Help me plan out a tank

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Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 29, 2005
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So after 15 years of keeping fish, I had to get out of the hobby due to a new baby and an upcoming move. Well, not quite “get out”… Over the last year I had to severely downsize my collection, and where at one point I had a 125, 75, 65, 55, and 2-30 gallon tanks running, I am now left with only a 65G that I will be taking with me to a new condo.

As you can see I am no stranger to keeping fish. Most of my experience is spread between keeping various SA/CA cichlids, and in the last 3 years running a 125 gallon African oddball tank with various polypterus, ctenopomas, morymids, etc. Now being limited to a single somewhat odd-shaped and small(ish) tank, I am confused as to what to house in it.

I have a few ideas that I will list here but need some help figuring the direction in which to take this. I am also open to any other suggestions. The tank will have to be a show piece, as it will be a center of my living room. I understand the limitations of its size (36x18x18), and here are the options I have identified so far:

  • Planted SA biotope with angels discuss, small tetras, and a fancy pleco or two – I’ve never had luck with panted tanks and as much as I like semi-aggressive SA cichlids, angels and discuss are just bleh
  • Semi-aggressive CA community: EBJD and a couple of firemouths. Maybe a rainbow cichlid if I can get one (haven’t seen them locally in a while) – It would be an OK set up but for some reason I am not too thrilled about this one
  • A breeding pair of severums – My main concern is that the tank may prove to be a tad too small for them in the long run
  • SW tank: either fish only or a reef – too much work IMO. I would also have to upgrade the lights. I’ve had a 12G nano reef once and ended up hating it with passion
  • Mudskippers! – Would love to do this but just like with SW, I reeeeeeeally don’t want to premix water when I do my changes (guess I am lazy)
  • A high grade flowerhorn – this is my main plan so far. I am however bother by a concept of keeping a single fish
  • Malawi peacocks (all males) – I have NEVER had any interest in African cichlids, mainly due to my water PH being naturally 7.0, plus I prefer fish that is a little more robust and personable. However, at this point I would seriously consider setting up an African tank both because of the look and the challenge it represents
My current equipment consists of 2 AC 110 filters (with a 3rd one I’m keeping as a spare) and a really beautiful and unique X-Large piece of waterlogged driftwood. I have a 350W heater and a bag of silica playsand. I could also add some sort of a canister filter to the mix if need be.

Please help me by recommending which option I should go with and why. Once I identify what fish I want to keep, I will be taking my future discussions to the species-related section of MFK. Thanks
 
You could also go with a couple oscars. If it were my tank I would go with the EBJD and some firemouths. You could also add a school of tinfoil barbs. That would be nice.
 
Out of your choices at the moment I prefer the EBJD route, but firemouths eh, i'd maybe try a sev and EBJD, and if you enjoyed the 125 oddball tank you could get a pair of senegals to go in there with em and maybe an african brown knife, that'd be a pretty hefty stock for that tank but i bet it would look really good and you seem to have the filtration and ability to upgrade filtration if you need to.

could also go with a rainbow wolf fish, fun to feed but then again you said you were kinda 'eh' on the one fish tank idea, good luck with whatever choice you make
 
Thanks! I forgot to mention that it MUST be a biotopic habitat (well, with the exception of a flowerhorn and EBJD ofcourse ;))
 
Oops, I thought it was a 165 gallon, sorry.
 
really need to figure out if you want more then one fish.. or a colony per-sae.. that will start Xing stuff off. me personally If I could only have 1 tank and it was 65gals I'de do a pair of C. Proteus and plant it in a nice low light set-up. Or a spiney eel single specimin tank. The dwarf Pikes have a good amount of personality and color, and spiney eels are simply some of my favorites.
 
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