better place to ask....

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mynheers_a_pint

Candiru
MFK Member
May 4, 2008
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United Kingdom
Hi all. I tried in general aqauria discussions but i get the impression that a stocking question is asked every 0.3 seconds and whilst mine is similar, i do need a little input as i have narrowed my chocie down a little.

Having decided my 60X30X21/24 is not big enough for Rays i have decided to go for other species. I have the following;

1x Poly. Ornatipinnis
1x comon plec
1x Hydrolycus tatauaia*
4x Geo. Surnamensis (sp)*

*arriving tuesday next week

I would like to add some other species, that aren't catfish/bottom dwellers to the tank. I like the idea of Gold wolf as i have a comon wolf and would love a slightly more sociable variant. I have also considered red hooks but Dollars aren't quite as appealling as more unusual Charcins. I have also thought about pike Cichlids but i'm not sure if this is the place to ask about them... Basically i would love a mid water fish that would go with the Tat. without risking damage to either. I am more interested in SA species.

So, without feeling like a berk, i would love a little input from those who are more familiar with Characins and their companions.

mods, i do appologies for repeating the context of the post, but i generally thought it a better location for the question. I shall attempt to modify the original post to make it null and/or void.

:)
 
In my experience Tats do a lot better in a group. I would start off with more Tats. They will do a good job of filling the middle portion of the tank. I would look into a school of Pink Tailed Chelceus for covering the top water. I would personally stay away from Pike Cichlids as I think they would out compete your Tats for food. If you could get a small gold wolf I would go that route. I would definetly look into some red tailed baracuda (Aces) as well...... I know you said SA fish...... But if your willing to stray from there I would definetly give a thought to Hepsetus Odoe (Odoe Pike) I feel these are a very good addition to any mid-sized predator tank.

Is the tank 30 inches deep or 30 tall? 30 deep should be plenty for a ray.
 
30 wide but the issue is not the space; it's the fish in the tank. The rays produce so much Ammonia, i would be limted to a pair of ray and nothing more. It is very satisfying having rays, but not as satisfying as having a diverse community. I would hope for a min of a 6x30x30 before i could happily contemplate rays with other fish as i don't want to under home them. As many people have said "get a tank to house the adult fish". If a small ray grown to 20" diameter, i would hope to be able to house it comfortably with other fish. The tank specified is only a 160g.

I had contempated Odoe's but i had heard they are skittish when small (according to wildwoods) but as said, SA is my preference.

A group of tats is my aim HOWEVER the tank is relatively new (3 weeks old) and i would hate to invest the money ($160 each) to a shoal of tats, only to have a problem. it is definatly 1... to begin with. A gold wolf is very VERY tempting... unless someone can give a reason why not....
 
I have a Characin community in my 180 along with 4 rays..... Don't seem too unhappy to me.

Odoes are skiddish..... Just like any Hydrolycus species.....

Sounds like you allready have a plan. I'de just go with that.
 
go with a gold wolf.
and if the tank is already running and cycled,i dont see why not get a bunch of tats.
they will become much more outgoing and easier to get off live.
as for pike cichlids,i dont see why not either.
as long as it isnt an overly aggressive species it should be fine.
 
If you wait till the first Tat is comfy then try to add more later the first one WILL defend it's territory.......

Channarox hit the nail on the head. If you want them off live it is MUCH easier to do it in a group.
 
I too have several different characins, geos and other fish in a 180 with rays no problems aslong as its filtered well.

Id get more tats, and geos and the surinamensis wont be true surinamensis they'll be altifrons or similar as the true surinamensis is a very rare fish in the trade and is only imported from surinam.
 
well they're all coming from Tropical imports and i'd hope that seeing as their a respected MFK trader they would be providing exactally what they say...

The tats are apparently accepting frozen lancefish already and i am contemplating getting a more...
 
mynheers_a_pint;2300480; said:
well they're all coming from Tropical imports and i'd hope that seeing as their a respected MFK trader they would be providing exactally what they say...

The tats are apparently accepting frozen lancefish already and i am contemplating getting a more...
Click to expand...

if youre thinking of getting more you better do it soon.
once one tat gets too used to the tank there will be fights with new ones.
 
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