500 Gallon Stocking Help

[DQCM]

Setting up a 500 gallon tank. Measurements are 96''36''36''.

I wasn't sure where to post this, so put it in this section.

I've been to three forums before this one. I still haven't gotten a clear answer. Maybe you guys can help.

My stocking list idea is;
3x Lima Shovelnose/Sorubim Lima
6x Altifrons Cichlid/Geophagus Altifrons
10x Brown Hoplo Cat/H. Litarrale (sp?)
2x Giant Whiptail

I've been told that this is understocked by all three fish forums.
However no one has offered any help on filling out the numbers to a stocked tank.

Anyone here able to help me or even offer a rough idea?

 

[Chromobotia]

I"m setting up a tank with the same measurments as yours, so I'm in the same boat, trying to come up with a stock list for it. For me, I think I would want to keep it towards being under stocked as opposed to fully stocked so that very frequent water changes could be avoided. That's a lot of water to be doing water changes twice a week.

As for as stock, I'm looking into Limas as well. I'm thinking about getting 3 of them also. These cats will get big but not as large as other monster cats. They should max out at about 18 inches, not sure how long that will take though.

I don't know anything about the cichlids, are they really aggressive? Would they be too aggressive to combine with some Clown Loaches?

How do you feel about wild oscars (the green variation, not the ones commonly found in LFS)? I was thinking about getting 2-3 for my tank.

This is a tough question to answer because only you know what kind of fish you like. Also, the cichlids may limit what you can combine with them based on their aggressiveness. GL.

 

[clgkag]

I would try an arowanna for something in the top portion of the tank. There will be alot of activity at the bottom of the tank, but not much at the top. Maybe add a school of Silver Dollars for some mid-level actions. Make sure you post pics when you are done.

 

[MonsterMinis]

You can never "understock" a tank. Though i'm not sure I'de say it's understocked as fairly lightly stocked. the first things that came to mind where FW rays and fire or TT eel. depending on the aggression levels of the Alto's and the sizes of the limas. just not sure how the Hoplo's and ray would get along.

 

[DQCM]

I don't know anything about the cichlids, are they really aggressive? Would they be too aggressive to combine with some Clown Loaches?

The Geophagus Altifrons (and many geophagus species) are only aggressive to other cichlid species and fights between males of the same species. I don't know about other kinds of fish, but I know they're good with catfish and won't take a second look at them.

 

[CTU2fan]

I don't necessarily think you're "understocked" but as said that is a light stocking, and I'd probably want to add something for a bit more activity in there. You're pretty well stocked in the lower levels with your cats and geos, if it was me I'd probably add another cichlid (something peaceful, group of uaru maybe?). I'd also look at either an arowana, a school of chalceus, or a school of hujetas, something to occupy the top third of your tank. School of festivums is another "upper half" option, as well as the already mentioned wild oscar.

 

[DQCM]

I definitely don't want another cichlid. I didn't even really want to plan for the Altifrons, lol!

How big of fish can the Silver Arowana consume?
Do you know how big of fish the Lima Shovelnose can consume, btw, too?

To make sure no one gets eaten I'm thinking of adding the Altos, Hoplos, and whiptails first (staggered over a few weeks-months of course) and let them grow a few inches first before adding the Shovelnoses. Should I wait until the shovelnoses get some size too before adding something like an aro?

 

[clgkag]

The only fish my aro ever ate were rainbows and giant danios. It was in with cons that were small enough for it to eat and never gave them a second glance.

 

[DQCM]

I've never kept an aro before, so I wouldn't know. Just making sure it won't hurt the Hoplos, who would be the smallest tankmates at 8-10''.

 

[CTU2fan]

I would definitely let the altos grow some before adding either your limas or an aro. Limas are slow growers though, so as long as you know your altos and hoplos are too big for them to eat you shouldn't ever have a worry since your other fish should continue to stay ahead of them growth wise.

If you decide to get an arowana I'd wait until your other fish have a bit of size on them and then add an aro that's out of the baby stage, say 10"-12". Either buy one at that size or grow one out if you have a tank available.