Thoughts on 160 gallon stock

[Dsoars]

This is my first time ever using a forum so bear with me. I have a 160 gallon 48”x24”x31” tank with a delhezi bichir, 2 ropefish, a 5” pearl gourami, and a butterfly Pleco, as well as a 20 gallon quarantine tank with a small albino Senegal and African butterflyfish that will eventually go in the bigger tank. So my question is would the fish id like to eventually add to the 160 work:

Peacock spiny eel
African leaf fish
1-2 more African butterflyfish
Possibly an all black angelfish

The ropefish are good size, probably 14”+, and the delhezi is about 6”. My current filtration is 2 tidal 110 hob filters that I’ve doubled the bio media capacity, as well as added an extra sponge and poly fil to make the water crisp looking. My tank does not have the largest footprint unfortunately, closer to the footprint of a 120 gallon but taller, so I don’t want to overstock. I have 2 large pieces of driftwood with many tunnels, 2 rock caves, and a big piece of pvc underneath the sand, as well as a bunch of Amazon swords, Java ferns, and a bunch of pothos vines with the root systems in a air pump powered breeder box I have hanging on the back. And I’m working on making a floating barrier for the hob filters so I can add some floating plants for the ABFs. Thoughts on what I have in mind? And also any alternatives to the Pleco because I’ve heard horror stories of slime sucking but he’s behaved so far, but I rather not risk it. Sorry for so many words

 

[Dsoars]

This is my first time ever using a forum so bear with me. I have a 160 gallon 48”x24”x31” tank with a delhezi bichir, 2 ropefish, a 5” pearl gourami, and a butterfly Pleco, as well as a 20 gallon quarantine tank with a small albino Senegal and African butterflyfish that will eventually go in the bigger tank. So my question is would the fish id like to eventually add to the 160 work:

Peacock spiny eel
African leaf fish
1-2 more African butterflyfish
Possibly an all black angelfish

The ropefish are good size, probably 14”+, and the delhezi is about 6”. My current filtration is 2 tidal 110 hob filters that I’ve doubled the bio media capacity, as well as added an extra sponge and poly fil to make the water crisp looking. My tank does not have the largest footprint unfortunately, closer to the footprint of a 120 gallon but taller, so I don’t want to overstock. I have 2 large pieces of driftwood with many tunnels, 2 rock caves, and a big piece of pvc underneath the sand, as well as a bunch of Amazon swords, Java ferns, and a bunch of pothos vines with the root systems in a air pump powered breeder box I have hanging on the back. And I’m working on making a floating barrier for the hob filters so I can add some floating plants for the ABFs. Thoughts on what I have in mind? And also any alternatives to the Pleco because I’ve heard horror stories of slime sucking but he’s behaved so far, but I rather not risk it. Sorry for so many words

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Forgot to add a picture of the quarantine tank

 

[tlindsey]

Forgot to add a picture of the quarantine tank

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Welcome aboard
I personally would add more African Butterfly.
The Ctenopoma aka African Leaf fish are extremely fast eaters so take that into consideration.
I would eliminate the Spiney Eel due to all bottom dwelling Polypterus and Ropefish.
Cichlids are hit and miss so have a plan B for the Angelfish just incase it becomes territorial.

 

[Dsoars]

Welcome aboard
I personally would add more African Butterfly.
The Ctenopoma aka African Leaf fish are extremely fast eaters so take that into consideration.
I would eliminate the Spiney Eel due to all bottom dwelling Polypterus and Ropefish.
Cichlids are hit and miss so have a plan B for the Angelfish just incase it becomes territorial.

Ok thank you. How many butterflyfish fish could I comfortably fit? And any other options besides the angelfish for the middle water column? I’ve thought about Silver dollars but don’t want to take the live plants out

 

[tlindsey]

Ok thank you. How many butterflyfish fish could I comfortably fit? And any other options besides the angelfish for the middle water column? I’ve thought about Silver dollars but don’t want to take the live plants out

2-3 more ABF
Congo Tetra a group of 6-7.

 

[tlindsey]

2-3 more ABF
Congo Tetra a group of 6-7.

Had a group of Congo Tetra that didn't eat plants and they looked beautiful after maturity.

 

[Dsoars]

Had a group of Congo Tetra that didn't eat plants and they looked beautiful after maturity.

Would those be ok with the bichirs long term? The delhezi attacked and killed a clown knife fish I had in the tank that was the same size as him. They are very cool looking fish

 

[tlindsey]

Would those be ok with the bichirs long term?

Large Congo Tetra should be large enough not to be eaten.
A first of hearing a Delhezi killing a Clown Knife.

 

[tlindsey]

What do you feed your fish?

 

[Dsoars]

Large Congo Tetra should be large enough not to be eaten.
A first of hearing a Delhezi eaten a Clown Knife.

Yea it was a surprise considering I’ve only ever seen him eat 1 of the mosquito fish I have in there for him, and the fact he has only 1 eye lol. He couldn’t actually eat him but grabbed his head and throat area and did a death roll a couple times and he didn’t recover from it