Tank carnage....

[Achilles1763]

Okay so some of you are guessing my fahaka has gone full psycho in my tank... but no! It was my 12 inch red atabapo pike cichlid that has destroyed my snakeheads and savaged my oscar and fahaka.
So I have removed the pike back to the shop.. it sucks as in a day I have lost 2 of my 3 favourite fish, thankfully the fahaka is okay! But otherwise..not amused.
So my question... what to re-stock with? The tank is 7ftx2ftx2ft with 2 FX6 running with a hydra unit (basically eliminates nitrates) and a massive air stone. It's sand substrate with ... see picture below. The current occupants (a few battered and bruised) fahaka puffer fish 14 inches, oscar cichlid 7 inches, frontosa cichlid 5 inches, ornate birchir 6 inches and 2 syno decorus catfish.

So any ideas? As you could guess I like predators and my lfs suggested peacock bass... but they seen a bit over sized for my tank.

Thanks in advance for your contributions.

The fustrated fish keeper...

 

[Aqualoon]

Okay, I understand that you like predators but I would stop and rethink you're stock. What fish do you really want to keep that you can house for life? Then stock tank mates around that fish.

I say that because the Fahaka is a ticking time bomb. It could be perfectly fine right now and for months to come then one day (or night) decide it hates everything else in the tank and you'll have more carnage.

 

[Achilles1763]

I know.. and you maybe perfectly correct but she has been in a community tank for 2 years (her whole life) and there has been no issues with large fish. She was the victim here lol... she is amazingly calm and just swims away from
Aggressive fish. So I was thinking more large calm fish...

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I know.. and you maybe perfectly correct but she has been in a community tank for 2 years (her whole life) and there has been no issues with large fish. She was the victim here lol... she is amazingly calm and just swims away from
Aggressive fish. So I was thinking more large calm fish...

You're not only one that have a puffer being a victim of a bully, I have a saltwater puffer starstripe and its so mellow that often getting bully from other fish smaller than itself I have to rehome it because if keep inflate itself almost everyday to defend or try to get away from bully.

 

[Achilles1763]

Ah a man I my boots! Everyone accepts the belief that puffers a psychotic killing machines..mine aren't! I have my fahaka in a 220g (and I have had to protect her from aggressors more than anything else) and a Baileyi in a 80g African cichlid community.
Puffers are individual personalities and my just appear to be pussies lol
So... l any large peaceful fish I should look at?

 

[Woefulrelic]

Came in expecting psycho fahaka, left disappointed somehow

 

[Achilles1763]

Yeah I can see what you would have figure that woefulrelic... . it nah she is cool. She is SO much happier now the pike is gone.. I feel a bit bad about it really.

 

[Fat Homer]

I would personally keep the stock as is and call it a day, considering all your fish still have potential for growth... so why overcrowd the tank???

Also, i've heard of community fahakas turning psycho overnight after living in comm tanks for 5+ years of being fine... so just as a heads up, never say never, when it comes to a fahaka...

 

[PYRU]

I would leave it be. Your above capacity imo.

To be honest if I had a fahaka that nice I would let it have the tank.

 

[Achilles1763]

Okay sounds like good advice.. I have no immediate plans and need to see how the tank dynamic shakes out in the wake of 2 of the biggest/most dominant fish being removed... and the fahaka is far more happy and active.... maybe a more peaceful tank is the way to go lol