IDEAS on potential Tank size for CENTRALS set-up

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Cyberman

Aimara
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Aug 14, 2011
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Hi Guys,

I'm considering setting up a large new community tank for medium to large Centrals... Heres the rundown on the mix I hope to keep... All the fish here I already have but they're mostly just juveniles of fry, at the moment.

(1) Firemouths (2 - 4)
(2) Ellioti (2)
(3) Aureum (2)
(4) Istlanum (2)
(5) Salvini (2)
(6) Electric Blue Jack Dempsys (2)

Thanks

Phil
 
You may get lucky because you are growing them up together, but the Thorichthys and blue demps are way to passive for the likes of istlantum and salvini. I would guess the salvini and istlantum will take one or the other out, and the winner will systematically destroy the Thorichthys and blue demp unless you have a very large tank.
Sorry to be such a nay sayer, but you did ask.
 
My Salvini are actually divided between two tanks at the moment sharing with Ellioti and EBJDs and are the lowest in the pecking order at the moment.. The Ellioti seem to be the most aggressive. However, with the Istlanums I have absolutely no experience of but I know the frys father was a beast that killed loads of females. He bossed just about every fish in his tank... I was hoping if in a big enough tank they would ignore the softer fish... I just love the look of them.
 
so whats that 6ft long by 2ft wide by 3ft deep?
Your measurements would make a 269.3 gallon tank.

A 180g typically is 72" x 24" x 24" (179.53g)
A 210g typically is 72" x 24" x 29" (216.94 g), though Ive seen some call this a 220g because its so close...
 
Id say a 180 would be bood


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As said earlier the Islatum can be very brutal so even though this sounds like a huge tank it probably won't be big enough. A 240 may work but no matter how big it is it's all up to how the Islatum do with tank mates. I personally wouldn't try it in anything under 300 but I don't like to take risks when it comes to my fish so it's up to you what you are
Willing to gamble on.


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There are some cichlids that almost always are single species tank fish.
It may be because it is the solo cichlid in its natural habitat.
Haitiensus comes to mind. No other cichlid is endemic to Haiti, so, with few exceptions, a haitiensus kills any other cichlid it comes across, and if it can't, it bloats and withers away.
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I believe istlanta and beani are in that catagory,
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and although grammodes shares its habitat with Vieja hartwegi, my experience is it kills any other cichlid it comes across in anything, but a monster tank.
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I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but I find Thorichthys always end up on the short end when housed with the above types.
 
Oh well Istlanum in its own tank then.... I'll see what the Salvini do in the set-up in due course aswell, but at the moment they are just about ok, in their grow on tanks. I'm maturing a young male to go with my older female. Hes almost her size now so should soon be safe enough to put together.
 
Your measurements would make a 269.3 gallon tank.

A 180g typically is 72" x 24" x 24" (179.53g)
A 210g typically is 72" x 24" x 29" (216.94 g), though Ive seen some call this a 220g because its so close...


Thats even better... so I could have massive scope with a 6ftlog X 2ftwde X 3ftdp tank.
 
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