it was cheap.

Worste case scenario I have a friend who is a breeder, that would be over the moon to take them off my hands. I talked it through with them before I even purchased these guys I currently have. This was a thought out and calculated process. Not a seat of my pants kinda thing.