LFS offered a fish, do I have room?

[Newt]

I think it is a Pink Tailed Chalceus, the LFS wasn't really sure. It is big, 10" I'd guess. The LFS really needs to get rid of it, it's been in a 55 gallon for a few months now. They want someone with a big tank to house it so it doesn't come back.

It looks healthy and is on pellets. It's color was faded, but it is crammed into a 55 with about 20 other fish (severums, plecos, fronts) so it could just be stress.

My problem is I'm afraid of overstocking my 180 if I add this fish. The 180 has:

6 Severums
1 Retric ray
1 Fire eel
1 BGK
1 flounder

I also have a rocket gar growing out right now to be placed into the 180 sometime in the future.

So, do I have the room to add this Chalceus? Are my current fish compatible with it? Would there be future problems between it and the Rocket gar?

 

[srikamaraja]

I've taken care of Red-Tailed Chalceus before, their greatest enemy is their own kind, more than any other consideration. As long as no one is small enough to fit in their mouth, and no one has any long, flowing fins (which seems to be the case), they ought not be molested by the new addition. They are beautiful, if fairly inactive fish. I would say that if pike are to N.A. as crenicichla are to S.A., the same goes for mudminnows and chalceus.

 

[Rockbass6]

Is it free? Maybe someone on here might like to pay you to ship it.. As for you keeping him I would lean against it. You have a pretty large stock now. Alot of those fish you have will get pretty big down the line. I think your lfs giving u the calceus and you having to trade your other fish down the road isn't what the store has in mind. Cals are pretty pricey at my fish store here.