Am I overcrowding?

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Characin Man

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Apr 8, 2020
105
32
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Western North Dakota
I am buying a 120 gallon aquarium 48x24x24, and will stock it with 1 Red Tale Payara, 1 Rhino Pleco, 1 Venezuelan Orange Geophagus, 1 Horsehead Catfish, 2 Green Terror Cichlids 1 Male 1 Female, and 3 Red-Tailed Barracudas. I will be aquascaping it with plenty of vision breaks and hiding places I want to stay with the Payara if it is too much what should I get rid of? The Payara gets to an absolute maximum size of 18 inches the barracudas get to 11 as a maximum size the green terrors get to 12 as a maximum size the horsehead gets to 12 the Geophagus gets to 8 and the rhino pleco gets to 11 inches.
Thank you.
 
Yes you are overstocked. Your choice of fish seems a little strange as well. By red tail barracuda do you mean spotted cachorro (Acestrorhynchus falcatus)?

We know what size the fish get to as well, this is monster fish keepers after all. If I were you I'd ditch the geo and the pleco. You should be ok with everything else.
 
Personally I would aim to get a tank that is minimum 60" for a large, moving fish such as a payara. My 7" bichir cruised a 48" tank with ease, I don't think an adult Payara would have much fun in a short tank. Just my 2c

Edit: I think the stocking is also a little on the heavy side, lots of larger fish in there.
 
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I was thinking the same thing, also if u want the acestrorhynchus falcatus I’d only get 2 of them
 
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