Does 6" make a lot of difference?

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dbcb314

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jun 4, 2007
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In about 3 months it is moving time. I am getting rid of all of my stock in the 75 gallon (bichirs mostly) and I think I am getting back into my first love with is cichlids. the first fish that got me into fish keeping were my great aunts africans. The first fish me and my bro really kept with SA/CA community cichlid tanks.

I realy wanna keep cichlids in the size range of oscars and green terrors. And this will be a community of sorts.

The question is... a 180 gallon be a ton better than a 125 (the difference being 6 inches in width). 125 gallons are everywhere adn very easy to get at a good price. 180's on the other hand are a lot more rare and lot more expensive.

i would assume the answer is yes but I wanted to make sure. been out of the cichlid game for a long time now
 
isnt it more than 6 inches in width, what i mean arent the 180s taller too? with gts and oscars i would think you could keep em in a 125 for life(thats a mansion compared to what most people keep em in)
 
a standard 125 is 72" x 18" x 22" and a standard 180 is 72" X 24" X 24"...so a 180 is 2" taller and 6" wider. :)

really it's up to you. I'd love to have a 180 but like you said, 125's are so much more common and cheaper. I have a 125 and love it. For oscars and gt's I think you'd be fine with a 125 just depending on how many you want to keep.
 
how many oscars (for example) could you put in a 125 compared to a 180?

assume more than adequate filtration and water change schedule.


maybe this is a better way to answer the question. I don't really see myself going over the "12-14inch" size of cichlid anyway.
 
With large CA/SA cichlids you need to look at the available footprint of the tank for territory and hiding places. A 125 has 9 ft^2 while a 180 has 12 ft^2 of available territory, so 33% more. Which is quite a bit better especially for the CA/SA cichlids.
 
dbcb314;4063978; said:
how many oscars (for example) could you put in a 125 compared to a 180?

assume more than adequate filtration and water change schedule.


maybe this is a better way to answer the question. I don't really see myself going over the "12-14inch" size of cichlid anyway.
Click to expand...

You'll get varied responses but basically a 180g will hold a lot more fish comfortably.
 
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