# Mixed Cichlid Tank Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mixed-cichlid-tank-question/640631>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 10, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mixed-cichlid-tank-question/640631 "2012-11-10T23:10:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mixed-cichlid-tank-question/640631/1 "2012-11-10T23:10:13Z")

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About a year ago I set up a brand new 30 gallon mixed Cichlid tank in my living room. I put in plenty of rocks so that there were places to hide and purchased 6 fish, all about an inch long.

Over the past year the fish have matured, and based on their size, shape and coloring they all may be different species. Based on that I didn’t expect any interbreeding, but I was looking at the tank closely earlier this week and noticed a Cichlid fry, about 2/3 of an inch long hiding among the rocks.

How it could have survived I don’t know, but all week long I have been checking to see if it is still around, or has become fish food. Given the aggressive nature of these fish I have named the fry ‘Lucky’.

So what should I do? I don’t want him to get eaten, but I don’t have another tank to raise him in. Should I leave him along and hope he grows big enough that the other fish won’t eat him? Should I purchase a plastic nursery tank that hangs on the inside and stick him in there?

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mixed-cichlid-tank-question/640631/2 "2012-11-10T23:26:11Z")

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At 2/3 inch he’s pretty lucky already. He may not be happy sitting in a tiny nursery tank. Something a little larger sunk in the tank with it’s own rocks might be a little easier. Or just keep the fish well fed and see how lucky he actually is. Have you put a black light on them?

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mixed-cichlid-tank-question/640631/3 "2012-11-10T23:28:38Z")

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> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> At 2/3 inch he’s pretty lucky already. He may not be happy sitting in a tiny nursery tank. Something a little larger sunk in the tank with it’s own rocks might be a little easier. Or just keep the fish well fed and see how lucky he actually is. Have you put a black light on them?

No, should I have?