Upgrade planning - fun stock options?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Chiming in regarding the pike cichlids- Really awesome fish, though you will have to be careful keeping with slender fish like the ropes. Anything that can fit in their mouth will probably be eaten, and their feeding response is powerful to say the least. Mine splash water half way across the room when attacking pellets, I have had to cover my electrical outlets near the tank.
I have only kept lugubris type species, johanna and sp. Venezuela specifically. They have not been overy aggressive to anything in my experience, though that varies of course. They don't seem to be crazy about other pikes though. I have a pair of Venezuelans right now which are having some domestic disputes. I would recommend if you want to do a pike in this setup, make it a single pike.
I kept this johanna below, who was about 14", with a large ornatipinnis bichir. No problems between the two.
46R5HyU.jpg
 
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Gourami Swami said:
Chiming in regarding the pike cichlids- Really awesome fish, though you will have to be careful keeping with slender fish like the ropes. Anything that can fit in their mouth will probably be eaten, and their feeding response is powerful to say the least. Mine splash water half way across the room when attacking pellets, I have had to cover my electrical outlets near the tank.
I have only kept lugubris type species, johanna and sp. Venezuela specifically. They have not been overy aggressive to anything in my experience, though that varies of course. They don't seem to be crazy about other pikes though. I have a pair of Venezuelans right now which are having some domestic disputes. I would recommend if you want to do a pike in this setup, make it a single pike.
I kept this johanna below, who was about 14", with a large ornatipinnis bichir. No problems between the two.
46R5HyU.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for that input! Smiling at "domestic disputes." ;)

I would certainly only consider a single pike. Your johanna is gorgeous. Which pikes do you recommend that are colorful and could happily live in a 5 or 6 foot community tank for life? If they are that active I wouldn't want a huge specimen.

I don't believe the rope fish will be able to work in the upgrade plan with many of the fish I am considering, esp. if I add in any lower jaw bichirs, and even a Polleni could be an issue. Thankfully they seem happy in my densely planted 65 which hopefully can be their forever home. Of course I would love to have them in the large tank, but I think they will limit my stock options quite a bit. I do want to keep them, though - I'm quite attached. They are adorable, and they eat out of my fingers.
 
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No such thing as an African leaf fish, only the bush fish which is a varied feeder.

There are South American leaf fish that can't get off feeders easily.
 
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If it is a 6 foot 150 or 180 tank, pretty much all of the pike species would be able to live in there with a community. I have hard that zebrine are less aggressive than some of the others- and they sure are beautiful (and expensive).
"Atabapo" pikes are colorful lugubris, I think that would be a good choice for what you are trying to do. As with all large cichlids, some will be meaner than others. I kept the Johanna in a 6 foot tank with several other 12"+ cichlids, a large catfish, pleco, ornate bichir, and some giant barbs. The pike was no pushover for sure, but didn't go around starting problems either and was a pretty good community resident overall.
 
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Hendre said:
No such thing as an African leaf fish, only the bush fish which is a varied feeder.

There are South American leaf fish that can't get off feeders easily.
Click to expand...

I had to google and found this - so there is an African Leaf fish but I WAS thinking about the SA leaf fish when I was typing above. So you're both right and wrong. ;)

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/polycentropsis-abbreviata/

Gourami Swami said:
If it is a 6 foot 150 or 180 tank, pretty much all of the pike species would be able to live in there with a community. I have hard that zebrine are less aggressive than some of the others- and they sure are beautiful (and expensive).
"Atabapo" pikes are colorful lugubris, I think that would be a good choice for what you are trying to do. As with all large cichlids, some will be meaner than others. I kept the Johanna in a 6 foot tank with several other 12"+ cichlids, a large catfish, pleco, ornate bichir, and some giant barbs. The pike was no pushover for sure, but didn't go around starting problems either and was a pretty good community resident overall.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for this info. I am definitely interested in them.

Just looked at Wet Spot's stock list (they're my LFS) and they have 12" Zebrina for $400. Ouch!
The Atabapos are beautiful!

ciclasoman said:
Way past 8 inches, a bit over 12 for adults
Click to expand...

Thank you! Do you own them? How active are they - do you think they could live for life in a 5 or 6 foot tank?
 
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Rossy said:
Just look around and some of my favorites are a peacock bass, Severum , geophagus.
Click to expand...

I have the Sevs and Geos on my radar... but I thought pbass needed a tank bigger than 200 gallons. Maybe only certain types?
 
PBass do get big, really big. I'd stick with polys and other cichlids or whatnot

Excuse my terrible choice of background then, but you need one of these ;)

20161225_201257.jpg
 
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