What Fish For A 700 Gallon Tank

[professor_rob]

This is my first thread though I have been on the sites for some time now, getting information quietly.
I am in the process of renovating my house and decided would be a good opportunity to satisfy one of my childhood goals and have a large built in tank. I know size wise it is not that special compared to some of the tanks on the site, I think it will be just under 700 US gallons or 2600 litres if you like.

The tank will not be finished till June this year, but never the less it has wedged itself in the back (or front) of my mind for the last couple of months.

The tank will have a unique shape this was due to the space and its position in the house, though if I had the choice and space I would now keep it this shape over the usual rectangle design, I have grown attached to the design.
The back wall will be 300cm (9’10”),
Left side will be 70cm (2’3”)
The right side will be 120cm (3’11”)
The front panel will be 280cm (9’2”)

Height of the tank will be 90cm (2’11”)

The tank will be viewable from the front, right side and 1/3 of the back. The other 2/3 of the back will be blocked by the storeroom behind the tank.

Here is a picture of the footprint, as it should make it clearer. (sorry no photos, as the build is not even started, so just crappy google sketch pictures)

And some other pictures, the cool guy on the front is not me but there for scale.

I am spending a small fortune on the custom filter (overflow and sump), lighting, 3D background, auto top-up etc. I will definitely have some photos and a build thread when it gets underway in April.

So at the moment, as I have to play the waiting game, I was after some ideas for stocking the tank, I am after more sociable fish, i.e. not too aggressive. So my beloved Pearsei will have his own 200g tank, as he is mr naughty.
I will be chucking in my large silver sharks (18cm - 25cm) and all my clown loaches
I would like to get a datnoid preferably a d.pulcher (widebar) but remembered I live in Australia and if you are lucky enough to locate one, it will cost a fortune.
My other more likely option is looking like getting an Australian Lung Fish, still really expensive but at least possible to get from a CITES approved dude, I mean breeder.
What do people think of a Niger Catfish? Too big for my setup?? I would like a big kind of catfish, like that but nothing that will devour everything else in the tank.

Any other suggestions for stock…? Also remembering that in Australia, anything exotic is usually ridiculously hard to acquire and for an affordable price at that.

Also let me know if you would like any other details about the build.

 

[Chefken]

Amazing design! i bought an old house.....If I ever had one built I would probably go monster too....What is the time frame of the build? Do you promise to keep us all updated!!!???? My preference is DATs.....Just like in your sketches!

 

[professor_rob]

Thanks heaps. The house renovations are from Feb till July. So will take ages, the tank build will start about April to May if all things are on schedule.
I think I will be getting a lung fish for the tank. But also keen to get a dat. My aquarium builder is keeping his eye out for them as am I.

 

[peewee]

dats, pbass, aros, maybe some catfish as well.

 

[professor_rob]

Arow's would be difficult to get besides for a jardini. Not a fan of the other Aussie one. My last jardini (50cm) was in a community tank and was fine with any small fish but I know they are usually aggressive to tankmates. I am looking into suitable large catfish. Some are really cool like the ripsaw cat. Depending what I get I may get a jardini though. They are one of fav monster fish.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

rays, gars, bichirs

 

[knifegill]

Acanthicus adonis and an umbee.