Stock Suggestions for my 180G

I'm only a couple months (1-3) away from getting my long awaited 180 gallon (72"x24"x24") that I'll be ordering sometime within the next 3-6 weeks and while I have a few growouts that'll be going in it for sure, I'm not sure what to do for the rest if the stock. The fish I have now that'll definitely be going in this tank are 1 Yellow Bullhead (now 8") and 1 Gibbiceps Pleco (now 8"). Other than those two like I said, I'm not sure yet what else I'm going to put in the tank. I have some other fish now that I've contemplated putting in this tank depending on which "theme" I go with such as my striped raphael cat and green sunfish but these fish don't need a tank that big and they're fine in the tanks they're in now. I'd like to have the stock decision locked in fairly soon so I can start designing tank specs like decor, filtration, and lighting. These are just a few ideas for potential stocks I've come up with so far and I'm open to any ideas you guys have so suggest away! So what would you guys pick?


Option 1) Catfish Tank
6 Giant Danios
1 Gibbiceps Pleco
1 Yellow Bullhead
1 Striped Raphael Catfish
1 Asian Bumblebee Catfish
1 Channel Catfish (growout) Or 1 Brown Bullhead


Option 2) Native Tank
1 Gibbiceps Pleco
1 Yellow Bullhead
4 Creek Chubs
1 Green Sunfish
1 Bluegill
1 Pumpkinseed
1 Longear Sunfish
1 Redbreast Sunfish
1 Redear Sunfish
1 Redspotted Sunfish


Option 3) Cichla Tank
1 Gibbiceps Pleco
1 Yellow Bullhead
4 Cichla sps.


Option 4) Monster Tank
1 Gibbiceps Pleco
1 Yellow Bullhead
3-5 Monster Fish such as Gar, Dats, Cichla, Knifefish, etc (feel free to suggest which species you think would go nicely in this tank)


Option 5)
If you have any suggestions other than what I have above that you think I'd like, please feel free to put them out there, I'm open to almost any option whether tropical or native. It just has to include my yellow bullhead and gibbiceps pleco because the whole reason I'm getting this tank is for them.

Lepisosteus said:

No gars or Bic his with the pleco

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Forgot about that, thanks for reminding me! Guess gar are off the list, bichirs don't really interest me though.

predatorkeeper87 said:

go monster and get like 3-4 brown knifefish. put the raphs in there too haha. I cringe at mixed region tanks but thats what I'd do with it man.

My 150 is african themed except for the 3 clown loaches, with 2 leopard bushfish, a butterfly fish, 3 bichirs (i know you hate them haha) I like themes haha.

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No way I can stick with a theme since I already have a gibbiceps pleco and a yellow bullhead which are from two different continents .

Anyone else?

Chub_by said:

I'd do the catfish tank. You already know you love them, and for the tankmates you can come up with other ideas. I can also guarantee you won't be Happy with cichla in a 180

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Thanks for your thoughts! I'm really conflicted between three options and just had the others and possibilities. I can't decide between cats, a sunfish comm, or a riffle comm. I'd immediately go for the riffle tank if it weren't for the fact that I'd have I'd have to find other tank space for the bullhead and pleco, I guess I could just leave them in their 75G but then it's hello daily WCs .