75g Tank, What to put in it?

[SandMan8388]

Well, I am a very experienced fish keeper. As of now I have two Full size Oscars that I raised in the 75g tank. But as you know oscars are very "dirty". And when you have a dirty tank (even though I have a 100g filter for the tank), diseases develop o'so often. I have already experienced Ich, and cured it, and now I am in the midst of Popeye, in my male oscar. So for all this medications for the tank, is getting too expensive. Cleaning is definately not a problem. But I am not made of money, especially since that I have school, and work, and proably one of the most un-economical full size pick-up truck in the world. So I decided to cure the tank... Again, and then go ahead trade them in for credit and try something a little less aggresive, and something a tad bit cleaner. Now I have narrowed it down to cichlids or community fish... I have have both at one time and enjoy both. But never in such a large tank. Any opinions? Also any personal Pros or Cons of the two?

 

[FrAnK3333]

How many water changes do you do a week with the oscars? How much of a water change do you do?

 

[BigFishSmallPond]

Cichlids! great fish colorfuls great personalities good variety specially in a tank that size! =]

 

[SandMan8388]

The variety and personalitie is what I am thinking about as well, for the cichlids. I do about a 30 to 40 percent water change a week though.

 

[sylvia]

You know cichlids or community tank isn't realy narrowing it down!

What sort of cichlids were you thinking if you go this route? I suppose malawi mbuna would be best if you're thinking color. Have you considered discus though at all?

Communities can be just as colorful and interesting - what about some rainbowfish schools, some medium-sized loaches ranging from zebra-size to yoyo with those realy brightly contrasting colors, maybe some bigger 'centerpiece' fish such as some of the more peaceful (neotropical or pulcher if you preffer) cichlids or maybe some kind of gourami and a few algae-eaters of some kind such as SAE, FF, FSAE or bristlenose plecs. Maybe you could include a gudgeon or some medium-sized, relatively peaceful catfish or maybe a few of the larger, more colorful barbs or livebearers. If you don't go for the cyprinid algae-eaters, maybe a shark could be included as well.

Do consider a community before jumping for cichlids - cichlids are deffinately colorful and full of character but so are so many of the over-looked community fish.

Do also consider a planted tank with some of the smaller species such as emperor tetras, sparkling and croaking gouramies or licorice or chocolate gouramies, small rasboras and some of the rarer danios and some of the more unusual cories and small loaches such as khulies. If you want, you could include some rams or possibly keyholes and breed them and there's plenty of other dwarf cichlids you could try too.