Empty 200Gal - suggestions?

[Redearsunfish]

big high flow system? Reef tank all the way.

Discus, no. for a whole bunch of reasons. Discus do best in bare tanks with hot water, with their own kind only (with few exceptions) with giant water changes, top notch food and calmer water.

 

[Pole]

discus care is overrated, it aint 1980 no more. I would invest in an auto water changer.

 

[Redearsunfish]

Discus are very nice, but in my humble opinion, very very very hard to take care of properly.

 

[CaptainFindus]

Thanks for all the interesting opinions.
My tank was custom made for goldfish, so it won't work for a reef as it doesn't have the lining that will prevent salt water corrosion. Plus, I know nothing of salt water!

The discus I am looking at are locally bred by some reputable german breeders. Unlike the imported asian ones who are used to large water changes and very specific water, there guys are used to local water and they recommend 30% weekly water changes. They are also apparently very hardy. With the goldfish I was doing huge water changes all the time, so they seem like less work to me.


It really is now a choice between the oscars and discus. The discus have amazing coloring and elegance, but I just love an oscar personality. I am planning to go to a fish show in a few weeks where I can compare the 2 better.

 

[Adamrhh]

The Arowana isn't a good idea, the Oscar would be my choice since I have 2 and love them! In my opinion 2 baby Oscar and school of silver dollar, a nice looking Pleco maybe that tops at 8 to 10 inches would be great! When you have baby Oscar that grow up with it's tank mates they are super docile and won't bother any of them. This would make a beautiful tank with the schooling silver and interactive with the Oscar.

Sent from mobile app.

 

[E.C.]

If you're going for discus I'd say prepare a lot of time to commit for them. Research for it first.

If you go for discus, the tank will be exclusively only for discus, you may add tank mates but I'd say you do go for cardinal/neon tetras or corydoras as clean up crew and vibrancy boost. they're elegant but has a lot of demands, somehow pricey and when they breed, yes you'll eventually will be into breeding, that's one of the discus' experience, you are liable to commit a lot for them. Baby discus demands more out of everything, that will be months for you.

Oscars on the other hand are forgiving water buddies, may you go for some mistakes they're hardy enough to get back, plus you may also add some medium to arge tankmates. You may start a predatory comm if you go for O's. Though they're cheap, the richness of their personality will never bore you out.

 

[Redearsunfish]

Thanks for all the interesting opinions.
My tank was custom made for goldfish, so it won't work for a reef as it doesn't have the lining that will prevent salt water corrosion. Plus, I know nothing of salt water!

The discus I am looking at are locally bred by some reputable german breeders. Unlike the imported asian ones who are used to large water changes and very specific water, there guys are used to local water and they recommend 30% weekly water changes. They are also apparently very hardy. With the goldfish I was doing huge water changes all the time, so they seem like less work to me.


It really is now a choice between the oscars and discus. The discus have amazing coloring and elegance, but I just love an oscar personality. I am planning to go to a fish show in a few weeks where I can compare the 2 better.

Lining? Is it an indoor pond?

 

[snakeheadrockz]

i'll tell you something, Discuses are very sensitive to water quality, they require high care level, oscars are good choice but if you mix more than one type of oscars like tiger oscars, veil tail oscars , they may end up fighting with each other. arows are hardy fishes and they live upto 40yrs, but some arows tend to jump out of aquariums when they get spooked, 200 gal is good enough for keeping asian arows which becomes almost 3ft in lenght, but north americans like silver becomes 4ft+ which is not recommended for your tank size, jardinis are the most aggressive among the arows. i personally like more of cylindrical fishes like snakeheads or maybe koi. I hope you would make a good decision.

 

[David R]

200 gal is good enough for keeping asian arows which becomes almost 3ft in lenght

3' fish in a 2' wide tank??

+1 for EC's suggestion of discus + cardinals + corydoras! Some nice pieces of driftwood, a few plants, perfect!

 

[CaptainFindus]

Re: the oscars - how long do they take to get from 'baby size' to fully grown? Where do you guys get yours? Are there breeders or is it more a fish you find at a fish shop? My husband really is feeling the oscars.

Re: the arowana and koi, I think those need much larger tanks or I would feel bad to have them closed up without proper swim room.

Re: the discus, they are really very gorgeous. I found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2dvaqeBz2E

I now contacted a local discus breeder to see a little their requirements and their hardiness etc.

I think it will be a choice between great personality and beauty. If anyone owns both oscars and discus I would really appreciate a personality comparison.