6ft Monster aquarium stocking?

[14crazychris]

Hi Everyone,

im in the planning stages of setting up my future monster aquarium. I currently have a 170gallon tank which is around 4.5ft long 3ft wide and just under 2ft tall. I plan to use this as a grow out before purchasing the future tank early next year. The new tank will be 6ft long 2ft tall and 4ft wide holding approximately 340 US gallons. My stocking ideas are below, I’m thinking of a river sand base, large piece of bog wood at the back and a selection of round river stones, not sure if this will be difficult for cleaning so many leave it bare but havnt decided yet. So my stocking suggestions are below, anything you think I should add or take away? Maybe a few suggestions I havnt thought about?

Stocking-
1x asian arowana (cross back/red)
1x BD stingray
1x Tigrinus catfish
1x Fly River turtle
1x Datnoid

Maybe a dorado or African tiger fish, and I’d love a pleco like Pseudacanthicus sp or a blue eye panaque but think that maybe also be risky with the ray and turtle?

Thank you for taking The time to read my thread.

Many thanks
Chris

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

For the legality of the asian Aro you are not in the US correct? I love the footprint.

 

[14crazychris]

For the legality of the asian Aro you are not in the US correct? I love the footprint.

yes I am from the U.K. ?have a few suppliers who can get the fish for me, just need to decide if they work together or if maybe I can add a few more/swap some etc. Thanks

 

[Deadeye]

Not sure if the turtle would mix well with the rest, but everyone else should get along provided you don’t end up with an evil arowana.
I’d pass on the dorado or tiger, both can (and will) kill most of those stocking options.

 

[14crazychris]

Not sure if the turtle would mix well with the rest, but everyone else should get along provided you don’t end up with an evil arowana.
I’d pass on the dorado or tiger, both can (and will) kill most of those stocking options.

okay brilliant tanks for the info, yeah Ive never kept turtles or tortoise so will be a new experience for me If I do go for one. Will stay away from the tiger/dorado. Trying to think if there’s anything else I could add with the mix. Was thinking 6 fish maximum. would like a pleco but might not be worth the risk.

 

[Deadeye]

You could try a school of tinfoil barbs or red hook silver dollars. They are a popular dither for these guys. They also have similar colors to the dorado or atf.
Or maybe a p bass?
I know next to nothing about plecos so I can’t be any help there.

 

[14crazychris]

You could try a school of tinfoil barbs or red hook silver dollars. They are a popular dither for these guys. They also have similar colors to the dorado or atf.
Or maybe a p bass?
I know next to nothing about plecos so I can’t be any help there.

Thanks Ill have a look into them, yeah P bass was a thought as well, might be nice to add a different colour and shape. thiught about a Niger catfish but think that may get too big. Also a goonch catfish but i know they can get huge as well.

 

[Deadeye]

Yeah those are some large cats.
Fishman Dave and thebiggerthebetter can help with catfish suggestions.

 

[14crazychris]

Yeah those are some large cats.
Fishman Dave and thebiggerthebetter can help with catfish suggestions.

awesome thanks! I havnt kept monster fish before and would like to gather all the info properly before hand. I’d rather not buy fish that I know I can’t keep forever. Hopefully they may have some good suggestions. And also wether I should just keep the tank bare or consider adding a little hardscape to the back.

thanks

 

[Fishman Dave]

6x4 will be one heck of a purchase and no doubt have to be built on site.
That opens a huge set of options with regards to catfish and plecs but to be honest comes down to what you like. If you were thinking Niger cat then yes, too big, even for this tank, but many other girraffe cats would fit, other than the really large ones.
Again , many options around pims, a few hemibagrus, tig or Jurense.
would avoid the turtle as they tend to be messy and bring different challenges.
cats will really be based around “living with rays” both from a point of view of safe from the ray side and safe from the cat side.
personally I don’t do bare tanks, or ponds and both my tanks and pond have sand or gravel and decoration, plenty of wood, pipes and rocks, just cos I find it helps the fish act naturally and my role as fish keeper is to a) give them the best quality water I can and b) give them the best life I can, which to me means making it as natural as I can in a tiny (in comparison) box.