7 x2 x2 ...what to stock it with!?

taylor the beast

Exodon
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If you like predators do a trio of datnoids and a couple p bass, maybe a large group of clown loaches and some others depending on what you like, I just don't like bichirs.
Really they have such big personalitys and dont peocock pass...(guesaing what you ment) get really big? And thanks for the reply :)
 

FishBeast

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Thanks man im so excited when its up and running i put up a video !and thank you so much for the tips and advice :)
To be honest i really like option A, but being abit cheeky is anything else i could add on the bottem maybe? and wont the green terror kill all of the other fish? Shall i add another big weight ..like a oscar, to even up the playing field?...or would that end up in a massacre??And i was planning on get a little sump filter and 2 exf 400 ?!?! Any ideas on filters? Thank you so much
You can add some armored doradid catfish to the bottom like these guys:

https://www.scotcat.com/articles/article58.htm

You can put an oscar in there for sure! Start them young together so they get used to each other. Most likely they'll beat up on each other, some chasing, etc... They should all be able to handle themselves as long as there are hiding spots and sight line breaks. Note that I said "should", you'll see many posts on certain cichlids going insane and killing everything.

Not sure what filter an EXF-400 is. Definitely go with the sump, if you have that option. The bigger the better!
 
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J. H.

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Yeh but then the tank would look so boring! Ahha gottta have fish covering all levels of the tank? Dont you agree
If you want to add activity to the tank, barbs, characins and rasboras are a better idea than cichlids, as in most cases, they offer more activity and less issues, even if they (usually) have less character.
When my sens were less active than they are now.
Love the video. That was a great idea doing a time lapse like that. If I had a tank that looked half decent, I would do the same.
Choco gouramis are teensy lol, no idea where you got 25cm lol.
He probably meant snakeskins. Great fish for this tank, tough, gentle and plenty of personality, even if they do like to eat plants a little, as long as you don't keep any nastier cichlids, which the OP doesn't want anyway. IMO chocolates are a bad idea no matter what. They are very delicate, require very acidic and stable water, and are easily bullied, and they are rare and expensive. A perfect fish to keep if you want a challenge, not an addition to a community tank.
 
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robham777

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Thats what i thought ..abit to big for a 7ft long term
As others have noted they do get quite large and have the potential to outgrow your tank. From what I gather they will easily grow 1" per month in good conditions. I assume like most fish, they get to a certain size and slow down considerably but can't confirm what size that would be. Most of the fish I see online are in the 14" to 18" range but these fish can easily live 20+ years and will continue to grow throughout their lives. I have the same size tank and have given this fish some consideration as a resident. If I end up with one I would probably consider the tank inadequate at the 17" to 18" range and it would be the only resident.
 
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taylor the beast

Exodon
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You can add some armored doradid catfish to the bottom like these guys:

https://www.scotcat.com/articles/article58.htm

You can put an oscar in there for sure! Start them young together so they get used to each other. Most likely they'll beat up on each other, some chasing, etc... They should all be able to handle themselves as long as there are hiding spots and sight line breaks. Note that I said "should", you'll see many posts on certain cichlids going insane and killing everything.

Not sure what filter an EXF-400 is. Definitely go with the sump, if you have that option. The bigger the better!
Thought so but thats to be expected with cichlids tho hahaha, i like oscars any tips on keeping them?
A ExF 400 is a canister filter for tanks up to 400 litre ..so i would get 2 and a sump filter sounds good?
 

taylor the beast

Exodon
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Oct 16, 2015
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If you want to add activity to the tank, barbs, characins and rasboras are a better idea than cichlids, as in most cases, they offer more activity and less issues, even if they (usually) have less character.

Love the video. That was a great idea doing a time lapse like that. If I had a tank that looked half decent, I would do the same.

He probably meant snakeskins. Great fish for this tank, tough, gentle and plenty of personality, even if they do like to eat plants a little, as long as you don't keep any nastier cichlids, which the OP doesn't want anyway. IMO chocolates are a bad idea no matter what. They are very delicate, require very acidic and stable water, and are easily bullied, and they are rare and expensive. A perfect fish to keep if you want a challenge, not an addition to a community tank.
Oh sorry i ment chocolate cichlid ahah but snake gourami take ages to grown dont tho?
Yeh i like the video pretty cool idea,
With cichlids i know they are more risky but i think if you pulled it of they look amazing :)
 
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taylor the beast

Exodon
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As others have noted they do get quite large and have the potential to outgrow your tank. From what I gather they will easily grow 1" per month in good conditions. I assume like most fish, they get to a certain size and slow down considerably but can't confirm what size that would be. Most of the fish I see online are in the 14" to 18" range but these fish can easily live 20+ years and will continue to grow throughout their lives. I have the same size tank and have given this fish some consideration as a resident. If I end up with one I would probably consider the tank inadequate at the 17" to 18" range and it would be the only resident.
Yeh see i prefer the idea of having a like 5-15 fish semi big all different shapes, sizes and colour occuping all levels of the fish tank then have 1 big fish? What about you?
 
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robham777

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Yeh see i prefer the idea of having a like 5-15 fish semi big all different shapes, sizes and colour occuping all levels of the fish tank then have 1 big fish? What about you?
I like to look at other peoples tanks with all the variety, but have found trying to make stocking combinations work to be tedious. Examples: putting any gluttonous cichlid in with bichir makes it hard to feed the bichir and not overfeed the cichlid. Even in a 7' tank fish described as peaceful may still kill each other. If you get a breeding pair they will take over most of the tank. You are doing the right thing getting suggestions, but there are no guarantees on what will work. I am often surprised by what does and what doesn't .
 
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taylor the beast

Exodon
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Oct 16, 2015
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I like to look at other peoples tanks with all the variety, but have found trying to make stocking combinations work to be tedious. Examples: putting any gluttonous cichlid in with bichir makes it hard to feed the bichir and not overfeed the cichlid. Even in a 7' tank fish described as peaceful may still kill each other. If you get a breeding pair they will take over most of the tank. You are doing the right thing getting suggestions, but there are no guarantees on what will work. I am often surprised by what does and what doesn't .
Yeh i know what you mean, but thats why im getting help and kinda like the challege hehe...but yeh same with my 55 gal, i have a lot fish in there that people say 'dont put these fish together'...as for example fire, blue acara, festive, mating pair of rainbows, and a bichir and a cat fish...but to be fair i also did have a serverum, angle and a ram ...but one day the firemouth decided to be a **** to the severum...and the acara to the angle so had to move them...so i would say i have a bit of expience with cichlids and 'community tanks' but i like the challenge to see if you can pull it of...but i do have a back plan with a 55 gal and 2 20 gal.
 
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