Stocking a 75
- Thread starter Hypancistrus
- Start date
so dither fish distract the predators by looking like a tasty snack that is hard to catch? I'm kind of lost on the idea. What is the purpose? I'm a teacher too, I should've looked up dither on my own like i tell my kids.
I've got a new 75 sitting in my basement setting up. It's freezing down there (55F or so), but as soon as I get the heater in there and working i want to move a GT and Dempsey that I have in a friend's 55 (they are actually getting along quite well) to my 75...are there any suggestions to what I can add with those?? OR is that enough right there? I'm thinking Tinfoil barbs or maybe a convict? What're you guys thinkin? I wanna be careful not to overstock, but my friends say that i'm being too cautious about it! HELP 
I think maybe a convict would be alright, but it might get torn up just because the dempsy and GT have been together for a while. You could always put the convict in first though to let it establish its own territory. Jacks dont get huge so i think u will be alright.
And for the Biology class I think it would be awsome to have like a school of firemouths with some plants. I think you could put like 10 firemouths in there. I would also add like 3 pictus cats and some kind of algea eater(pleco, snail, a bunch of chinese algea eaters, or a bunch of otto cats). That would be really fun to watch and would work out great. It would be good to have some really hardy plants in there for them to snack on during the weekends and breaks.
Chad
And for the Biology class I think it would be awsome to have like a school of firemouths with some plants. I think you could put like 10 firemouths in there. I would also add like 3 pictus cats and some kind of algea eater(pleco, snail, a bunch of chinese algea eaters, or a bunch of otto cats). That would be really fun to watch and would work out great. It would be good to have some really hardy plants in there for them to snack on during the weekends and breaks.
Chad
downset21 said:
Pretty much. It helps keep the aggressive fish kind of occupied so they spend less time nipping at eachother. Giant Danios are great for this purpose. One might get taken out here and there but at $.99 each they are worth it.
BTW: is Downset still together?
Thanks Chad, it'll be a while before this tank is ready to move those (GT and Dempsey) back to my house, so i'd appreciate any other ideas beside the Convict, if you have any. Durable fish...pretty much any that wouldn't kill the old guys or overcrowd the tank would be awesome. i wanted to get a few Severums but i understand that they aren't as "durable" as the other two and are too large to have a bunch of them in there. Any plecos or bottom dwellers? I dunno, someone can feel free to help me decide on my entire setup! hahah.
I am setting up a cichlid tank in my science class as well. It will probably be a 75 gal. to go along with my 30 and 10 gal. tanks. Whatever you end up doing, please keep me posted.
I like the Firemouth idea. Folks at FishGeeks suggested allowing the kids to choose but they'd have to do research and teenagers (I teach 14 year olds) aren't big on EXTRA work, if you know what I mean.
Firemouths will breed, and I think that would be quite educational. I am also considering a Malawi tank, as I have a trio (1 male, 2 females) of Melanochromis cyanerhabdos (Mainganos) in a 20 that could use some extra space. The only thing holding me back from that train of thought is the expense of the rocks. I may ask the kids to bring in some larger rocks from around their homes and test them for pH issues with some acid. If all is good with at least some of their rocks, I can stock the tank with those rocks. If I have to purchase rocks, then the Malawi tank isn't going to happen. The Malawi's would breed quite well, and then I'd just have to find some species to go with my extremely vicious and combative male Maingano.
I do have a soft spot for plecos so that might also be an idea. Thanks for the ideas! If you have any additional thoughts, feel free to send them my way!
Firemouths will breed, and I think that would be quite educational. I am also considering a Malawi tank, as I have a trio (1 male, 2 females) of Melanochromis cyanerhabdos (Mainganos) in a 20 that could use some extra space. The only thing holding me back from that train of thought is the expense of the rocks. I may ask the kids to bring in some larger rocks from around their homes and test them for pH issues with some acid. If all is good with at least some of their rocks, I can stock the tank with those rocks. If I have to purchase rocks, then the Malawi tank isn't going to happen. The Malawi's would breed quite well, and then I'd just have to find some species to go with my extremely vicious and combative male Maingano.
I do have a soft spot for plecos so that might also be an idea. Thanks for the ideas! If you have any additional thoughts, feel free to send them my way!
