300G Indoor Pond Stocking?

Fish Guy

Feeder Fish
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Nov 27, 2005
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At the moment I am in the process of setting up a 300G indoor pond. It will still be another month or so by the time its fully setup, but in the mean time I am looking for stocking ideas. It measures roughly 63"W x 70"L x 24"H. Here is a pic of the progress so far.
 

MrsE88

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Mar 9, 2017
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I look forward to watching your progress. I love indoor ponds.

Stocking ideas.... that's tough. What do you like? Did you have something in mind when you decided you wanted an indoor pond?
 

Fish Guy

Feeder Fish
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Nov 27, 2005
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Haha yes I certainly left it a bit open ended. I never really had anything particular in mind, but I did give some thought to an Arowana. Although one thing I was hoping to have was more than one species of fish. I think I would at least want one type of catfish, I thought about a small group of walking catfish.
I'm trying to think of species that would be easier to view from above of course, so the arowana and walking catfish I think would be cool to view from above.
 

piranhaman00

Redtail Catfish
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Going to need a top for an aro though, I suggest a netting of sorts.
 

Fish Guy

Feeder Fish
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Nov 27, 2005
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I have always been a cichlid person so I started thinking about some options on that front. But really I don't think there are many that can be easily viewed from above.
So some fish I think that might be ok:
Asian Arowana
Walking Catfish (Clarias batrachus) - The piebald or albino variety so they are easier to view.
Bichir
African Butterfly fish (although I am concerned they would get eaten if housed with an Arowana?)
 

Rafini

Piranha
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Walking catfish would be cool and different tbh.
I`ve never kept them but I did eat them when i visited the philippines and I can confirm that they are very tasty!

+1 to walking catfish
 
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FLA

Polypterus
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Feb 1, 2017
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I really like this idea. It always makes me happy to see someone try a top view tank with different fish. Is water going to go to the top of the box, or is that a shelf for plants with water only in the tub?

Walking cats would be interesting. Plecos can be fun from above even though the black limits your options a bit. For other cats a school of pictus, pajamas, aluminium, or pictus cats would be active. You could also go with blue dolphin cats. They are a little strange and expensive but active. Eels like fire, snakeskin or even Asian swamp eels are fun.

As far as cichlids go most don't look good from above, but I have seen ponds of EB acaras that were pretty cool. I also had a friend that did tropheus from above and that was kind of cool. I know you didn't want a solo fish, but I think a Fahaka would be interesting.

I also think a large school of butterfly fish would be fun. An albino clown knife would be cool. A school of pink tailed chalceus would be interesting too. A lot of people haven't seen them but there was a blushing and long fin version at one time. I don't know if they are still around though.

I have seen rope fish in a top view tank that I thought were fun. You would need a lot of plants for them to rest on up high. You would only see them occasionally though. Polys can work.

I also really like turquoise rainbows from above I once saw them in a pond with hatchet fish and thought that was really cool. Pike live bearers would be something different. If you have never seen a fancy guppy pond that is pretty amazing as well.

If you don't mind going brackish anablebs or archers would be really neat. You could keep some monos under them. You could even do a Colombian shark under them for your catfish. Mudskippers would be cool in there, with the shelf to run around on. You have room to plant mangroves in it.

It should go without saying but I am not recommending all of these together.
 
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