I imagine you're doing it so you can keep more fish? Imo you should get at least a couple of large showpiece fish and go with smaller for the rest.
240G
- Thread starter Coryd55
- Start date
I am not really a fan of Malawi's. I know there are some rare/prized ones but I always feel like they are to generic. However, I am a big fan of Tanganyikans. If I went Tanganyikan I would have to get some N. stappersi, so if you have any suggestions throw them out. No frontosa though. Maybe trophs, but not on my top list due to cost.
Reason for the size limitation is that I don't like to cram fish in small spaces. Given that the bioload and whatnot can handle larger, I personally feel like I am restraining them. I know I'm not going to be putting any F0 in or anything, but taking a 5 inch fish that normally has the range of an entire 240 and sticking it in with twenty five others like it just bothers me.
Anyways. The size limitation is not absolute and is lenient to say the least. For example, with the G. altifrons that size will be fine. However, if I go much larger then that I will want C. kelberi or C. monoculus and those get expensive quick...
Thanks for the suggestions.
Keep em coming.
Reason for the size limitation is that I don't like to cram fish in small spaces. Given that the bioload and whatnot can handle larger, I personally feel like I am restraining them. I know I'm not going to be putting any F0 in or anything, but taking a 5 inch fish that normally has the range of an entire 240 and sticking it in with twenty five others like it just bothers me.
Anyways. The size limitation is not absolute and is lenient to say the least. For example, with the G. altifrons that size will be fine. However, if I go much larger then that I will want C. kelberi or C. monoculus and those get expensive quick...
Thanks for the suggestions.
Keep em coming.
Coryd55;4583255; said:
even if you had a few fish that grew up into the 16+ inch range they really wouldn't be cramped in a tank that size...
Exactly, you could go up to 20" without crowding that tank at all (going with balton's idea of just haveing a few larger show fish, then more smaller fish).BrtnBoy449;4583273; said:
If you like eartheaters (yay!) you could definitely get a pack of orangeheads (they can be 7" but typically are more like 5) and still have room for plenty of other stuff like Uaru or Severums or other interesting fish that you could consider a showpiece. I've seen some really nice tanks with orangeheads and a super red or gold severum or two. Also, in a 240, you could combine the orangeheads with another eartheater, like satanoperca leucosticta or something, without it seeming too crowded.
Or, if the rounder fish aren't your thing, go with Altifrons or Abalios (the surinamensis you list are probably one of these anyway, just mis-labeled). Those get bigger, though, so they'll end up being the main fish. Hard for me to say what the ideal tankmates for them are to occupy the top levels. (I use an arowana for that duty with my Abalios, which kind of limits my other options, heh.)
I also keep Africans, though in a much smaller tank... but a densely stocked super colorful Malawi tank, or haps, or something like that, also has a lot of advantages. If you think it'd be fun to set up a ton of rockwork and caves and whatnot and have smaller brighter fish, that is definitely an option. I was looking forward to setting up a 6 foot Malawi tank recently, but I think I'm sticking with just a little 90.
To me, the downside of Mbuna is that no amount of filtration/powerhead work that I've ever done comes close to cleaning up the waste as well as I'd want. I have to do a lot of emptying and re-stacking the rocks. (Though that helps me pull out the ones that are always preggers.)
Or, if the rounder fish aren't your thing, go with Altifrons or Abalios (the surinamensis you list are probably one of these anyway, just mis-labeled). Those get bigger, though, so they'll end up being the main fish. Hard for me to say what the ideal tankmates for them are to occupy the top levels. (I use an arowana for that duty with my Abalios, which kind of limits my other options, heh.)
I also keep Africans, though in a much smaller tank... but a densely stocked super colorful Malawi tank, or haps, or something like that, also has a lot of advantages. If you think it'd be fun to set up a ton of rockwork and caves and whatnot and have smaller brighter fish, that is definitely an option. I was looking forward to setting up a 6 foot Malawi tank recently, but I think I'm sticking with just a little 90.
To me, the downside of Mbuna is that no amount of filtration/powerhead work that I've ever done comes close to cleaning up the waste as well as I'd want. I have to do a lot of emptying and re-stacking the rocks. (Though that helps me pull out the ones that are always preggers.)
Coryd55;4572523; said:
Love the eartheaters idea. Gots to get some Acarichthys heckelii in there too. They get about 9" though.
For some geos you can go to Petsmart. They have some for about $6 labled as G. suri, but they are unlikely to be them.
I don't get why everyone is soo concerned with his choice of style. I would not waste a 240g imo on a few huge fish, when I could do a giant planted gymno community with a bgk and a school of tetras. Different people like different things, if you don't have anything to add then don't.
AOmonsta;4583524; said:
I am digging the A. heckelii. Someone needs to throw up some eartheater combinations (a few spp. of Geos/Gymnos and some other smaller fish would be great! Couple catfish never hurt either
). As long as it isn't incredibly packed, it is fine.I'm not really offended by anyone's opinions. To each his own. It is just the way I like to keep my tanks. No biggy. I don't have anything against those who don't like my way or don't partake in my way. Just throwing that out there.
You're in GA, no need to go to Petsmart. Just bribe Peter and maybe you can get lucky enough to get some Winemillieri fry soon...
Bhack91;4583543; said:
This is a public forums with over 30k members. You're bound to have a few different opinions. Everyone is allowed to add their two cents.
