I want Ps

[BuggyNutt]

I want to get some Ps butt I need to finish the tank for them. Im building a 250gal and from what I have learned I should be able to get about 12 red bellies. I was just looking to get some input about this before I get to close to the stocking time. Im also new to this site so I would be cool to get some new info about RBs or any other Ps that might be fun to keep.

Thanks
Jason

 

[JD7.62]

If you have the cash, and I mean plenty of it, I think 8-10 piraya would rock in there. If not 12-15 Caribe would be sweet too. The reason why I say those fish is because you have such a nice large tank that not every one can have so get fish to put in there that not every one will have! What kind of filtration do you plan on using?

 

[BuggyNutt]

I have about a 50gal sump and will have about 6 gal of bio-balls with other filter media. I still need to get a pump and a few other things.

Thanks
Jason

 

[guppy]

You will want to run 400-500gph at least through the filter, they can be messy. I suggest several dense clumps of plants, it cuts back on aggresion between the piranha. RBPs will be the cheapest, if you want a different species just remember to avoid the serrasalmus genus. As general info on red bellies goes they are easy keepers, at least the survivors, expect to lose one every now and then.

 

[JD7.62]

As guppy said piranha are very messy and I think you will need way more filtration. At least 20 gallons or so of biomedia with about a 10x turn over rate, as in 2,500 gph flowing through media. Guppy, from my experience on this site you are THE fish expert, but how could you possibly say he only needed 400-500 gph? That is more for like a 55 gallon tank!

 

[BuggyNutt]

I was thinking about 1800-2000gph would be good. I was told and have seen a 4-5 turnover rate and it look kinda dirty. I have also been doing my homework on making a background for this tank. I was going to do the styrofoam rock wall with cave and planters built into it. I could use some input on this project also.

Thanks again
Jason

 

[guppy]

Yeah you are right, I was low balling, I usually go with twice filtration that the manufacturers call foras an absolute minimum, I also use lots of elodea or similar plants, and use a UGF as well. The largest tank, as opposed to pond, that I have had was a 150g that held 9 rbps at about 9-10" each. I used two hangons each rated at 150gph minimum flow and two UGFs each made for a 55g. with 30% weekly water changes it stayed pristine.
Mea culpa, my only excuse is that I was thinking of ratings rather than actual flow rates. (sub excuse is that I was sleepy)

 

[werdna]

hey man i just suggest one thing shoal of pygos oh ya.. ur choice bc ur fish lol

 

[guppy]

I was thinking about this earlier and I believe I mis interpeted the 6 gallons of media as 6 cubic feet, approx, 44 gallons of media, if that were the case I think that 500gph would be sufficient.
I have found that, at least in above ground ponds with home built filters, a large capacity filter with lower flow is far more effective than a smaller capacity filter with high flow.
I have found that two filters made from 44g tubs (holding about 80g of media total) and run by two 1500gph pumps (3000gph total) will maintain an 1800gph pond very nicely, of course the stocking level is maybe 1/2 that of an average tank.