What to do with 150 Gal Tank
- Thread starter jamiez_af
- Start date
wow thanks NC you've answered a lot of my questions. I beleive you are right about returning other jacks, I will once they get a bit bigger and I may pick up some bristlenose plecos instead of one pure pleco (not sure). severums sound great and breeding firemouths will be cool too. Could I have Silver dollars at all too? How many fish should I limit this tank too?
thanks for the help. I just need to decide on a definate filter for this tank. I want a canister but I can't decide between Fluval FX5 or a Eheim (I know Eheim is better but my trouble lies in WHICH eheim would be best).
thanks for the help. I just need to decide on a definate filter for this tank. I want a canister but I can't decide between Fluval FX5 or a Eheim (I know Eheim is better but my trouble lies in WHICH eheim would be best).
Ghost knifes are amazing but i wasn't sure they would suit tank. good to know it will. how big do they get? I hear ghost knife is bit boring most of the time (because it hides) however when it eats its great because it zaps its food or something.
Btw would breeding guppies be sufficient feeder fish for this fish? or do I have to consider something bit bigger than guppies?
Btw would breeding guppies be sufficient feeder fish for this fish? or do I have to consider something bit bigger than guppies?
Rumor has it Black Ghost Knives can get 18", some even say 24"... I have one that is 7+ years old that is 14"... I had one for 5 years that stopped growing at 12"...
So while a very very large specimen in the wild may get beyond this size, I wouldn't expect one to get more than 14" in an aquarium... They will stay quite suitable for a 150 gal tank...
Black Ghost Knives use "radar" to navigate, as they are blind. You will not see this radar in any way and they do not "zap" anything. I agree a tank with nothing but a single BGK would be quite boring... but adding one to a Cichlid tank just adds to the diversity of the tank.
Feel free to breed guppies as treats. Mollies are just as easy to breed but get a bit bigger. Using such things as treats or snacks is fine, but you will want to rely on a quality pellet food for a well balanced diet.
I think the Cichlids you are considering (4~10") are in the perfect size range for your 150 gal (5' x 2' x 2') tank. If you went with anything larger (12~14" fish) I wouldn't advise anything more than a pair and a few dithers / target fish. I think something like a PBass or other fish in this size range are a poor choice for this tank.
I think you are making the right choice for long term success...
You can keep a group of Silver Dollars in this tank with the fish you are considering. I personally do not like using them as they grow fairly large and need to be kept in a group, which takes up space that could otherwise be used for more interesting fish. But if you like them... who cares what I think
Another non Cichlid tankmate you may consider are Clown Loaches. They are very interesting & amusing bottom feeders. In my experience medium sized Cichlids will leave them alone provided the Cichlids are not breeding and the Loaches are not tryign to eat the babies. I don't think breeding Firemouthes would cause an issue with them...
So while a very very large specimen in the wild may get beyond this size, I wouldn't expect one to get more than 14" in an aquarium... They will stay quite suitable for a 150 gal tank...
Black Ghost Knives use "radar" to navigate, as they are blind. You will not see this radar in any way and they do not "zap" anything. I agree a tank with nothing but a single BGK would be quite boring... but adding one to a Cichlid tank just adds to the diversity of the tank.
Feel free to breed guppies as treats. Mollies are just as easy to breed but get a bit bigger. Using such things as treats or snacks is fine, but you will want to rely on a quality pellet food for a well balanced diet.
I think the Cichlids you are considering (4~10") are in the perfect size range for your 150 gal (5' x 2' x 2') tank. If you went with anything larger (12~14" fish) I wouldn't advise anything more than a pair and a few dithers / target fish. I think something like a PBass or other fish in this size range are a poor choice for this tank.
I think you are making the right choice for long term success...
You can keep a group of Silver Dollars in this tank with the fish you are considering. I personally do not like using them as they grow fairly large and need to be kept in a group, which takes up space that could otherwise be used for more interesting fish. But if you like them... who cares what I think
Another non Cichlid tankmate you may consider are Clown Loaches. They are very interesting & amusing bottom feeders. In my experience medium sized Cichlids will leave them alone provided the Cichlids are not breeding and the Loaches are not tryign to eat the babies. I don't think breeding Firemouthes would cause an issue with them...
jamiez_af;4132486; said:
Read up on anything before you run out and grab it...
Clown Loches do much much better in groups. Less than 4 is to small of a group, the larger the group the more interesting the behavior / interaction. I kept a group of 12 a loooong time ago and they were simply adorable.
I used 10" as the max size for the fish you are considering. While a huge male Dempsey can sometimes exceed 10", it is highly unlikely...
It's unwise to suggest a total number of fish, as the gender and species you choose can make a huge difference. My suggestion is to set things up so the male Dempsey is the "King of the Tank", in other words the biggest toughest fish in the tank. That still leaves a lot of options for other fish to play their "supporting role" to the King...
I've kept adult Oscars and adult male Dempseys together on many occasions... The Oscars are always bigger, but the Dempseys are usually tougher...
As the ladies on the site will confirm... size does matter but it's not all that counts
As the ladies on the site will confirm... size does matter but it's not all that counts
