Help me stock a 180gal

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
R

rvadog

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jan 13, 2012
117
67
61
NYC
Tank is new so nothing in it now. I want big active fish and am ok with frequent water changes and over filtering to keep parameters in line. I have been considering Oscars, silver dollars, and either lima shovelnose catfish or an upperjaw bichir. I am not necessarily married to any of these so I'm willing to take suggestions.

What would you put in the tank?
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
rvadog said:
Tank is new so nothing in it now. I want big active fish and am ok with frequent water changes and over filtering to keep parameters in line. I have been considering Oscars, silver dollars, and either lima shovelnose catfish or an upperjaw bichir. I am not necessarily married to any of these so I'm willing to take suggestions.

What would you put in the tank?
Click to expand...

I personally like Oscars but avoid them due to my water from the tap it ranges from 7.4 and as high as 8 but that's rare. I would have to do fin level water changes each week to keep Oscar or any other species prone to HILLE, or Hole in the head disease. I pay a high bill already for water so no Oscar for me. The issue with a Oscar is that it is a aggressive eater so the Bichir will have a difficult time getting to the food in time because they wait for smell of food atleast mine does lol.

Here is a thread on the Lima Shovelnose
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/lima-shovelnose-catfish.688769/page-2
 
tlindsey said:
I personally like Oscars but avoid them due to my water from the tap it ranges from 7.4 and as high as 8 but that's rare. I would have to do fin level water changes each week to keep Oscar or any other species prone to HILLE, or Hole in the head disease. I pay a high bill already for water so no Oscar for me. The issue with a Oscar is that it is a aggressive eater so the Bichir will have a difficult time getting to the food in time because they wait for smell of food atleast mine does lol.

Here is a thread on the Lima Shovelnose
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/lima-shovelnose-catfish.688769/page-2
Click to expand...

Also it won't be so much about over filtration but choosing the best filtration system and keeping it from building up with waste I suggest a sump which will be the best to maintain. Proper water changes are the most crucial of fishkeeping imo.
 
tlindsey said:
Also it won't be so much about over filtration but choosing the best filtration system and keeping it from building up with waste I suggest a sump which will be the best to maintain. Proper water changes are the most crucial of fishkeeping imo.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the info - this isn't my first rodeo!
tlindsey said:
I personally like Oscars but avoid them due to my water from the tap it ranges from 7.4 and as high as 8 but that's rare. I would have to do fin level water changes each week to keep Oscar or any other species prone to HILLE, or Hole in the head disease. I pay a high bill already for water so no Oscar for me. The issue with a Oscar is that it is a aggressive eater so the Bichir will have a difficult time getting to the food in time because they wait for smell of food atleast mine does lol.

Here is a thread on the Lima Shovelnose
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/lima-shovelnose-catfish.688769/page-2
Click to expand...

So what would you do instead of oscars?
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
I agree with tlindsey tlindsey CA cichlids all the way. Or my favorite SA, the Red Terror.
GL with whatever fish you pick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
Some type of wolf or a rhom if not a cichlid.
Otherwise festae pair, or other hard water SAs or CAs get my vote.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey and Cich Mind
rvadog said:
What would you put in the tank?
Click to expand...
What are your tap water parameters?
pH, hardness, other mineral content
To me, the most important part of success of an aquarium is matching fish that have evolved to live in similar parameter to yours.
As tlindsey said, if your tap water is hard, with high pH, and high conductivity, oscars may not be the right choice.
If so, cichlids of Central and North America might be a better choice.
If your water is neutral pH, with moderate hardness, you could also add cichlids from west of the Andes.
If your water is soft with pH lower than 7, then Amazonian and other cichlids from east of the Andes may have a better chance at a healthy life .
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey, Cich Mind and Deadeye
Deadeye Deadeye mentioned a pair of Festae. That would be pretty sweet. The colors on breeding Festae are amazing. Not sure what size an adult male gets (16"+?) but I'm sure a 180g would be perfect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey and Deadeye
rvadog said:
Tank is new so nothing in it now. I want big active fish and am ok with frequent water changes and over filtering to keep parameters in line. I have been considering Oscars, silver dollars, and either lima shovelnose catfish or an upperjaw bichir. I am not necessarily married to any of these so I'm willing to take suggestions.

What would you put in the tank?
Click to expand...
I would do a large predator Hap tank with some large syno cats or a bichir tank with one or two mid to upper tank predators, probably not an Oscar though, I kept an Oscar with my bichirs and feeding wasn’t the issue, but attacking the bichirs was. Now I have bichirs and a pair of Malawi barracuda and it’s working great
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey and Deadeye
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom