Help out a newbie? (Dilemma in stocking)

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Weirder_Weird

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 22, 2016
18
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Kolkata, West Bengal
Hello everybody I'm new to this awesome forum (Actually been a lurker since time immemorial, this is my first post). I've been keeping fish for the past seven years, most of them tetras, danios, dwarf catfish etc due to space and budget constraints (15 gal. tank, mostly planted). I am most likely to acquire a brand new 55 gallon tank this March and I can't decide what to put in my tank. After thinking it through, I've narrowed it down to 2 possibilities:
A pair of Firemouth, 3-4 pictus cats, 1 Raphael cat, 1 Synodontis eupterus. Or, 1 peacock spiny eel, 1-2 barred spiny eels, 1 Heteropneustes fossilis,1 Synodontis eupterus and a pair of Anabas. The Synodontis is constant as I had mistakenly bought it as S. nigriventris for my planted tank and it will outgrow my tank in a few months. The spiny eels, stinging catfish and Anabas could be easily acquired from my local marketplace (I'm from India) and is my preferred choice. But my sister is all for a big centrepiece fish. I don't know which one would be better... Could you guys help me out?
 
If you are wanting active eels probably are not best.

As for a firemouth and pictus they might have issues since the cats fast movement and the firemouths protective nature might cause issues. A nice stock of a single centrepiece fish could be a erythrinus erythrinus (rainbow wolfish) or some channa bleheri, i believe they are native to india and the surrounding areas

But lets put it this way, what do you want in the tank in terms of colour, personality, numbers etc
 
I was considering channa bleheri too but aren't all channas expert escape artists?
I would prefer a moderately active(i.e., Not zebra danio like) community, that's why I was in favour of those sedentary bottom dwellers. The rainbow wolffish isn't really available anywhere around here although it would've been a cool fish to have.
I have been seeing shoals of deifferent tetras and cyprinids over the years and would like to take a break from it, ofcourse.
 
Weirder_Weird said:
I was considering channa bleheri too but aren't all channas expert escape artists?
I would prefer a moderately active(i.e., Not zebra danio like) community, that's why I was in favour of those sedentary bottom dwellers. The rainbow wolffish isn't really available anywhere around here although it would've been a cool fish to have.
I have been seeing shoals of deifferent tetras and cyprinids over the years and would like to take a break from it, ofcourse.
Click to expand...
They just need a secure lid. A pink tail chalceus might work, but a 4ft tank is a bit tight depending on its final size
 
Weirder_Weird said:
I was considering channa bleheri too but aren't all channas expert escape artists?
I would prefer a moderately active(i.e., Not zebra danio like) community, that's why I was in favour of those sedentary bottom dwellers. The rainbow wolffish isn't really available anywhere around here although it would've been a cool fish to have.
I have been seeing shoals of deifferent tetras and cyprinids over the years and would like to take a break from it, ofcourse.
Click to expand...
Channas are indeed escape artist, but as long as your tank has a lid, it should be alright.
They are active if in a quiet room, with not too much movement, lots of plants, and a non-heated tank.

They are very personable, and will dance on the front lid when you come by the tank, asking for food if you keep the above conditions. :)
 
Madou said:
Channas are indeed escape artist, but as long as your tank has a lid, it should be alright.
They are active if in a quiet room, with not too much movement, lots of plants, and a non-heated tank.

They are very personable, and will dance on the front lid when you come by the tank, asking for food if you keep the above conditions. :)
Click to expand...
That is what i have heard. If there were not so expensive i would try getting some. They should be fairly cheap there
 
Cheap? Channas are almost free... Almost every pond or lake has channa bleheri and channa punctatus and the ones (juveniles) for sale in aquarium shops have prices starting from
10 Rupees (0.149 US Dollar). Even cheaper, newborn Channa micropeltes is sold at roadside fish shops as feeder fish for 2 Rupees each.
So.. If I were to keep a channa, do I require any dither fish? Also, the synodontis is definitely going to that tank... Will it cause any problems?
 
If you go the firemouth route you would be better getting a group, about six, they prefer being in a group rather then pairs
 
If we are considering cichlids, will 1 Cuban Cichlid or 1 Salvin's Cichlid fit in the tank?
What other cichlids would be compatible with the Synodontis (preferably South/Central American)?
 
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