My First Monster Tank

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Matt1981

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 22, 2006
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uk
Hi guys, first post but i've been reading this forum for a few years without ever posting.

In the next couple of weeks i will be ordering a custom built tank, 78"x30"x24", which equates to 243 US gallons/202 UK gallons.

My biggest tank before this has been a 40 gallon tank, so its a bit of a step up but i'm really excited!

SA fish have always been my passion, and now i will have the chance to keep some of the bigger types of these awesome fish.

I'm after a bit of advice from experienced people on how many/what mix of the following i could keep in the tank.

Filtration will be either a couple of big cannisters (fx5's etc) or a sump, although i'm a bit nervous about the sump as i've never used one before!

Oscar
Green Terror
Chocolate cichlid
Gold severum
Red-headed severum
Green severum
Jurapari eartheater
blue acara

My initial thoughts were 1 oscar, 1 chocolate, 4 severums and then see whether the tank would take anything else.

I'd also like a royal plec, and maybe some dithers, hence the less aggressive fish, but i dont like silver dollars. Is there anything else that the oscar wont eat?

cheers
 
Congratulations!!! new tanks are soo exciting especially when they are soo much bigger than your other ones lol, i think if you can go for the sump i would go ahead and do it, especially if your tank is already coming to you drilled. i think your initial thoughts are pretty spot on, you could probably add a nice male GT, shouldn't be too hard finding one that is mellow enough to be in your tank, you would just have to watch out for growth rate since Os grow so much faster. as for dithers if your lucky like i was and grow the O up with them tiger barbs are a possibility as i had mine with them but there is really a slim chance of that working. i think if you can get your hands on them there are these awesome spotted silver dollars. they only get like 3-4in and have little black spots on their sides, i like them way better than the regular silver dollars but cant ever find them around here. there are also types that have a bar going down their side that look cool. i was like you with not liking silver dollars but recently i saw the different types and am now trying to see where i can find some haha, i also think a royal plec would be fine in that tank just make sure that there is driftwood in the tank and watch to make sure that he is getting enough food
 
i would go with the oscar,red head severums and chocolate cichlid,or what about 'surinamensis' sp, as for dithers red hooks would be good but are slow growing compared to the cichlids,also be aware that i've known an oscar to eat an adult convict before when the owner didn't realise how much the oscar had grown !!! they can eat surprisingly big fish if they want
 
I would say for the dithers you could go with some tinfoil barbs, they get to about the same size as the oscars though. If thats not a option then i would go with so odessa barbs. they get around 6" and are fast. Not sure on growth rate though. Gouramis have worked well for me in the past with a similar setup i had a few years ago. Just make sure you get one of the larger growing types. like the blues, golds, or opaline.

I like the way your going about this setup and i hope it turns into your dream tank for ya.
 
I'm using convics as dithers in my tanks and it has been working great. i just posted a add asking for large convics because every one has a con they don't want an more.
 
I ordered the tank and it should be with me in the next couple of weeks. I chickened out of the sump as i've only ever used cannisters.

The system will be 78"x24"x24" filtered with a Eheim Professional 3 2180 and another filter, possibly fx5 if i can get one relatively cheap.

After numerous trips to fish shops etc the stock list i'm thinking of will be roughly

1 Red Tiger Oscar
2 Red head severums
2 Gold severums
1 Chocolate cichlid
1 Flagtail prochilodus
6 silver dollars
Plec

However, i'm new to keeping fish of this size and i'm weary about overstocking. I definitely want the oscar and at least 1 or 2 severums. The rest of the stock is not finalised.

Is my tank big enough for these fish?
 
Congrats on the monster tank - I like your first stock list as I'm not a huge fan of dithers in community tanks - seems redundant to me when theres already 8 different species of cichlids, they just add to the bio-load but that's just me.
 
in my tank i have
1 full grown oscar, gold sev, black ghost knife, blue acara, choc, red tail shark, bristlenose, 3 clown loach and 6 silver dollars and its seems to work fine. how ever my choc and sev and on the same side of the tank and lip lock from time to time, nothing seroius....not sure how i feel about my choc cause even though he looks cool he hides all the time which is boring. My acara is is no more then 3 inches and is fine with my 12 inch oscar
My tank is 500ltrs and once all fish grow up might be a little over stocked?
 
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