Is it overstocked?

some of those I consider to be more pond fish than tank fish, like the barramundi and possibly the motoro ray. A fish that can get above 4 foot like the barramundi simply isn't going to work for life, depending on the fish 3 foot seems like it could be too much. For the ray, any ray that can get 30 inches in disc size or larger would seem awfully cramped in a 4 foot wide tank. The gar is also on the border here someone who has them can comment better, but I've seen many with that spine issue from being in too cramped a space.

the others all seem fine to me. Also it might take a while for the 3 above to outgrow the tank, just know that they likely will.

Way over imho I have a 300g its my first big tank and have been shocked at how stocked it looks with a few large cichlids... an 18 inch gg is a massive bulk and will need half and the aro at 28 inch the other half a few bircher for the bottom would be it I reckon, I always run over stocked but my fish go to new homes if they get too big...

Sounds like your getting opinions from people who dont even have a large tank or have not looked at said fish in a large system. A large arowana yes will take up some room but not half the tank at all. The stingray as well is not going to require half the tank.
My personal opinion is that those type of fish you selected will have a hard time getting along together and your likely to get some loss overtime. During my time and changing many fish in my system I have learned what does and does not work. This is a lesson you will have to learn as well. The helpful part is to have another tank you can move some fish into when they do not work out with the others. But picking the best choices at start is best. Like for example the rays will require the whole bottom of the tank so plan no other bottom fish.

Also your filtration will have a hard time keeping up with a system(well probably just wont do well at all really) that large your going to need some serious flow to keep the water moving. Take a look at my thread below.

Sent from Samsung Note 2

well with a male ray at 24 inch and if the spotted only reach 24 inch I could see that working. For some reason I thought I read the spotted gar could hit 36inch. Filtration is going to be interesting no matter what as larger fish = larger poo = a lot of tank maintenance. So you could go bead filter, you could go sump, you could go canister to take care of bio + mechanical but the reality is tank maintenance is going to be the real thing that will dictate how well each will work. Once you see a house cat size poo drop from your fish you'll see why cleaning it up will become important to your water parameters.

I'm more partial to sumps due to the additional water volume and moddability but obviously that adds to the space needed and requires overflows, filter socks, a bit of design, media purchase seperately, pump, and etc. A bead filter will handle a lot of waste but you'll still need the pump and pvc pipe to set it up not sure if it'll take up much more space than 2x FX6's. At any rate I'd still add some in-tank powerheads to try and point the poo towards the inlets to your filtration. That will help, but again tank maintenance is going to be key here.

DIDYSIS said:

Sounds like your getting opinions from people who dont even have a large tank or have not looked at said fish in a large system. A large arowana yes will take up some room but not half the tank at all. The stingray as well is not going to require half the tank.
My personal opinion is that those type of fish you selected will have a hard time getting along together and your likely to get some loss overtime. During my time and changing many fish in my system I have learned what does and does not work. This is a lesson you will have to learn as well. The helpful part is to have another tank you can move some fish into when they do not work out with the others. But picking the best choices at start is best. Like for example the rays will require the whole bottom of the tank so plan no other bottom fish.

Also your filtration will have a hard time keeping up with a system(well probably just wont do well at all really) that large your going to need some serious flow to keep the water moving. Take a look at my thread below.

Sent from Samsung Note 2

Click to expand...

you know I remember a time when people on mfk gave their opinions without speculation or insults. Obviously we've come a long way from that. I'll admit I'm more of a pond guy than a tank guy, but that doesn't mean I don't have experience with large fish in fact it means quite the opposite. I and anyone who isn't a fool know a large ray isn't going to take up half the tank, that doesn't change the fact that a 30" disc in a 4 foot width enclosure isn't ideal. Flow alone isn't going to be helpful, you need to take those massive nitrate filled poo's out of the system. That's typically done via netting for poos that large. you can also gravel vac but that's like trying to pick up rocks with your dirt devil it might work, but you'll be cussing.

Im sorry but I just have to say I laughed super hard when I saw your advice for netting poo out of a system. Lol
Still reading all of your post im looking for your personal experience with the fish he is planning on keeping not just your info saying you are a pond person. I dont mean anything personal by it.

And yes I agree he will need to look into doing like my system with a drip system or other auto water change system as doing water changes on a large system is only so much fun.

If he decides to read my thread and see what I have done to make a super successful system he will learn allot and can plan best for a system like what he plans to get.

yogurt_21 said:

you know I remember a time when people on mfk gave their opinions without speculation or insults. Obviously we've come a long way from that. I'll admit I'm more of a pond guy than a tank guy, but that doesn't mean I don't have experience with large fish in fact it means quite the opposite. I and anyone who isn't a fool know a large ray isn't going to take up half the tank, that doesn't change the fact that a 30" disc in a 4 foot width enclosure isn't ideal. Flow alone isn't going to be helpful, you need to take those massive nitrate filled poo's out of the system. That's typically done via netting for poos that large. you can also gravel vac but that's like trying to pick up rocks with your dirt devil it might work, but you'll be cussing.

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Sent from Samsung Note 2

that is a very overstock idea, even when I try to imagine all those fish in my 1000G it still over stock. And the aggression issue is a big problem too, you might end up with a big mess. Just pick what fish you like the most then think about their size and how they will feel swimming in that tank then make up a better stock list.

yogurt_21 said:

some of those I consider to be more pond fish than tank fish, like the barramundi and possibly the motoro ray. A fish that can get above 4 foot like the barramundi simply isn't going to work for life, depending on the fish 3 foot seems like it could be too much. For the ray, any ray that can get 30 inches in disc size or larger would seem awfully cramped in a 4 foot wide tank. The gar is also on the border here someone who has them can comment better, but I've seen many with that spine issue from being in too cramped a space.

the others all seem fine to me. Also it might take a while for the 3 above to outgrow the tank, just know that they likely will.

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gar with spine injury isn't from being in a small tank, it is the opposite. Many people keep young gar in a too large of a tank so they can pick up speed and bang into the glass and break their back.