Newbie alert! First monster tank and looking at peacocks

[Reddevil07]

Hey guys and gals, my name is Kris. Not new to the aquarium hobby by any means(high tech planted tanks) but just picked up my first large tank. It's a 300 gallon acrylic measuring 24x24x8ft. I've been piecing things together to get ready to stock it. I've got just about everything together minus pump and return lines.

I have been trying to put together a stock list for the tank. I've been trying to read as much as possible. So far, I'd like to do a silver arrowana and some peacocks. As far as specific species, I've been looking at tems or monos. Maybe orinos?! I'm not sure yet haha. Only other tank mate would be a big old watermelon pleco. Plan on doing sand bottom with a minor hardscape of rocks and some wood.

Any advice on stocking limits would be appreciated. I haven't found anything online really that would give me a good idea on how many fish would be ideal. I have a grow out tank that is already set up and cycled for them when I get em. The person I'm buying from already has them trained on pellets too which is nice. I look forward to reading more on this forum and getting the tank running!

 

[jclyde13]

Unfortunately, your tank isn't wide enough to accommodate any arowana species. It probably isn't large enough for peacock bass either, since they all reach 24"+ and are very active swimmers. Temensis are out of the question for sure. They're the largest peacock bass species, and the second largest cichlid in the world, reaching over 3 feet long.

 

[Reddevil07]

Seeing that I'll be starting with 2" fry, I think I'll have plenty of time to keep them before they get too big. I've talked to a number of people who have agreed I'll be alright. I appreciate the advice though.

 

[jclyde13]

I don't have any personal experience with Cichla, but I will say that an arowana will be too big within 12-18 months regardless of what size it begins at. I kept a silver in a 6x2, and it turned out to be a disaster by the time he got into the 20-26" range. I was warned about it by a few members here (especially Bderick67 ) long before the issues arose, but unfortunately I didn't listen and had to deal with a very stressed and self-destructive aro that only lived for 5-6 years.

 

[gangster]

Seeing that I'll be starting with 2" fry, I think I'll have plenty of time to keep them before they get too big. I've talked to a number of people who have agreed I'll be alright. I appreciate the advice though.

If you know so much already why are you asking if you can keep them?
To no listen and do as you please?

YOur tank is a 240gallon and the width is too narrow to keep peacock bass for life. If you are to get them anyway look at Intermedia or kelberi.

 

[Jhncf]

Is this going to be another person who joins and asks for advice then totally ignores the advice given if it's not what they want to hear? Sorry but this seems to be happening more and more, you asked for advice on stocking limits, you had replies saying that the fish get too large for your tank and you reply saying you were told elsewhere they'll be fine.. Why bother asking if you're not going to listen? Kelberi or intermedia as said will be fine for a long time, anything else will get too big for a 24" wide tank. Length of the tank is important, but so is the width, you could have a 20ft tank and it still wouldn't need big enough for temensis etc if it was only 24" wide.

 

[Reddevil07]

Gangster- I don't know everything about keeping these fish. That's why I'm asking a large number of different people on their experience and opinions. His response was one that stood out from the others and for good reason. He said himself he's never kept them before. THATS the reason why I ask a number of people. You'd be a fool to take one persons opinion as truth, especially in the aquarium hobby. Ps, according to one of the online tank calculators, your math is off. I'll be sitting around 260 gallons filled.

Jhncf- refer to what I said above. The first person who replied has never kept them. Why would take their word? I can recite stats from Wikipedia too but that won't help me. As with numerous other species, some fish will not get as big as if they were in the wild. Hell, by your own logic, it seems a number of people in this sub forum don't have the "perfect" tank for these species but are kept anyway.

I understand my tank isn't "ideal" but I'll try and be as responsible as possible and not jam pack em in there. I was simply hoping to learn any specific stocking info like male to female ratio, mixing species together, minimum school numbers, etc. You guys sure know how to roll out the welcome mat!

 

[fish nerd 84]

Well I can't speak for everyone else but im nice so hello welcome to the forum. Your tank should work fine for some Kelberi or intermedia they are the smallest two speices of bass known at this moment(could be new speices out there) yes they can get 24inch but i dont know of many people who have either of those speices at 24 inch that was raised in aquarium to that size. From what I have researched kelberi get about 18inch on average in an aquarium setting, mine aren't that big yet. I would say get them and be a responsible fish keeper if you grow your past the 18inch mark or think they need more space do the the right thing.

 

[Reddevil07]

Hey fish nerd! Thanks for the welcome. What size and how many did you purchase yours at and what size are they now? How fast did yours grow? I've read they pack on size fast? What size tank are they in?

 

[fish nerd 84]

I have 3 kelberi that are about 3-3.5inches now and pellet trained I purchased them at 1.5inches I have had them almost 2 months so yea they pack on size fast. They are in a 4'x2'x3' 150tall grow out tank. Get them on pellets fast when you get them because that is what I noticed so far made their growth take off. I started mine out in a 10 gallon to get them on pellets and qt them. Keep up on water changes it helps health and growth as im seeing so far. I do 50 percent changes a week.