need help with stocking ideas for a 500 gal

[fishdance]

I keep and breed the large clown knife fish. They are quite flexible. 60cm wide tanks are suitable even for big specimens.

They hunt head down - tail up drifting slowly onto prey mimicking swaying vallisinaria. Very agile and fast with extending telescopic jaws. Be careful with hard pellets.

Unfortunately they often become feral pests in many countries. Tough fish that easily breed.

 

[MitchGlitch23]

so now I am getting a 450 gal 48 in wide tank instead of 32 in wide, should that be okay for a clown knife?

 

[Rocksor]

Nice size tank and width!

 

[MitchGlitch23]

Thanks!

 

[Joshuakahan]

Others might disagree, but my opinon, no. I feel a tank needs to be (minimum) 2.5-3x the width of a fish, which is especially important for inflexible fish because of the inflexiblity.
So I personally wouldn't do any smaller than 225-270cm for an inflexible fish the size of the clown knife. The 2.44m length of a 1892 liter is also very limiting for a 90cm fish in my opinion.

So you’re saying a 7.5’ wide tank for a 3’ fish? The clown knife may not even reach 3’ and if it does, it will be a loooong time before it does. CKs aren’t even all that active. I might a agree with something like a GATF

 

[Joshuakahan]

I am getting a 48 in wide 500 gal instead now, should that work?

Should work fine

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

So you’re saying a 7.5’ wide tank for a 3’ fish? The clown knife may not even reach 3’ and if it does, it will be a loooong time before it does. CKs aren’t even all that active. I might a agree with something like a GATF

JMO, of course. Hence the 'others might disagree'.

Certainly I didn't expect everyone to agree with the 2.5-3x width principle.

 

[aroijuana]

I was referring to Zkris28.

By the way, although I haven't kept them, I kind of doubt a 1892 liter is big enough for a clown knife. Yours is 81cm wide, while clown knives get to 90+cm and are also very inflexible.

False. Clown knives are quite flexible & very talented in the swimming department. They even swim backwards. I'm not shure why you speak on fish you've never kept. OP 48" wide is plenty of room for the usual suspects.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I'm not shure why you speak on fish you've never kept.

Just giving my own 2 cents on general morals (learned it from Stanzzz7 and so I hope I can help others learn too). I may have made a mistake about the flexibility, though.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Just giving my own 2 cents on general morals (learned it from Stanzzz7 and so I hope I can help others learn too). I may have made a mistake about the flexibility, though.

But you’re not helping, you’re giving incorrect info