Big tank - ideas.

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

I am currently in the planning process for my new tank 300x100x110.

I know what fish I would like, But I also know that I can't have them all as some are aggressive and some will eat each other so I am giving you the chance to give me suggestions for an aquatic setup.

I want small fish so I can have loads of them.

First can you answer me these questions.

Betta / Gourmi Fish.
What is the territorial range of Betta / Gourmi Fish?
What is the average Male to female grouping?
Will they breed?
What are the best breeds of Bettas / Gourmi to get?

Angelfish
I know angel fish eat neon tetras. But is there a dwarf breed of angel fish?

Catfish.
For years I have only kept a small tank and my armoured cat fish don’t grow very big. With the amount of room that I’m going to have will they grow massive?

Algae Eaters
I have three plecs at the moment all in separate tanks and they are staying at an average size for the size of the tank. I would like to add around 5 of these
Do they fight each other?
Do they breed in captivity?

I also have some un-identified algae eating fish which are long and thin. They look like a mix between a fish and a an eel.with the mouth like a pleco on the bottom.? I think it is a Siamese Algae Eater

Puffer Fish.
I would like to have these but they will eat all my shrimp and crabs.

Shrimp,
I’m going to place large amount of shrimp in the tank. Any advice would be good.

Lobsters, / crayfish
Also would like to place 4 of these in there. Any advice would be good

So what I was looking at was.
5x m Guppy
15x F Guppy
5x m Red Wag Swordtail
15x F Red Wag Swordtail
5x m Dalmatian Sail Fin Molly
5x f Dalmatian Sail Fin Molly
5x m Sail Fin Molly in Assorted Colours
5x f Sail Fin Molly in Assorted Colours
10x Neon Tetra (min 6)
10x Blueberry Tetra (min6)
10x Red Serpae Tetras (min 6)
10x Emperor Tetra (min 6)
10x Long Fin Black Skirt Tetras (min 6)
10x Zebra Danio
4x M Butterfly Betta Dependant if they can live in a large tank??
8x FM Butterfly Betta Dependant if they can live in a large tank??
3x Pleco
10x Peper Catfish
4x Upsidedown Catfish
6x Angelfish (only if I can get a small version)
4x Eels (if Possible)
8x Red Tailed sharks (min 6)
4x Crayfish
10x Amano Algae Eating Shrimp
10x Ghost Shrimp
2x M Red Crabs
4x F Red Crabs
2x M Gold Fiddler Crabs
4x F Gold Fiddler Crabs
6x Gold Mystery Snails
5x Fresh Water Clams,
8x Clown Loach (min 6)
8x Rainbow Shark (min 6)
8x baby whales (min 6)
8x Siamese Algae Eaters
4x Pangasius Catfish

Total 246 fishy things.

 

[jobysp]

I wouldn't risk the 4 male bettas in there. Females should be alright though.

Puffer fish are big fin nippers so you wouldn't be able to put them in with Guppies / Sialfins / Bettas... Also I don't think Bettas / Guppies get along too well.

Just my opinion though

Is the tank size in CM's That's a big tank!

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Yah its in Centimeters.

I would like to have the bettas but if they will fight in a tank this size then i will only have one in the tank. but they must have a teritorial area, and with a tank this size i cant see that he would be the cock over the whole tank.

So what sort of distances are they apart in the wild?

 

[angelgirl2003]

where exactly to you fit a 900 gallon tank.....we would love to see pics of it when it is set up...WOW----you are my hero!!! I also agree that the betta males should be limited to one....in a tank that size, you don't need any disasters. Wow!!!

 

[sheff_betta]

That's going to be one huge tank!!

Personally I wouldn't have 8 red tailed black sharks and 8 rainbow sharks. They are very territorial and even in a tank of that size you may have problems. you could always get a couple of each and then get a shoal of bala/silver sharks, which would look great in a big tank.

I'd be wary of adding male bettas to the tank, you've got some fin-nippers in there who would make a meal of a betta's fins.

Your unidentified algae eaters sound like Chinese Algae Eaters/sucking loaches. They can grow quite large (around 8" in captivity) and can get territorial (though in a tank your size that shouldn't be a problem, so long as there's not too many)

In a tank that size plecs can easily reach 18" so 5 might be pushing it. PLus they also produce a lot of waste.

Most freshwater crabs are actually brackish and won't survive long in fresh water. Fiddler crabs also need an area in the tank which is above the level of the water, otherwise they will die. Blue lobsters will eat small fish if they can catch them and generally like to cause mayhem

The shrimp will help to control the algae and eat waste food. I wish I could get hold of some in the UK.


The eels will eat the smaller fish when they get larger.

Pangasius Catfish can grow to over 2 feet

What's a baby whale? I've never heard of those in the UK

Good luck with the setup

 

[Great Lakes]

Fozz, not accusing you of jumping the gun thinking about fish, but would love to hear the hardware setup you are using. Is the tank going to be planted? Lighting alone comes in around 2000 watts minimum. Not to mention turning over about three thousand gallons or more of water every hour. We won't even mention heaters.

Do you have a dedicated power supply run for it yet?

Anyone setting up a tank that big has put some thought into it, so I am not q'ing that, just interested.

GL

P.S. I would put 20 Piranahs in it..

 

[Inchworm]

So what sort of distances are they apart in the wild?

Hi fozzy wozzy woo

Here's a link to a site with information about the betta's natural habitat:

http/www.plakatthai.com/bettahabitat.html

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

ok then the betta is out.... and i will keep 10 red tailed sharks with no other shark breeds. i have tried to read up about each fish that i have nevedr had before. but personal experiance i always thing is better.


Greatlakes

Yea i have looked in to this now and i have worked out if i get a mixture of lighting systems like 2 x double floresent tubes and encircled them will be 15 halogen lamps that i have spare and i also have some hook lamps that will hang on the out side of the tank and shine through the glass to the bottom (also halogen)

the warming will have 6 x 300w heaters but this is an over kill. Once the heat is up there then it should easly stay there.
the pump and cleaning system will be one 3500ltr per hour pond filter system with UV and bio system in built. €99
also between the bricks and the tank I am placing one of the latest space thermal blankets over the whole tank€46. below the tank where the filert is going to be Ithere is going to be 8 large truck batteries 24V that will be connected to a soler pannel €150 which will be out side back window to power the lights. most of the power will go into the heating but i am thinking of a way of makeing this more cost effective. Im thinking of running a central heating pipe throught the bricks which will heat them up there will be teprature sensors in the bicks to cut off at around 26C so keeping the bricks warm and the tank also warm. I will put an electric temprature valve on the water connector to the central heating so it will automatically switch off when the overall temprature is at its limit so in the winter my fish don't boil.
I can make the electronics for this and I have seen electric controlled water switches around. so when the switch turnes off the house heating switches off and vice versa.
In the summer all i need to do, is to turn the heating off to all the other rooms.

And if it all doesnt work out i have one hell of a kinky hot tub.... :smb:

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

wow no wonder they have to be kept alone. living in ponds so their territory is really small but valuable :smb:

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

here is what i also wrote in the garden area fro ROSE.

oh yes i am serious. i have just started to prep the location tonight. I worked out that their wouldn’t be enough light so as well as the florescent bulbs I am going to place around 15 Halogen 65w bulbs around the lid of the tank.

I also have 5 more 65w halogen bulbs that will hang on the out side of the tank beaming inwards to the bottom.

The plan is to have the tank with several levels in it so near the top their will be a ledge which will have a well. In the well will be gravel. then in that gravel i will place plants that like allot of light.

half way down again the same.

at the bottom i will make a ledge so lots of plants can be placed close to the wall and these will be low light plants.

i was going to cover the bottom of the tank with 4-5cm of mixed gravel. On top of the gravel I was going to place large stones and plant the plants in between the large stones on the gravel giving the plants protection from fish that like to burrow in the gravel and also giving protection to my FRY.

I will be getting a 3500ltr bio/uv pond filter so that is ok the only thing I need to do is to work out which plants, wood, and stones I need to even all the ph levels out. I don’t want to use chemicals as this will cause long term problems.

The glass is going to be the most expensive thing but it is only 1 piece I don’t know the measurements at the moment as I am still working on the structural drawings for the main tank and stand.

 

[jobysp]

Sounds like a fantastic set-up!!!

Sheff_Betta - I take it from your name you live in Sheffield
If so - travel down the M67 to Manchester - there are 2 shops that sell shrimp... I'm gonna get some this weekend hopefully..

If you don't like in Sheffield - oops