75 Gallon, need suggestions on what to stock it with (newcomer)

[paopanlilio]

green terror

 

[teqvet]

Awesome man!

You guys are right, the kids would get bored with just 1-2 fish. So a community tank sounds good. The eels sound very cool as well.

So....

Escondido or Green terror (how many exactly? Great suggestion, the wife will love these..)

(2-3) Striped Peacock Eels (this number correct?)

*or*

(1-2) Loaches and 1 (Plecos) (these numbers correct?)

More like 8-10 loaches! They like being in groups... 8 seems to be the magic # for most, but no harm getting a few more I keep botia striata and they top out around 5" but very slow growers. You could keep yoyo's which top around 6" I believe. Lupin could give you a ton more info on loaches.

I actually have the setup I recommended to you, and am sure I'll be removing fish and finding new homes as they grow up.

Current stocking:

8 botia striata
1 king Tiger pleco
1 spotted medusa pleco
1 peppermint pleco
1 clown pleco
4 juvenile carpintis escondido
1 GT
2 thor. meeki F1 subin

and I just picked up 3 striped peacock eels today.

Goal for the tank is going to likely 1-2 Carpintis, 1 GT, 8 striata, the plecos, 1 of the meeki, and the 3 eels.

Nearly everyone was a juvenile at the time of purchase.. the GT being the largest when I acquired her at 3.5-4". The carpintis were about 1-1.5" and the meeki were about 1" The largest carpintis is now almost as big as the GT and the 2nd largest is following suit. The 2 meeki(firemouths) are about 2.5" and showing a lot of aggression towards each other but not the other fish... I'll likely be getting rid of one of them very soon. The eels just came in today so they are in quarantinne for a few weeks so I can get them a bit fatter.

To give you an idea of what the tank looks like regarding the base wood and rocks her's a pic:

The next pic is after I got some plants and smaller wood pieces to fill in a bit:

Needless to say, we don't see the plecs that often as they have so much room to hide around in. The eels will likely house themselves in the rock work on the right hand side as that's where the darkest areas of the tank are.


Your situation sounds very similar to mine with needing to please the kids and making sue the fish look good enough to keep the wife on board with you. This tank is set up in our bedroom so the kids don't get a lot of time to bang on the glass but I let em watch the fish for 20-30 mins while watching TV with us at night before bed. The oldest is 7 in november and the youngest turns 2 in June. the 22 month old loves this tank the best, more because of the plants I think but goes nuts when i feed them. She sits in my lap and will point at the GT and largest escondido constantly when they swim by as they are quite colorful.

I think your older kids would get a kick out of the bigger fish and their personalities whether you put anything else in the tank or not. My stepsister who is 2-3 years older than my oldest daughter loves the loaches ore than anything, when she comes over. They are all over the place and definitely the sideshows

I'm sure as these guys get older I'll have issues to deal with, but in the mean time they are growing very well and rapidly and have some great personalities. I'd recommend them to anyone trying to get a setup that pleases a wife and kisd at the same time !!



Good luck with whatever you decide, and be sure to let us know! I found myself talking to a complete stranger this morning at the store my oldest started gabbing with this morning... she had a 500gallon saltwater tank and was waiting for some corals to come in she had just ordered. My daughter was in awe at this and started egging me to do a SW tank... I laughed, said goodbye and pulled her out of the store before she could get any more crazy ideas, lol!

 

[teqvet]

I disagree. My kids love my Red Devil wet pet. When she attacks them through the glass they think it is the coolest thing ever. Just make sure if you get a big glass banger the kids know not to put their fingers in .

this goes for any tank! our 55gallon african tank ... man... my oldest was feeding them after we had been gone for a weekend and these guys acted like they were ravenous. She let her fingers hang in the water longer than they should have and the fish thought it was food i the mix. They didn't do enough to hurt her but it scared the jeebs out of her that she'll never put figners in their again. I put my fingers in just to see if she was being a drama queen and those tiny 3-4" fish have teeth that feel like they are just waiting to grind/gnaw theflesh off of you, though they don't really puncture anything!

 

[Banjardini]

Don't buy it for your wife or kids. whatever you put, eventually they would get bored. Unless they really enjoy the hobby.

 

[teqvet]

Don't buy it for your wife or kids. whatever you put, eventually they would get bored. Unless they really enjoy the hobby.

This is how you get them in to the hobby Pointless to buy something they have no interest in, especially if you are trying to get them to enjoy the hobby with you as well. My wife hated the GT on the computer pics but when she saw it at the store, she changed her mind quickly. It's easily her favorite fish in the tank. While I enjoy all the fish, I get more enjoyment when my family enjoys them with me. I'd wager BigCountry is in the same boat by his posts.

 

[BigCountry]

Nice looking tank Teqvet! And yes I am in the exact same boat...esp with the tank as a "center piece" in our kitchen...lol

Ok, so I am going to plan on:

8 Striata
4 Pleco
4 Carpintis Escondido (these are really cool fish btw)
1 Green Terror
2 Thor Meeki (really like the color on these)
3 Peacock eel

I will shoot for the same goal as you (since we have the same tank size)

1-2 Carpintis, 1 GT, 8 striata, the plecos, 1 of the meeki, and the 3 eels.

One more question and I will start planning - what/how do you suggest I start the stock, in what order?

 

[soupy1977]

This is how you get them in to the hobby Pointless to buy something they have no interest in, especially if you are trying to get them to enjoy the hobby with you as well. My wife hated the GT on the computer pics but when she saw it at the store, she changed her mind quickly. It's easily her favorite fish in the tank. While I enjoy all the fish, I get more enjoyment when my family enjoys them with me. I'd wager BigCountry is in the same boat by his posts.

I agree. It's not much fun now that my wife hates my RD. At least I have the kids and the MFK community on my side.

 

[teqvet]

Nice looking tank Teqvet! And yes I am in the exact same boat...esp with the tank as a "center piece" in our kitchen...lol

Ok, so I am going to plan on:

8 Striata
4 Pleco
4 Carpintis Escondido (these are really cool fish btw)
1 Green Terror
2 Thor Meeki (really like the color on these)
3 Peacock eel

I will shoot for the same goal as you (since we have the same tank size)

1-2 Carpintis, 1 GT, 8 striata, the plecos, 1 of the meeki, and the 3 eels.

One more question and I will start planning - what/how do you suggest I start the stock, in what order?

Few things.. make sure the plecos are ones that stay small for life and can live in the same water temps. Some get astronomically big or don't do well in warmer waters or cooler waters. Some plecs have a highest temp of 78* while others have a lowest temp of 82*. It was a bit of a mind puzzle finding plecs that I liked and fit the requirements for the tank. You want the plecs to be around 4-6" at max size.

I was lucky in that i have a very over stocked 55gallon with multiple filters already seeded with bacteria. I took a few biowheels off it and placed it on the 55gallon to have a near instant cycled tank. I started off with 10 danios, the plecos, and the loaches at one time to keep the bioload up in the tank so the bacter on the bio wheels wouldnt die off prematurely. 2 weeks later I ordered the escondido and meeki from Ken at Fish Farm. (by the way I got my plecos from John - Snookn21). The striata came from a local fish store here, and are hard to find depending where you're at... living where you're at in NC though, I don't see you having any issues acquiring any of these fish.

If you don't have media to instantly cycle the tank either do a fishless cycle or use some danios to cycle it... they'll be killed off over time when you introduce the bigger fish.

Once the tank is cycled, I'd get the loaches first.. 2 weeks later get the plecos or eels, and another 2 weeks get the carpintis/meeki/gt.

There's all sorts of possibilities of bad things to happen with these guys but I've lucked out so far in that the temperment as they have grown has been very mild. A few chases here and there but nothing disatrous. The loaches and plecs are never bothered.. it's usually the bigger carpintis and GT squaring off and the 2 meeki fighting over who gets food first.... other than that the tank is growing up nicely.

Also, heavy filtration is a must. I have an emp 400 and an eheim 2026 pro II. The plants help with the nitrates as well.

edit:

also, another idea, since the tank will be in the kitchen.. I'd recommend painting the back and sides of the tank(black imo) to give the fish more security. This will also make their colors seem much more deeper and vibrant instead of pale and washed out.. as well as a darker substrate.

reread your OP and saw again you are cycled already and the filtration you have should be fine for the stocking.


Also invest in a python water change kit =D

 

[BigCountry]

Thanks so much for the guidance Teqvet, I cannot thank you enough man!

BigCountry’s 75 gallon freshwater story line, Rena XP3 + Magnum 350:

Starting stock:

8 Botia Striata
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tsV4OR_YYk

4 Pleco (ideas are King Tiger/Spotted Medusa/Peppermint/Clown)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MclYpJvXbdU

4 Carpintis Escondido (juvenile)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ydQJeVjBRs

1 Green Terror
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwiMRHyQj9U

2 Thor. Meeki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMwsiwvQ0IU

(Optional) 3 Peacock eels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-Emd-4Nwzc

Ending Stock:

8 Botia Striata
4 Pleco
1-2 Carpintis Escondido
1 Green Terror
1 Thor. Meeki
(Optional) 3 Peacock eels

Notes:

Pleco: Make sure the plecos are ones that stay small for life and can live in the same water temps. Some get astronomically big or don't do well in warmer waters or cooler waters. Some plecs have a highest temp of 78* while others have a lowest temp of 82*. It was a bit of a mind puzzle finding plecs that I liked and fit the requirements for the tank. You want the plecs to be around 4-6" at max size.

Start with the Loaches, 2 weeks later get the Plecos, 1 week later get the Carpintis/Meeki/GT.

*Youtube videos are to show the wife lol*

 

[teqvet]

oh no no no. That video for the escondido wont do at all. let me find you a good one give me a minute or two.. this video is the one that convinced me to get the fish btw =D

Found it:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWSEq7TT_Dw

Make sure you view it in HQ.