Stocking advice

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

We Hate You

Feeder Fish
Nov 19, 2009
40
0
0
From beyond!
I recently got a tank that i think is about 100 gallons, not too sure. Its footprint is 60"x18"x24". Im going to be using an Ehiem 2217 and two AC110's for filtration. I will be using eco-complete for substrate and some black gravel to go with it but im not too sure if this would be a good choice.
As for the stock i want to go with Geophagus tapajos orange head or red heads. I was thinking about going with a group of 6 or 8. What do you guys think would be the best amount to actually get so they feel comfortable? I also want to add around 6 clown loaches and three random synodontis i already own to this tank. So now my question is at what point do i know this tank is overstocked? I dont think this stock list is enough for it to be overstocked so if its not over stocked what other fish do you guys think i should get? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
Well there are recommended guides for how much fish should be kept in a given size tank. But with time you will gain experience with keeping fish and learn. Generally your problems will arise with compatibility. Fish getting along with each other. If you keep fish that get along non territorial types non aggressive you could keep a lot more together then fish that are territorial or just plain mean. You may need to increase filtration as your stock grows. Take a look at this thread will show you heavily stocked tanks. Everyone there have lots experience keeping fish.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59793
 
Yeah i dont think im going to be overstocked at all. Im just trying to make sure before i go off and buy everything that the stock i want is going to work out. Iv actually changed my mind about the eco-complete and im going to go with pool filter sand, what do you guys think would be the better choice? And what other fish do you guys think i could add to this tank?
 
I think sand is the far better choice for geos and loaches. Geophagus means eartheater for a reason... these fish constantly take up mouthfulls of substrate, "chew it" and spit it out, and sand it better for them. Loaches prefer sand, they like to play in it AND they can potentially cut themselves on rough substrate that can lead to nasty bacterial/fungal infections (they are scaleless). I suggest you do some more research on the particular species you are interested in.
 
If you plan on planting things, use the eco complete (if you can afford it!)
For my planted tanks, I use a layer of top soil covered by a layer of pea gravel or smooth river rocks.

If you don't want plants, or may decide on potted plants, then go for the sand. I like sand.
 
Also, loaches tend to like a lot of flow in the tank, and I know some SA cichlids don't. Some come from pretty still blackwater conditions. Not 100% sure about orange heads. Would have to research it a bit more. Something to keep in mind, does not make them incompatible tank mates necessarily.
 
Laticauda;4715250; said:
If you plan on planting things, use the eco complete (if you can afford it!)
For my planted tanks, I use a layer of top soil covered by a layer of pea gravel or smooth river rocks.

If you don't want plants, or may decide on potted plants, then go for the sand. I like sand.
Click to expand...

If you plan on plating things, don't get geos. They will constantly uproot all your plants with their eartheating ways. You can still have plants like anubias and java fern on driftwood.
 
I really havent been able to find that much info on the Geo's. I might be looking in all the wrong places though. I wasnt really planning on planting either. Just using a some nice pieces of driftwood and trying to get some anubias to root on the driftwood.

Now the only problem i see with this stock list is that i think all the fishes are going to be bottom dwellers, correct me if im wrong. So now what else could i possibly get? I was thinking about some smaller schooling fish but im not too sure what kind would go with them. Or also going with a small black arowana and growing it out till it gets too big for my tank and selling it at that point. Hmmm im not too sure.
 
I would chuck the growing out of the aro, and selling it later. I have a heck of a time selling my goldfish, and they are not nearly as big as an aro! No one has the appropriate means/knowledge to suit my standard of care, so now I am buying an additional 125 to house all the goldfish I have. I was given 15 one day from a friend who breeds, these threw a bunch of single tailed fish, so he did not desire to breed from this stock anymore.

Anyway, needless to say, it's hard to find someone with enough water for these large beauties, and they (at full size even) are only a fraction of the size of an aro.

Just some food for thought.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom