180 stocking moving help!

[jaws7777]

Or, you could do a bunch of Pleco's in that tank.

Man that was a future plan that still hasnt developed for me

 

[jvc66]

Geez guess everyone is out emjoying their sat night.

+1 has theost lickly hood of easily succeeding but number 3 is most appealing lol

Have you looked into cryptheros types like sajica, namolutes, and panamensis ?
Also aquidens are one of my favirote SA.

Maybe a big bocourti and some smaller cryptoheros would look nice

Man that was a future plan that still hasnt developed for me

Im still learning all of these so I have to do a quick google each time lol. But the panamensis is pretty appealing. And you probably have to many polys thats why!

 

[jvc66]

In my opinion a CA community is much harder to pull off than a SA community tank. The CA I am partial to are in the parachromis family, and imo not suited for a community tank. JD and Rivulatus seem to work well for some in their CA and mixed tanks, but I have never kept them except as solo fish. I am currently trying to work out a stocking plan for a SA biotope and am growing out some festivum, chocolates, and severums for potential candidates. I am also looking into some caquetaia, willimara and crenicichla as possibilities. Take a look at the thread mrrobxc has on his SA biotope

Thanks for the link ill check it out. I would love to have both together but like you said it could be hit or miss. I just love the coloration on both of them and if I had a larger tank I would jump on it. Right now I think I might be taking a risk? But who knows it would be an awesome duo. I do like crenicichla so those are definetly in play as well.
https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/south-american-cichlids.681902/

Stanzzzz7 has had some succesful CA community tanks as well as cichlidfish

 

[jaws7777]

Im still learning all of these so I have to do a quick google each time lol. But the panamensis is pretty appealing. And you probably have to many polys thats why!

Lol google will be your best friend...never too many polys lol

 

[jaws7777]

Could always go a lil bigger. Price out different sizes 96x24, 72x30, 96x30 see what chris says

 

[jvc66]

A 180 is a real good size tank. I tell people all the time don't buy a 125, a 180 is the same tank, just wide enough to keep big fish in it. So A+ on getting a 180.

The way I see it, all 3 of the stocking options mean you'll have no plants. If you're not gonna have plants, then I'd go with a male Trimac, and some other Amph's in that tank. Maybe they'd get along, maybe they wouldn't and you'd end up with a big fish in a 180 by himself. But it'd be a very cool fish--mean, too.

You could raise a big Jaguar in that tank--feed him frogs and mice.

If you're gonna get an even bigger tank later, then you could start with some Argentea and Regani now, let them grow out for a year or so, and then move what's left to a bigger tank or spread them out among other tanks you get later.

Another option you should seriously consider is a tank with Herichthys. A breeding pair of Carpinits, possibly a harem of Carpintis? Or, H. Labridens in breeding color would be the height of cool--and I don't think anybody here at MFK has those breeding in a tank. Labs only get about 8 inches I think. And they might not tear up plants.

Not gunna lie I would love to have a jag.. But i think that is a little past my expertise at the moment so Ill start off slow with some others. My goal is to have a decent amount of the fish in the tank compared to just a single specimen or pair at the time but in the future when I have a bunch of tanks I can keep them that way. The last group is pretty interesting I would look into that, they all have some nice coloration to them. Also this 180 would be my first acrylic tank so would plecos be a no go?

 

[jvc66]

Lol google will be your best friend...never too many polys lol

Could always go a lil bigger. Price out different sizes 96x24, 72x30, 96x30 see what chris says

I hear you poly guys are addicting, I should probably stay away from them or ill lose the rest of my money lol. But 72x24 is pushing it as it is. Maybe 72x30 but that would be max. This thing has to get into the house and into my bedroom for two years and then out into another house lol. Think my girlfriend would kill me if I got any bigger

 

[jaws7777]

I hear you poly guys are addicting, I should probably stay away from them or ill lose the rest of my money lol. But 72x24 is pushing it as it is. Maybe 72x30 but that would be max. This thing has to get into the house and into my bedroom for two years and then out into another house lol. Think my girlfriend would kill me if I got any bigger

Break her in now so the 500 gal isnt an issue down the road lol. I hear ya i think 180 is great

 

[jvc66]

Break her in now so the 500 gal isnt an issue down the road lol. I hear ya i think 180 is great

Last year I scored a glass 275 gallon for $200. Everyone called it a coffin since it sat in the garage. It needed a reseal and was so damb heavy since it had decorative wood trim and a solid wood bottom under the glass that I ended up parting ways with it. That was gunna be the tank originally. If things dont go over well I can just pitch it as a hot tub LOL

 

[DarylMac]

A 180 would be great for a school of like 6-8 Geophagus Red head Tapajos (lower levels). Then you could have Angels, Sevs (Rotkiel), Chocolates, Festivums, Keyholes (mid levels). For the upper levels you could keep hatchet fish for a truer biotope, or maybe danios or gourami' if you're not too worried about it.

That would be a sweet tank.

If you wanted something a little more docile you could go with 6-8 Geo. Winemilleri & Discus or Altum Angels. Maybe a big school of cardinal Tetras (with the understanding that some will be eaten by discus/angels).