Monster fish to small community fish

[Nemv]

I’ve been keeping monster fish and have a huge tank for years now Arowana, Gars, Bass, stingrays etc but have now sold as I’m moving house. I’m thinking of using this tank now as a community tank with small fish what doesn’t come with some of the stress these big fish sometimes give.

My question is has anyone else ever felt like this and was it the right choice, what did you keep etc? Thanks!

 

[fishnatics]

I’ve been keeping monster fish and have a huge tank for years now Arowana, Gars, Bass, stingrays etc but have now sold as I’m moving house. I’m thinking of using this tank now as a community tank with small fish what doesn’t come with some of the stress these big fish sometimes give.

My question is has anyone else ever felt like this and was it the right choice, what did you keep etc? Thanks!

I know exactly how you feel. I started out in the hobby with betas. Bred them and got bored. Went to Africans then to monsters, arrowana, sting rays, bichirs. Sold them all cause my tank back then was only a 55 & 75. Went back to Africans but couldn't deal with the aggression and losses so went back to bettas and community fish. Now it's been really peaceful and rewarding but something is still missing. Guppies are starting to die randomly, geos are always hiding. Maybe the monster in me is calling me back so I went and picked up a baby pbass.

 

[Chockful O Phail]

Just how monster of a tank? What's your water conditions like? A few basic desires like big peaceful/small hordes will help.

 

[Nemv]

My tank is 7x3 foot. I think I might enjoy the peaceful and less expensive side for a while with community fish and have less people calling me weird for having such big and usual fish. Hopefully they will enjoy normal fish more haha but I'm sure ill miss the monsters in time to come though

 

[Gourami Swami]

Why not give it a shot- worst case if you want to go back to monsters, just put them right in the tank and you won't have to buy food for weeks
In all seriousness, there is something to be said for small fish in big tanks. Every display like this I have seen has been stunning, and you can still have some cool unique fish.

 

[Nemv]

Haha true! Yeah I just have no idea what to get. Have any recommendations? I'd like some colourful fish that school together

 

[jeaninel]

One of my favorite tanks to watch is my 135 gallon community. I've got rummynose, sterbai cories, Dennison barbs, couple Raphael cats, couple bn's, Bumblebee cat, a green sev, an angel, a leopard Ctenopoma and three Bolivian rams. It's a very peaceful tank and there is always something interesting going on. Last night I was watching my cories spawn.

 

[AquaAlex1993]

I’ve been keeping monster fish and have a huge tank for years now Arowana, Gars, Bass, stingrays etc but have now sold as I’m moving house. I’m thinking of using this tank now as a community tank with small fish what doesn’t come with some of the stress these big fish sometimes give.

My question is has anyone else ever felt like this and was it the right choice, what did you keep etc? Thanks!

I have in the past, yes. I did this in 2012-2013. Did it for a year. It was easier to keep and a bit relaxing. I had black skirt tetras, diamond tetras, serpae tetras, corys, festivums, and severum.
However, in mid 2013 I got bored with community fish. They lack the excitement and personality of the monster fish.
So I left the community side and went back to the monster side. I just don't have the community (feeder fish hehe) side left in me.

 

[Judyok]

Oh wow just imagine what you can do with a 7' tank and smaller fish! The possibilities are endless. I see you've had africans, I'm assuming you mean Mbuna. If your water is hard with a higher ph you can do a Tangynikan tank with Bosemani Rainbows for color. Compressiceps and Calvus have very interesting and unique behavior as well as the shell dwellers (gold occies or multis) Cyprichromis come in a rainbow of colors. If your looking for keeping fish with water straight out of your tap and without the hassle of additives to adjust ph and water hardness much will depend on that. What is your ph, gh and kh? If your ph is low and water is soft you can put together a south american tank.

 

[jeaninel]

I have in the past, yes. I did this in 2012-2013. Did it for a year. It was easier to keep and a bit relaxing. I had black skirt tetras, diamond tetras, serpae tetras, corys, festivums, and severum.
However, in mid 2013 I got bored with community fish. They lack the excitement and personality of the monster fish.
So I left the community side and went back to the monster side. I just don't have the community (feeder fish hehe) side left in me.

Yeah, I agree. Nothing beats the personality of the big guys. That's why I have multiple tanks lol. I can have the best of both worlds.