ive been keeping fish successfully for 20 years, mostly SA/CA cichlids. currently i have a 55 gal tank with 2 hang on the back type filters. it is heavily stocked so i do about a ten gallon water change daily. my fish thrive beautifully and i dont even own a water test kit. the only chemical i use is stress coat tap water conditioner. inside i have a 5" pleco, 4" jaguar cichlid, 7" oscar, 6" lima shovelnose catfish, and a 5" alligator gar. the gator gar was sold to me as a spotted gar by accident, so i may have to give him away once he gets big. I know i have future behemoths and am getting a 125 gal tank and a powerful canister filter in the near future and will split the fish between the 2 tanks. i like the dimensions on a 125 gal. so anyways i read all this stuff about water conditions and needing really large tanks and people will probably read this and think im nuts and violate a bunch of fishkeeping rules and guidelines but they are all seem active, happy, and get along peacefully. i live on the coast of southern Maine and maybe our tap water just happens to be good for fish from SA/CA. I do spend a lot of time tending to them with small daily water changes and the tank is clean and clear. So am i just lucky and get away with it or do people tend to exaggerate about everything?
my avatar pic shows my gar and shovelnose, but i will post a full tank shot later.
my avatar pic shows my gar and shovelnose, but i will post a full tank shot later.
