Stocking a 120g

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
CricketMcLean

CricketMcLean

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 26, 2017
9
2
3
Phoenix Arizona
first time posting but I've been reading this site for a while now.

I'm feeling lost on my stocking options. I've had several lists that don't work out for one reason or another So I'm trying to narrow down what I really want and then just let other stuff fall into place after.

Considered a lake Victoria biotope
A bunch of nanos and a community tank with rams gourami tetras and Corys.

What I think I really want are Congo tetras and eba.

Would y'all mind suggesting a stock for a 120g long?
 
Your ideas sound good, personally I like the sound of a Tanganyikan tank rather than Victoria, I species tank of your preferred tropheus, I love duboisi, Bemba and ikola
 
  • Like
Reactions: CricketMcLean and magpie
Could add some syno cats and a Tanganyikan spiney eel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CricketMcLean and magpie
Is that a 4 ft by 2 ft tank?

If you want to plan around Congos and and EBA, maybe you could do more african fish (I know EBA is SA)... Now I dont' know a lot about the EBAs, so you'll have to confirm that they're OK with these.

A group of the smaller upper jaw bichirs for the bottom,
a Ctenopoma Acutirostre for a cool interactive fish,
and African Butterflies for the top.

The smaller upper jaw polys are:
Senegal (active), Polli (active), Delhezi (variably active), Palmas, Buettekoferi, Retropinnis, Mokelembembe.
And/or you could do a group of 3+ rope fish. They are awesome, and active. Mine eat out of my fingers.

Are you going to do any plants, even if fake? The Ctenos and ropes really like plants/cover. So part of it depends on how you want to scape your tank.

Another factor is that if you do the polys, ropes, and/or butterflies you'll need a bomb-proof lid with zero escape options.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CricketMcLean
Say you got 5 electric blue acara. These fish get pretty big, my adults were easily 6 inches. In a 120 I don't know if you could do a small shoal of Geos as well. What I noticed is once the acara got larger they didn't really like Tank mates added too much. I tried to introduce larger angels but they would just harass them to the point of death if I didn't remove them. The angels I had in my tank were already in there when the acara were added. They did get along with my Geophagus Tapajos really well though and my clowns.
 
freak78 said:
Say you got 5 electric blue acara. These fish get pretty big, my adults were easily 6 inches. In a 120 I don't know if you could do a small shoal of Geos as well. What I noticed is once the acara got larger they didn't really like Tank mates added too much. I tried to introduce larger angels but they would just harass them to the point of death if I didn't remove them. The angels I had in my tank were already in there when the acara were added. They did get along with my Geophagus Tapajos really well though and my clowns.
Click to expand...
So they did ok with the tank mates that were there when they were added (small)? Long term? Just no new fish once they were big? Or they didn't care for even the original inhabitants once they were large?
justarn said:
Your ideas sound good, personally I like the sound of a Tanganyikan tank rather than Victoria, I species tank of your preferred tropheus, I love duboisi, Bemba and ikola
Click to expand...
I had liked lake Victoria because of the situation there with disappearing species but for the same reason it's hard to find much variety in a decent price range or at all as well as much info on compatibility and my brain started to hurt from research lmao. I am considering other African cichlid's though because
magpie said:
How hard/soft is your water?
Click to expand...
I do have rather hard water here in Phoenix :(
justarn said:
Could add some syno cats and a Tanganyikan spiney eel.
Click to expand...
I think I'll research a bit on this lake. At least until it starts to hurt lol.
magpie said:
Is that a 4 ft by 2 ft tank?

If you want to plan around Congos and and EBA, maybe you could do more african fish (I know EBA is SA)... Now I dont' know a lot about the EBAs, so you'll have to confirm that they're OK with these.

A group of the smaller upper jaw bichirs for the bottom,
a Ctenopoma Acutirostre for a cool interactive fish,
and African Butterflies for the top.

The smaller upper jaw polys are:
Senegal (active), Polli (active), Delhezi (variably active), Palmas, Buettekoferi, Retropinnis, Mokelembembe.
And/or you could do a group of 3+ rope fish. They are awesome, and active. Mine eat out of my fingers.

Are you going to do any plants, even if fake? The Ctenos and ropes really like plants/cover. So part of it depends on how you want to scape your tank.

Another factor is that if you do the polys, ropes, and/or butterflies you'll need a bomb-proof lid with zero escape options.
Click to expand...
The tank is 60"×26"×18"

Thank you for so many ideas. I love the idea of your ropes and butterflies. I don't have a lid yet so that is something to keep in mind on my hunt.

Thank you everyone for so many replies. I had my tank all cleaned up and set it outside to do my 24 hour leak test (which it passed :) ) I drained it then proceeded to cut my finger pretty badly before I got it back in the house :( I can't do much one handed especially not move it inside. It weighs a ton empty. So it's not even cycling yet ! I get my stitches removed Wednesday so I'm using this time to gather my thoughts. I have a quarantine tank and a nearly empty 55g that I can use to start building my stock while I wait for cycling but I don't want to get too ahead of myself since I won't be able to add them all at once anyway when it's ready. It's difficult to wait ;) but since I can't move the tank or even figure out a stock I will just have to.

I've read that ebas are like puppies. Excited to see you. Follow you around the tank. Etc. And the lovely shades of blue are very appealing to me which is why I had thought to center the tank around them. I'm open to other ideas tho. I just hate the idea of a huge tank with like 8 goldfish. Or 1 Oscar. If you know what I mean. And I love to watch schooling. It's to difficult to settle on something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom