I have always dreamed of having a community tank that was as close to natural as possible. Were fish feed of each other, plants, and invertabrids with little feeding. I have heard of some people having tanks like this. What stock would you use?
How would you set Up a 300-500gal?
- Thread starter willyb1972020
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You mean community as in small (non monster) fish?? I look at my 210 gallon all the time and think of how cool it would be and just HOW MANY small fish (like tetras and platies etc.) I could fit in there! It would be crazy!
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More as a simi self sustaining tank. Were small fish breed and bigger fish eat them and breed and so on. So you really are only feeding the smaller fish.
Ghost shrimp would certainly be at the bottom of the food chain along with mollies. Id let them populate and multiply until the tank was overrun, then introduce a predator and see how the populations did.
I was thinking ghost shrimp then tertas, defiantly cons some larger cichlids then some talapia maybe a big top food chain predator but can't think of any.
What birch said ^^.
However yes a 500 is a massive tank and all but If you wanted a large predator fish or a few large predator fish they may get to all the smaller species first and eat them all before populations can reproduce unless you have massive amounts of structure/hiding spots (ex wood,rocks,plants,anything they can hide in) if you had LOTS of hiding spaces you would be good but then it would also take away from the predator's swimming space whatever you may decide to keep but I certainly think this is possible
EDIT: if you can't think of any oscars or a small species of p bass may be a place to start
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However yes a 500 is a massive tank and all but If you wanted a large predator fish or a few large predator fish they may get to all the smaller species first and eat them all before populations can reproduce unless you have massive amounts of structure/hiding spots (ex wood,rocks,plants,anything they can hide in) if you had LOTS of hiding spaces you would be good but then it would also take away from the predator's swimming space whatever you may decide to keep but I certainly think this is possible
EDIT: if you can't think of any oscars or a small species of p bass may be a place to start
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I would do algae, Ghost shrimp, mollies, firemouths, oscars, then an arowana or something...
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To create a self sufficient system is possible. Heck My Mbuna tank is pretty much there at 160g, heavy lighting creates lots of algea, low snail population, Mbuna feed of the rocks, i have a couple haps/vics and between them and the competition between various Mbuna species it keeps the fry numbers in check.
But even if it's 300-500g you would only be able to accomidate a few Small predatory species in with MANY peacful community type fish. You can introduce blackworms, snails inverts etc too help feed the lower end of the food chain but also to help maintain substrate and take care of plant debris. good lighting will be key to success because because it'll be plant growth and algea's at the bottom of the food chain as well as creating breeding areas.
I think anything mediem-large and predetory will wipe out the others though unless it's a large pond setting. But could get away with smaller bichirs, rope fish, ceno's, leaf fish , small knives etc. Make sure the pred ratio is very low to maintain a balance otherwise it'll quickly ruin everything, remember that enclosed in a tank the pred's have a huge advantage !
But even if it's 300-500g you would only be able to accomidate a few Small predatory species in with MANY peacful community type fish. You can introduce blackworms, snails inverts etc too help feed the lower end of the food chain but also to help maintain substrate and take care of plant debris. good lighting will be key to success because because it'll be plant growth and algea's at the bottom of the food chain as well as creating breeding areas.
I think anything mediem-large and predetory will wipe out the others though unless it's a large pond setting. But could get away with smaller bichirs, rope fish, ceno's, leaf fish , small knives etc. Make sure the pred ratio is very low to maintain a balance otherwise it'll quickly ruin everything, remember that enclosed in a tank the pred's have a huge advantage !
Thing's like large cichlid/arowana etc all will be far to large for a self sustaining food chain.
Small cichlids, fire mouth, convicts etc might work, but would need something to keep them in check that is a small sized piscivore because they will out breed and out compete everything else if something doesn't quickly knock back the fry numbers. Even then that piscivore will prey on other species as well, and in the end the cichlid will out compete the peaceful fish and you'll be feeding between batched of fry.
Any larger preds will just destroy the habitat and stuff themselves on the prey until they are all that's left. It's ust not doable in a tank environment.
Small cichlids, fire mouth, convicts etc might work, but would need something to keep them in check that is a small sized piscivore because they will out breed and out compete everything else if something doesn't quickly knock back the fry numbers. Even then that piscivore will prey on other species as well, and in the end the cichlid will out compete the peaceful fish and you'll be feeding between batched of fry.
Any larger preds will just destroy the habitat and stuff themselves on the prey until they are all that's left. It's ust not doable in a tank environment.
