This spring I am looking to build a 4x4ft wide/long by 21 inch tall tank. I plan on keeping a pair of (young) Carpintis Vontehillo in there as well as a Pleco. I also have a pair of Salvini but I am not to sure if I will be putting them in there with the Carpintis or not.
According to http://www.fishlore.com/ConversionCalculator.htm that comes out to just over 209 gallons. I am thinking about stocking some other fish but I know my biggest hurtle is the fact that even though it is the fact it will only be 4 feet long at its longest in reality. I am considering putting a large piece of driftwood in the center, a stump if I can find one. I also want to try to add some plants like perhaps some lily pads and some hardy underwater plants, but not to many though as I know Cichlids seem to love to uproot them.
Some one has mentioned possibly eartheaters but I am still pretty knew and are not familiar with those. So I figured I would ask to see what your thoughts and recommendations would be for additions to this future tank. O and just FYI atm the fish I currently have to put in this tank are small. I have one young 3-4 inch Male Carpintis and the pleco is also young and only around 7 inches long and looking to get a female to go with the male Carpintis. I am hoping to have the tank up and running by around June/July.
Any way, what would you guys recommend putting in this tank with a breeding pair of Carpintis?
According to http://www.fishlore.com/ConversionCalculator.htm that comes out to just over 209 gallons. I am thinking about stocking some other fish but I know my biggest hurtle is the fact that even though it is the fact it will only be 4 feet long at its longest in reality. I am considering putting a large piece of driftwood in the center, a stump if I can find one. I also want to try to add some plants like perhaps some lily pads and some hardy underwater plants, but not to many though as I know Cichlids seem to love to uproot them.
Some one has mentioned possibly eartheaters but I am still pretty knew and are not familiar with those. So I figured I would ask to see what your thoughts and recommendations would be for additions to this future tank. O and just FYI atm the fish I currently have to put in this tank are small. I have one young 3-4 inch Male Carpintis and the pleco is also young and only around 7 inches long and looking to get a female to go with the male Carpintis. I am hoping to have the tank up and running by around June/July.
Any way, what would you guys recommend putting in this tank with a breeding pair of Carpintis?
I guess it would depend on what fish you wanted to keep in there. I think that a 4' tank of any size used for sa/ca cichlids would be ok for housing an average (6-12") pair or a small community if smaller cichlids ranging from 4-6" max growth. I believe the op is wanting a male community of the average to larger cichlids most topping out around 15" or so and I agree that the 4x4' footprint isn't ideal. IMO the footprint is everything when it comes to tank size and housing cichlids