Greetings Folks,
Just to give ya'll a little back info, I have always loved Tilapia cichlids for their intelligence & beauty and considering the fact that most aquarists overlook them (at least in my area), except for the occasional Buttikoferi.
Recently I acquired a 83 US Gallon aquarium (4ft x 20" x 20") and have been doing some intensive research for as to which fish to place in the tank. I already own a small Clarias batrachus, so I'll be adding him into the larger tank. For those of you who have kept Clarias sp., you can attest to their greedy nature and massive appetite and timid, slow feeding fish stand a poor chance with these cats. I believe Tilapia are equally greedy and generally tough fish that earn the right to live alongside Clarias, however I do have some doubts to clear.
For clarity purpose, the Tilapia I'm referring here is Oreochromis niloticus
1. In general, are Tilapia peaceful tank mates that can be kept with fish that are equally sized or larger?
2. What are your opinions on the following stocking combinations for my tank:
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Oreochromis niloticus
1 x Datnioides microlepis
1 x Channa gachua (Tropical variety)
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Channa diplogramma
1 x Marble goby
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Peacock eel (Macrognathus siamensis)
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
5 x regular silver dollars / 2-3 Red tailed tinfoil barbs (either one, NOT both the dollar & barb)
1 x Sun catfish
Filtration:
1 Fluval fx-5
1 ADA-external Canister Filter MC-918 (2200 LPH)
1 4foot long Overhead box filter
Water Changes: 2X week (30%)
Diet:
- Hikari sinking carnivore pellets
- Hikari tropical carnivore sticks
- Live ghost shrimp
- Freeze dried river shrimp
- Fresh baby prawn/shrimp
- Super worms
- Hikari Frozen Bloodworms
- Hikari Frozen Brineshrimp
- Hikari Frozen Daphnia
- Hikari Freeze Dried tubifex worms
- Live frogs (Indonesian floating frogs)
I apologise if this whole post sounds jumbled up
Just to give ya'll a little back info, I have always loved Tilapia cichlids for their intelligence & beauty and considering the fact that most aquarists overlook them (at least in my area), except for the occasional Buttikoferi.
Recently I acquired a 83 US Gallon aquarium (4ft x 20" x 20") and have been doing some intensive research for as to which fish to place in the tank. I already own a small Clarias batrachus, so I'll be adding him into the larger tank. For those of you who have kept Clarias sp., you can attest to their greedy nature and massive appetite and timid, slow feeding fish stand a poor chance with these cats. I believe Tilapia are equally greedy and generally tough fish that earn the right to live alongside Clarias, however I do have some doubts to clear.
For clarity purpose, the Tilapia I'm referring here is Oreochromis niloticus
1. In general, are Tilapia peaceful tank mates that can be kept with fish that are equally sized or larger?
2. What are your opinions on the following stocking combinations for my tank:
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Oreochromis niloticus
1 x Datnioides microlepis
1 x Channa gachua (Tropical variety)
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Channa diplogramma
1 x Marble goby
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
1 x Peacock eel (Macrognathus siamensis)
Or
1 x Clarias batrachus
5 x regular silver dollars / 2-3 Red tailed tinfoil barbs (either one, NOT both the dollar & barb)
1 x Sun catfish
Filtration:
1 Fluval fx-5
1 ADA-external Canister Filter MC-918 (2200 LPH)
1 4foot long Overhead box filter
Water Changes: 2X week (30%)
Diet:
- Hikari sinking carnivore pellets
- Hikari tropical carnivore sticks
- Live ghost shrimp
- Freeze dried river shrimp
- Fresh baby prawn/shrimp
- Super worms
- Hikari Frozen Bloodworms
- Hikari Frozen Brineshrimp
- Hikari Frozen Daphnia
- Hikari Freeze Dried tubifex worms
- Live frogs (Indonesian floating frogs)
I apologise if this whole post sounds jumbled up
