Upgrade planning - fun stock options?

[Chockful O Phail]

2.Bgk once bigger it'll be bolder and out in day
- Really? Then that's an interesting choice as I'm definitely interested. I just have read that they are not seen very often.

I got my BGK at 3ish", thought he had died for the longest times then one day when I was feeding the clowns he popped out and grabbed a mouthful of pellets. He was 6ish". Now I've had him 1.5ish years he is 9ish" and he comes out for a couple hours every morning around feeding time and he can be observed occasionally throughout the day exploring. He'll never be in your face outgoing but they do get comfortable enough to hang out once in a while.

 

[kno4te]

kno4te 's list comments: (helps me stay organized when I revisit later. )
Thanks again!

1.Lower jaw polys only
- I have to move the Teug over, as she can't live in the 65. I do think the Del could work with lower jaws. We shall see. If I moved the Teug and Del over, how many other LJs would you add? I am torn on how many I want. I love them but don't need 10+ like so many members here. I'd rather have more variety in the other areas of the tank.

2.Bgk once bigger it'll be bolder and out in day
- Really? Then that's an interesting choice as I'm definitely interested. I just have read that they are not seen very often.

3.Tire track eel -large, will be out in day once settled in. But still somewhat reclusive.
Tire track over Fire because Fire gets too big for 180/220?

4.Spotted/striped pike characin can keep 3 or more together
Love the spotteds.

5.Severum as it has good color and not aggressive, plus will swim all over the tank and not one zone
I do like Sevs.

6.Hujeta gars - will help pike characins to help eat flakes and pellets and looks a little aggressive
Not sure I would go with these if I did the pike characins, and these are less attractive IMO.

7. Pike cichlid - saxitalis group, cr sveni, but will be aggressive to anything smaller than itlsef and become a meal
I went to Wet Spot today and they have 3 Zebrina pikes. I know they're expensive but they are SO beautiful. After today I kind of want the tank to be worked around them... maybe. I wonder if I could do one with a Polleni and no other cichlids...? Just to keep the potential for cichlid aggression down. They look very different so that's a good thing. They also had "Bleekeri" there, and I just LOVE the Paratilapia.

The Saxitalis group is more bland, though I like "Inirida". For others (looks only) I like Tapajos, Xingu and Acutirostris
I think Acutirostris, Zebrina and Inirida are the most mellow...?

8. Pim blochii for catfish and can keep a small group.
I need to do a lot more cat research. Will check these out.

9. Anableps anableps, ones from India are true freshwater. Can keep several. Will take up the very top upper zones. Need a covered tank with weight.
These are crazy! I've never heard of them. Very interesting. You think they'd be OK up top with Pike Characins?

1. Would add one of each....I was think more upper jaws. The fish you have may become future snacks. That would be my concern.
2. They are mainly nocturnal. But I've seen them active in daytime and these were big fish. It was around feeding times.
3. Fire eels look great but I think it'll need larger than a 220g. I mean still can keep one in a tank fo that size for along time.
4. Spotted or striped will be fine. Underrated predator for sure. They are mainly live food and that's the issue with them.
5. Can't go wrong with them as they are a safe cichlid.
6. I only mentioned these as they kind of remind me of odoe pikes. Plus they can help to wean the pike characins off of live feeder fish. A "teaching fish".
7. Can never go wrong with a zebrina. Will get 12-14inches. Pretty pike cichlid. But will eat anything in the mouth. Thing with pike cichlids are they are a manageable sized version of pbass. koltsixx described them this way and right about it.
8. Best choice of a car not to get eaten. There are more but will be more readily available.
9. Had them before with pike characins and were fine. Need a wide footprint of a tank and floating plants+cover. Spook very easily.

I didn't mention the oddball knives (gymnotus) due to being timid. I know you mentioned the tiger and zebra. If too aggressive tankmates then will stress and won't eat. Too small tankmates then will eat the others. Fine line there.

 

[kno4te]

kno4te 's list comments: (helps me stay organized when I revisit later. )
Thanks again!

1.Lower jaw polys only
- I have to move the Teug over, as she can't live in the 65. I do think the Del could work with lower jaws. We shall see. If I moved the Teug and Del over, how many other LJs would you add? I am torn on how many I want. I love them but don't need 10+ like so many members here. I'd rather have more variety in the other areas of the tank.

2.Bgk once bigger it'll be bolder and out in day
- Really? Then that's an interesting choice as I'm definitely interested. I just have read that they are not seen very often.

3.Tire track eel -large, will be out in day once settled in. But still somewhat reclusive.
Tire track over Fire because Fire gets too big for 180/220?

4.Spotted/striped pike characin can keep 3 or more together
Love the spotteds.

5.Severum as it has good color and not aggressive, plus will swim all over the tank and not one zone
I do like Sevs.

6.Hujeta gars - will help pike characins to help eat flakes and pellets and looks a little aggressive
Not sure I would go with these if I did the pike characins, and these are less attractive IMO.

7. Pike cichlid - saxitalis group, cr sveni, but will be aggressive to anything smaller than itlsef and become a meal
I went to Wet Spot today and they have 3 Zebrina pikes. I know they're expensive but they are SO beautiful. After today I kind of want the tank to be worked around them... maybe. I wonder if I could do one with a Polleni and no other cichlids...? Just to keep the potential for cichlid aggression down. They look very different so that's a good thing. They also had "Bleekeri" there, and I just LOVE the Paratilapia.

The Saxitalis group is more bland, though I like "Inirida". For others (looks only) I like Tapajos, Xingu and Acutirostris
I think Acutirostris, Zebrina and Inirida are the most mellow...?

8. Pim blochii for catfish and can keep a small group.
I need to do a lot more cat research. Will check these out.

9. Anableps anableps, ones from India are true freshwater. Can keep several. Will take up the very top upper zones. Need a covered tank with weight.
These are crazy! I've never heard of them. Very interesting. You think they'd be OK up top with Pike Characins?

1. Would add one of each....I was think more upper jaws. The fish you have may become future snacks. That would be my concern.
2. They are mainly nocturnal. But I've seen them active in daytime and these were big fish. It was around feeding times.
3. Fire eels look great but I think it'll need larger than a 220g. I mean still can keep one in a tank fo that size for along time.
4. Spotted or striped will be fine. Underrated predator for sure. They are mainly live food and that's the issue with them.
5. Can't go wrong with them as they are a safe cichlid.
6. I only mentioned these as they kind of remind me of odoe pikes. Plus they can help to wean the pike characins off of live feeder fish. A "teaching fish".
7. Can never go wrong with a zebrina. Will get 12-14inches. Pretty pike cichlid. But will eat anything in the mouth. Thing with pike cichlids are they are a manageable sized version of pbass. koltsixx described them this way and right about it.
8. Best choice of a car not to get eaten. There are more but will be more readily available.
9. Had them before with pike characins and were fine. Need a wide footprint of a tank and floating plants+cover. Spook very easily.

I didn't mention the oddball knives (gymnotus) due to being timid. I know you mentioned the tiger and zebra. If too aggressive tankmates then will stress and won't eat. Too small tankmates then will eat the others. Fine line there.

 

[kno4te]

magpie whats your budget for the tank? Not sure if you posted in the thread and I missed it, sorry in advance.

 

[magpie]

I don't have a set budget yet...

Will be looking for a used tank, and then go from there. I still am not 100% sure what the footprint will be able to be as we'll be buying a house, so I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

Right now the only fish that NEEDS the upgrade is the Teug. All of my other current fish would be fine in a 4 foot tank (or even the current one). I do have more UJs... Del, Polli, Moke, Teug, and ropes x3.

So again right now I'm just researching and playing with stock I'd potentially want so that I can have things to choose from once I get the tank, and plan introductions in order if needed.

 

[magpie]

The zebrinas even in the store were fairly active, and about 12" already. I can see that they would be a bit cramped in a 5 foot tank. They're not as "bendy" as polys.

I'm so tempted to get more cichlids but I dont want a tank with fighting all of the time. I wish there was a way to pick out individuals that wouldn't cause problems from a small size. :/

 

[clm08k]

What size tank would you need for a gar?

What LJs were you thinking with the teug? Were you also thinking of doing ornate and weeksii? as you mentioned, there's always the possibility of keeping the smaller UJs in the 65.

 

[Hendre]

My African knives are more outgoing now with enough comfortable space and daytime feeding

 

[magpie]

What size tank would you need for a gar?

What LJs were you thinking with the teug? Were you also thinking of doing ornate and weeksii? as you mentioned, there's always the possibility of keeping the smaller UJs in the 65.

For a true gar I'm not postiive, but think they do best in a 30" wide tank...? Hence why the Pike Characins appeal to me. Look like a gar but are a manageable size.

I am so torn on the polys. I do really want LJs. But I am committed to my current crew also. I keep waffling as to whether I just do all uppers and then add Weeksii and Ornate, but then my Polli and Moke might be small/skinny enough to limit the other fish I can put in there? I don't know.

So if I just put the Teug (and maybe the Del) in there, and add LJs (ideally smaller sizes to start so my current two have even more time to grow).... The tops on my list are Faranah Lap, PBB, Faranah Endli, Koloton, and maybe a Congi if it was high contrast in patterns.

But I don't think I'd want to do all of those. Maybe 5 polys total if I went with LJs and maybe 6 if I went with UJs. Lower jaws do appeal to me though - the thought of having a Lap or Endli is way more exciting to me than Weeksii or Ornate. My favorite poly for looks currently is my Delhezi because she almost looks like a baby LJ. I love how she looks more dragon/dinosaur-like.

I am just going to have to see what I end up with space in the new place and then make my decision from there.

My African knives are more outgoing now with enough comfortable space and daytime feeding

They are on my list for sure... I wish they were more striking looking. But more outgoing knives appeal to me. I'd only do one knife though.

 

[Hendre]

I just meant to show they come out after a while, BGK should too