What to stock in my new 220g

[David Chipp]

I finally finished setting up and cycling a 220g tank and moved my dorado out of one of my grow tanks but he's looking a little lost as he's only 5.5-6 inches....I was thinking of picking up 2/3 vatf or a gatf. And adding a ripsaw cat. Any thoughts??

 

[SandNukka15]

I finally finished setting up and cycling a 220g tank and moved my dorado out of one of my grow tanks but he's looking a little lost as he's only 5.5-6 inches....I was thinking of picking up 2/3 vatf or a gatf. And adding a ripsaw cat. Any thoughts??

Do you have future plans to upgrade the dorado as it is?

Bc none of those fish will be comfortable in a 220 for long.....when i got my vatf in sept at 4 inches he outgrew my 220 withing 6 months

 

[David Chipp]

I'm currently building a 1700 gallon plywood that I'm aiming to have finished by November/ December and I have a 400+ acrylic that has a rtc and a hybrid both at around 20 inch right now.... the idea is to grow them out so they can end up in the 1700 with the cats. Unfortunately I made the mistake of listening to somebody at a fish store telling me the dorado would be fine for a few years in a 55g...luckily the 220 was free

 

[SandNukka15]

I'm currently building a 1700 gallon plywood that I'm aiming to have finished by November/ December and I have a 400+ acrylic that has a rtc and a hybrid both at around 20 inch right now.... the idea is to grow them out so they can end up in the 1700 with the cats. Unfortunately I made the mistake of listening to somebody at a fish store telling me the dorado would be fine for a few years in a 55g...luckily the 220 was free

Lol good thing.....if the big plywood tank will be done by the end of the year you should be good.

If i were you i would go with a group of 5-6 vatf majority of the time they do better solo or ina bigger group when they are larger.

Ripsaw would be nice too. I have one myself in my 600...he was 6.5 inches about 1.5 months ago ....about 8-8.5 inches now

Only thing that would concern me is simce the cats are already 20 inches it might make it hard to keep them together with the vatfs due to growth rate and size

 

[David Chipp]

Finding a ripsaw cat seems tough and I only have $360 put aside for the vatf so 5 maybe out of my budget they would probably look amazing in a school like that. Are there any vendors I should check out?

 

[SandNukka15]

Finding a ripsaw cat seems tough and I only have $360 put aside for the vatf so 5 maybe out of my budget they would probably look amazing in a school like that. Are there any vendors I should check out?

Jeff rapps (tangled up in cichlids) is where i got my ripsaw ...he still has some left at $35 for a 6-7 inch....i would check him out.....also talk to a few vendors on here on the west coast you could prob get a group of 4 ....4-5 inch vatf for around $400 ....im sure they will work with u if buying multiples

Good luck

 

[moe214]

I don't see the characins and the cats working out, the cats will continue to grow, already having a huge size advantage doesn't help, and the fact that atf and dorado are elongated only makes them easier to eat. if you want to add something add dithers for now. I say focus on trying to catch the dorado up. Cause they'll probably slow down in the 400 and then get a growth spurt in the 1700, I say this because a lot of people report them slowing down in smaller set ups but growing fast again once put into an upgrade. The dorado will probably slow down around a 12" and then grow to 18-20" in the second year. And still will be edible to the cats, I don't think 5-6 atf and a dorado at those sizes would be happy all together in a 400.

 

[David Chipp]

I think maybe I'll stick to one vatf for now and the ripsaw, just until I get the plywood tank built then maybe use the 220 to house some other stuff not quite so huge later on

 

[moe214]

If you're doing one vatf, I'd advise getting some dithers so the dorado doesn't pick on just him or vice versa, if not you may end up with one dead. Good cheap dithers can be silver dollars or tinfoil barbs.