90 Gallon Predator

[fish-aholic]

Could I have a 90 gallon predator tank that was planted? What predators would you suggest?

 

[randallhart]

If it was my tank i would get bichirs with a couple large top swimmers.

 

[fish-aholic]

Do birchirs dig up or eat plants?

 

[randallhart]

not that I've heard of.
If you were to get let's say 2 or 3 bichirs, do you know what kind you would get?

 

[the_evil_duboisi]

How about a datniodes(Siamese tiger fish)?

 

[shroob]

Ha, I'm in exactly the same boat as you, 90G looking for predators.

I have no clue what I want, I keep going on and off fish, but my original stocking idea was:
2 senegal polypterus
5 ctenopoma acutirostre
And some pike livebearers for the top (I've heard mixed things about hujeta gar, some say they only reach 12" max, others saying 24" - so I thought better safe than sorry).

Ofcourse, theres different types of predator, as above I had a community of predators, you may like this, but I am driffing towards a lone fish, I'm now thinking of somesort of snakehead, or a red wolffish.

Would you like 1 aggressive predator or a community of predators?

Dats might be an option, but be aware some grow big. But they grow slow.

 

[Straydum]

for a 90g, all i can come up with are basically bichirs, reedfishes, puffers, pirahnas (pardon the spelling), oscars? gars maybe? (but i dont think any would be able to stay in the 90g for long), and the more exotic knife species

 

[mlawson]

I'd go for a load of reed fish.

 

[Esfa]

I'd agree with the reedfish

A group of 6-8 in there, I would say.

And then maybe a spotted climbing perch?

They also do very well in well planted tanks.

 

[indigoj]

I agree, reed fish and climbing perch or bichir and climbing perch.

I have 4 1" Climbing Perch in my q-tank and already they are the most amazing fish to watch. I also have several Bichir and Reed fish (they get along just fine) in my big tank and they are very active and bold fish! When the Perch are big enough not to be dinner for the Bichir they are going in there too.

 

[fish-aholic]

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of community predators. Could I do some other fish for the top?

 

[Mr._Fishy]

For the top Xenetodon Cancila (I think a common name MIGHT be silver needle fish) usually work fairly well with fish that are to big to eat. If you wanted a community friendly predator, different polypterus species are nice. For a tank of your size, I would have a small group of senegals, an ornate, or some rarer bichir species like palmas. I don't have any experience with reed fish. For mid water, a group of ctenopoma would be nice. I would avoid Hujeta Gar, as they do get at least a foot and a half (my uncle had a group of them in a 300g).

Ryan

 

[Esfa]

African Butterfly fish would be great for the top

If you want, you could go down the route of a african river biotope, with reedfish, spotted climbing poerch and african butterfly fish. Would be really cool.

 

[mlawson]

African Butterfly fish would be great for the top

If you want, you could go down the route of a african river biotope, with reedfish, spotted climbing poerch and african butterfly fish. Would be really cool.

That's a good idea, you could also add some Congo tetras and upside down catfish if you really wanted. Reedfish are oddballs which have a lot of character as well as not eating other fish which aren't small enough to go in their mouths. They are also very flexible, so wont need a huge tank relative to size, they are also quite tolerant of water conditionds, they even do well in midly brackish water.

 

[Straydum]

yeah i think the reeds would be no risk to any fish bigger then them and cant fit into their mouths. abfs would be good but i'm not really a fan of those . anyway its your tank