Big Fish, Little Tank

[Trimapit]

Yes. In the trough, I tried both substrate only..... and changed it to have (2) clay pots, (2) clay tubes, and some cinder blocks.
In the 116.5 gal I tried bare tank and tried overstock with drift wood.
No real changing in the 90gal.
In the 36gal I have a sand and crushed coral substrate with some medium sized shells that he plays with all day and night.

 

[Trimapit]

Yes. In the trough, I tried both substrate only..... and changed it to have (2) clay pots, (2) clay tubes, and some cinder blocks.
In the 116.5 gal I tried bare tank and tried overstock with drift wood.
No real changing in the 90gal.
In the 36gal I have a sand and crushed coral substrate with some medium sized shells that he plays with all day and night.

 

[Trimapit]

I'm thinking the next option is to try buying a bigger bowfront. Maybe a 75gal then if that works eventually the 180gal bowfront...... but we'll see.

 

[PhishMon84]

I would be very leary of a bowfront bigger than a 36- even at 4ft the 72bowa glass is too thin IMO-
And bowfronts are far more likely to blow out

 

[Trimapit]

That's true.
Stupid fish.........!!!

 

[LBDave]

Your fish needs a shrink! Just kidding! I think you have a very aggressive fish that is lonely. He or she loves his home. This fish is used to the current stimulus. Whatever is around it inside and outside the tank. This type of fish may not do well with other fish but from what I have read it is possible. So larger tank + same substrate + same location of tank + tank mates. These are ideas.

 

[Trimapit]

Maybe.
The other (9) he killed when smaller in the trough.
I tried a school or Congo Tetras as Dithers at one point and he systematicly killed all of them in a day.
He did however tolerate a Bichir with no problems for a good while. So maybe bigger tank, same location, transfer substrate, and add some bichirs.

 

[LBDave]

Maybe.
The other (9) he killed when smaller in the trough.
I tried a school or Congo Tetras as Dithers at one point and he systematicly killed all of them in a day.
He did however tolerate a Bichir with no problems for a good while. So maybe bigger tank, same location, transfer substrate, and add some bichirs.

Possibly. You have an aggressive fish that is also sensitive. Really a handful.
If you search for this type of fish you will find a MFK thread for tank mates. Appears a large tank such as 200gal + is needed.
We all find there are pluses and minuses for keeping aggressive fish. We always think that bigger tanks solve everything. And they do to a point. You may need a huge tank with community tank to keep this fish happy or just try the above without other fish. Sounds like the fish just wants things his way. Maybe in time he will adapt.

 

[TMFTB]

One of my fish prefers a small tank. Am I wrong for keeping him in one?

He is currently a 7" fish being housed in a 36gal bowfront.
I have tried a 90gal, 120gal, and a 150gal trough and he would always hide, not dig, only eat a couple times a week, no personality.
But in this 36gal Bowfront, he digs, eats every day, plays, comes up to the glass, just has become a glass banger....
Now, to compensate I do a 30% water change every other day and have the tank over filtered.

Questions, suggestions, comments???

I have many fish that thrive on being the only king of their castle my flower horns hate the company of others but are real attention hogs on their own and from what I’ve heard they prefer smaller tanks. If it’s happy let it be.

 

[Trimapit]

Beautiful Flowerhorn!