Is a 96x24x18 tank wasted on Tanganyikans?

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RyanM

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Oct 13, 2016
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Canton, OH
Picked up a used acrylic 180 gallon about a month ago and have it running and ready to go. My problem is deciding what to put into it. I have thought about Centrals like I normally keep, but I already have 3 tanks of them and might want to try something new.

The size of this tank seems ideal for a huge Tang community, but on the other hand, I have seen very few Tang community tanks for 125g. Given that most tangs are fairly small, would it be a waste to use a tank this big for them or would it be super cool with many different types? If it is a good idea, what would be some ideal stocking combos?

My favorite tangs are Cyps/Paracyps, Leleupi, Calv/Comps, Sexifaciatus, cylindricus, caudopunctatus and the Enantiopus/Xeno types and not really into Fronts (too much like my bigger Centrals).
 
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No, it would be awesome for rift lake cichlids. You could creatively scape it and add a couple groups of syno cats as well. You would of course have to post pics just to be sure

Any stocking suggestions beyond the synos? I think the scaping would be super easy and look very cool with so much surface area.
 
i don't have much experience in that area, sorry. i have kept mbuna in the past but that is about it other than my featherfin in my community tank
 
A community of calvus and compressiceps would be neat. I had a fry crew of 4 black Congos and 4 orange compressiceps I bought online about 3 years ago. I love their jaw line and the shape of their body.
 
I know this thread is older- but I’m never in the African forum.

I have a Tanganyikan community that’s been together for about 3.5 years.
I started with groups of 6- ended up with pairs.
Every fish in the tank is endemic to lake Tanganyika. It’s awesome.

No where near that size- 56 column.
I have a pair of black calvus, chaitika orange comps, gold head comps.
2 male cyp untinta ( we’ ll Blame autocorrect)
Pair leleupi
Pair Julie klipi
Prolific pair of brichardi- the male is incredible.
6 synondontis lucipinnis
1 ellipsifer eel.
I run an eheim 2217, small sponge and huge crop of pothos growing in and above the tank.
It gets a weekly 50% water change
Neither the altolamps nor catfish have bred. But the others do occasionally.
The catfish and eel keep the brichardi in check, some offspring survive.

All that being said and that I have maintained this talk without additions or rescapes for several years-
I would love to be able to have a sand area in addition to the 70 lbs of Texas holy rock that I have now.
With the 6 footer, you could also maintain a school of cyps,
Gobies ate tough because of their lower protein diet-
A huge stack of rock a 1/3 the way across the tank and to the top- the rest sand would be an awesome setup.
That being said my 125 started as rock dwellers and fronts- and I was bored in under a year-
 
Picked up a used acrylic 180 gallon about a month ago and have it running and ready to go. My problem is deciding what to put into it. I have thought about Centrals like I normally keep, but I already have 3 tanks of them and might want to try something new.

The size of this tank seems ideal for a huge Tang community, but on the other hand, I have seen very few Tang community tanks for 125g. Given that most tangs are fairly small, would it be a waste to use a tank this big for them or would it be super cool with many different types? If it is a good idea, what would be some ideal stocking combos?

My favorite tangs are Cyps/Paracyps, Leleupi, Calv/Comps, Sexifaciatus, cylindricus, caudopunctatus and the Enantiopus/Xeno types and not really into Fronts (too much like my bigger Centrals).

Dont know if you got this tank stocked but have you looked into a Enantiopus species?? Could do those with any kinda cyps you like
 
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