New South American setup

[joecoulson]

Beautiful set up Joe it all came together perfect. Awesome photos too!

Thanks very much, I am a photographer and have never really spent the time to try and get some good shots of the fish (mainly because I am always behind the camera and I just want to relax and watch the fish) but seeing the great shots on here makes me want to explore it some more, so more shots to come. I will try and get him digging and also being petted (which he loves)

 

[JK47]

Here is my dream come true. I have had tanks for over 15 years now. Always brackish and fresh. Never did get into Cichlids until about 6 months ago when my daughter picked out a Midas (he was a baby and it was definitely not an educated buy) at the fish shop. I had just had some 10 year old fish pass away and the 37 gallon we had them in was kinda empty. Well, as most of you already know the Midas can balloon very quickly (he was 2" now is 7+ and growing fast) He outgrew the 37 and I had to sell some toys in order to afford the new setup. Just got the thing up and running on Friday (used gravel from old setup mixed with new and used old canister so it didn't need to cycle) It is a beauty:
65 Gallon tall (36" x 18" x 24")
Custom stand (I work in a cabinet shop)
Glass top with Coralife double T5 light (10k x 2)
Fluval 204 (I know but I will upgrade when I can afford, for now nothing has changed from the old setup so it should keep up fine)
Ebo Jager heater
Koralife Nano for circulation
Custom background from Designsbynature.net (Matt is the man!!)
Flourite mix (regular and black about 60lbs)
Fake plants (Midas will destroy real, already tried)
River rocks from Helen, GA
Driftwood made by me (cured a long time ago and screwed into slate)

Fish:
Midas named "Pick" (my daughter, 4, named all the fish)
Two Dempsey's one called "lookie" and the other called "fatch"
Sailfin Pleco (about 8") named "swimmy"

Here it is in about as perfect a spot ever for a fish tank, in the living room in place of the tv.

x2 on Matt being the man!!! DBN backgrounds are the best and make tanks next level. Yours is stunning. I like the size and placement of it next to the stairs. It looks like it belongs and make great use of that space. Some people overlook where they put their tanks.

lol "pick" yor gunna be calling it "icepick" in no time! Beautiful fish. My kids name some of my fish too.

 

[joecoulson]

Ok, so much for trying to keep them happy together. The two dempseys are with my parrots now in the 37. We were in the living room when the timer went off and saw that the midas was attacking them badly. The larger one was already on the mend from the last attack and I though all was good with the hidy holes. WRONG! I learned my lesson and I am just happy that we have another tank up and running and large enough (for now) to get those fish some peace. On a positive note, I can now make the midas tank look a little more authentic (looking like a lake bed) without the gawdy plants that were just in there for cover. Will post pics soon.

 

[fishman112]

I will when he has a couple more years and inches, this was a big upgrade from what he was in. FYI he has been quite happy in there and has not attacked the Dempsey's once. This was the biggest tank we could fit in the space we have in our living room. As far as a missus, why on earth would I be so cruel?

I'm not saying it's too small for him, i mean with the missus, get a bigger tank if you were to get one.
ahahaha, A girlfriend then? ;D