Just an update on my 180gal community tank. Had the tinfoils for a month now. As you would expect have shown remarkable growth.
Geophagus Tapajos & Tinfoil Barb community aquaurium
- Thread starter mattybecks
- Start date
Great looking tank. I have no doubt in my mind that you have done your research beforehand and that you know how big those tinfoils will get. Have you got any upgrade plans already in place? Within 18 months you'll barely have enough hours in the day to keep up with the water changes that the bio load those fish put out in a 180g.
Also, tinfoils are dustbins with fins, and fast too. You can see in the videos that they are getting the food before the geos have chance. Are you not concerned that the geos may end up getting completely out competed at feeding times?
Also, tinfoils are dustbins with fins, and fast too. You can see in the videos that they are getting the food before the geos have chance. Are you not concerned that the geos may end up getting completely out competed at feeding times?
Thanks man! Appreacite your response.
At the moment I managing to keep my nitrates below 10ppm with the help of my 3 x canisters (combined 6000Lph) + I have my wall of pothos which does a great job too. But as you say, these guys will be producing a bio-load that will be tough to manage in not to long a time frame.
I got some plans in place for an upgraded system in the next two months or so. Not a larger tank (cant really go any larger), but an automatic drip water change system. I have already built the external overflow, what I need now is an attachment for the plumbing under my sick so I can connect the water source to the tank. I am lucky that I have drain and tap not to far from the tank. This should keep a constant flow of freshwater going through the tank.
Do you have any advice on what a good flow rate would be? (by flow rate I mean how much water should be going in each day in your opinion?) I will be posting a seperate thread on this once I get all the parts I need.
"Dustbins with fins" - Thats what drew me to them haha. I tried my hand at silver dollars before this for the same reason but they were terrible fin nippers and chewed my geos trailers off. The TFB arent nippy at all.
As for your food query - the geos wait right at the surface for the food when its feeding time. They all get a few mouthfuls first and sit in the water colum chewing while the TFB get the rest.
I always make sure everyone has fat tummy haha.
Well if you've no plans for a bigger tank then as far as managing nitrates go an auto drip system will help no end. I have no experience with geos at all so I don't know what their requirements are. But as far as the tinfoils go, I think I counted 6 in your video, they will max out at about 10" ime in a 180g. Go bigger and your tinfoils could go up to 14-15" depending on tank size. Tinfoils don't mind a lot of water movement but as far as geos go I don't know, so it would be foolish of me to try and advise turnover rate.
One thing's for sure though, your tank is going to look very full and very busy within 18 months. I don't mind a fuller looking tank, as long as nitrates are manageable, your proposed drip system will help you.
Good luck.
Thanks Bud. I agree with you that in my head when I was planning I thought space wise I would be fine, just a little on the full side.
But now I am seeing that maybe I underestimated how "full" the tank would look.
I know the water quality I will manage just fine, but a 180gal always sounds bigger than it actually is when it comes to stocking haha.
I will see how it goes, if I find its too cramped as time goes on I can rehome the TFBs.
What I am hoping works in my favour is that the two types of fish I have, Geos and TFBs, both shoal/school and are quite socia, non aggresive fishl. Im sure you have noticed how they all stick together.
I tried Tin Foils years back before I got on my geographically correct kick in a similarly sized tank.
I found beside growing too large for the tank (over a foot long, and very tall) taking focus off and room for the cichlids, as the grew they got nippy, aggressive (probably because of the lack of space), and produced more waste than the tank could handle, with my every other day 40% water changes).
Because Geophagines are not really predators, a medium size tetra, worked much better for me.
I found beside growing too large for the tank (over a foot long, and very tall) taking focus off and room for the cichlids, as the grew they got nippy, aggressive (probably because of the lack of space), and produced more waste than the tank could handle, with my every other day 40% water changes).
Because Geophagines are not really predators, a medium size tetra, worked much better for me.
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Everytime I get the urge to get a school of tinfoils, I go down to the local Asian fish market to see the oscar size tinfoils packed in ice. It's hard enough to maintain a 125g with 2 oscars, increasing that to more than double would be hard
Its sounding more and more like I will have to rehome these guys at some point. Especially if you say they get nippy and aggressive.
Ill have to keep an eye on them and update you guys.
I really do love their activity and eating behavior though
Ill have to keep an eye on them and update you guys.
I really do love their activity and eating behavior though
You may want to try some filimented barbs if the tfbs get out of hand. Filimented school, get along with others (squabble amongst themselves from time to time)grow to a max of 8", pretty colors. Males while breeding are gorgeous, terrible parents so no aggression, eat like the tfbs, will destroy any plants but you dont have any. I had a couple tfbs when I was a kid I remember they got big quick we had a small group in with our Oscars for clean up.
This
This is great advice. Thank you TwentyLeauges! Ill have a look for these and do a little research now.
