Fish Stocking Ideas?

[Eddy the fish enthusiast]

Hello everyone, I've recently been toying around with the idea of creating a 2,000+ gallon fish tank (Being 20 feet long, 4-5 feet tall, and 2-3 feet wide) and basing it off of the Orinoco and Amazon river basins. I was wondering if I were to build this, what fish can I add. I was thinking a massive community tank with all sorts of small and medium sized fish including new world cichlids, tetras, pencil fish, small catfish, etc. Any suggestions?

 

[Rocky998]

Hello everyone, I've recently been toying around with the idea of creating a 2,000+ gallon fish tank (Being 20 feet long, 4-5 feet tall, and 2-3 feet wide) and basing it off of the Orinoco and Amazon river basins. I was wondering if I were to build this, what fish can I add. I was thinking a massive community tank with all sorts of small and medium sized fish including new world cichlids, tetras, pencil fish, small catfish, etc. Any suggestions?

Oh my gosh, this will be sooooo awesome. There are so many choices out there with a tank that size...
I won't recommend any at the moment but other members will DEFINITELY chime in.
And I'm definitely following this journey, cause I can't wait to see it come together!!

 

[Eddy the fish enthusiast]

Oh my gosh, this will be sooooo awesome. There are so many choices out there with a tank that size...
I won't recommend any at the moment but other members will DEFINITELY chime in.
And I'm definitely following this journey, cause I can't wait to see it come together!!

Oh yeah, its gonna be really nice hopefully. Itll take some time, but I definitely have the space and the equipment needed to begin building it. Im working on a list of possibilities, but with a tank this sized, most fish would work. Lets see.

 

[Rocky998]

Oh yeah, its gonna be really nice hopefully. Itll take some time, but I definitely have the space and the equipment needed to begin building it. Im working on a list of possibilities, but with a tank this sized, most fish would work. Lets see.

Maybe some large bottom dwelling peaceful catfish?
Heck, you could do a big school/shoal of piranhas if you wanted lol

 

[Eddy the fish enthusiast]

Maybe some large bottom dwelling peaceful catfish?
Heck, you could do a big school/shoal of piranhas if you wanted lol

Im pretty sure piranhas are illegal where I live.... although Pacu arent so that law makes no sense to me (yes i know Pacu are mostly harmless, but so are piranha).... but if you want i can send the list.

 

[Rocky998]

Im pretty sure piranhas are illegal where I live.... although Pacu arent so that law makes no sense to me (yes i know Pacu are mostly harmless, but so are piranha).... but if you want i can send the list.

Huh, that's strange...
You can send the list but it won't really help me. I'm not sure what all I can do for you. But the list may help others on the forum help you definitely!

 

[Byron]

The first question concerns your water parameters for your source water. These are the GH, KH and pH [the fourth parameter, temperature, you can obviously control).

This deep of a tank will not be easy to aquascape. The videos I've seen of large tanks involve the aquarist actually getting inside the tank.

 

[Eddy the fish enthusiast]

The first question concerns your water parameters for your source water. These are the GH, KH and pH [the fourth parameter, temperature, you can obviously control).

This deep of a tank will not be easy to aquascape. The videos I've seen of large tanks involve the aquarist actually getting inside the tank.

My source water is fairly neutral when it comes to PH hovering at about 7.3, but I also have access to well water which is slightly more acidic I think at around 6.4. Both sources are fairly hard water if im not mistaken but i haven't specifically tested the KH or GH but averages for water hardness in my area are about 219-290 PPM. This hasnt really affected my fish keeping though since ive had success keeping species from all kinds of locations without much issue, from delicate fish like Rams and Discus, to African Cichlids. TBH on scaping the tank, i think thats gonna be really fun, I like working and getting really into the scape so Im cool with a little more work.

 

[Eddy the fish enthusiast]

Huh, that's strange...
You can send the list but it won't really help me. I'm not sure what all I can do for you. But the list may help others on the forum help you definitely!

Yup it is pretty strange overall. I have done a lot of research into fish that come from these areas, and just compiled a list of possibilities. I also have a few fish from outside the Orinoco and Amazon river basins because i personally like them, but i am still keeping to the northern South American theme. Just because they are on the list does not mean they are compatible with each other or will do good in the fish tank. These are just possibilities after all.
List:
(Cardinal tetra), (Neon tetra), (Green neon tetra), (Serpae tetra), (bleeding-heart tetra), (black-phantom tetra), (lemon tetra), (red-phantom tetra), (Red Eye Tetra)?, (X-ray Tetra), (penguin fish), (silver dollar tetra), (Royal Tetra), (Emperor Tetra), (bloodfin tetra), (Sailfin Tetra), (Flag Tail Prochilodus), (Leporinus fasciatus), (Leporinus affinis), (Synaptolaemus Latofasciatus), (dwarf pencilfish), (coral red pencilfish), (three-stripe pencilfish), (one-lined pencilfish), (pinktail chalceus), (yellowfin chalceus), (silver hatchetfish), (Marbled hatchetfish), (Dwarf Green Pike Cichlid), (Orinoco Dwarf Pike Cichlid), (Ram Cichlid), (Bolivian Ram Cichlid), (Angel Fish), (Electric Blue Acara), (Zebra Acara), (Dwarf Flag Cichlid), (Checkerboard Cichlid), (Flag Cichlid), (Discus), (Keyhole Cichlid), (Redbreasted Acara), (Nannacara quadrispinae), (Threadfin Acara), (Apistogramma agassizii), (Apistogramma baenschi), (Apistogramma cacatuoides), (Apistogramma elizabethae), (Apistogramma erythrura), (Apistogramma flabellicauda), (Apistogramma hongsloi), (Apistogramma kullanderi), (Apistogramma macmasteri), (Apistogramma ortegai), (Apistogramma panduro), (Apistogramma psammophila), (Apistogramma rositae), (Apistogramma trifasciata), (Apistogramma viejita), (Cupid Cichlid), (Geophagus altifrons), (Geophagus mirabilis), (Geophagus pyrocephalus), (Geophagus winemilleri), (Laimosenion Xiphidius), (Maratecoara gesmonei), (Taeniacara candidi), (Corydora catfish Species), (Ancistrus dolichopterus), (Baryancistrus niveatus), (Baryancistrus xanthellus), (Zebra Pleco), (Peckoltia compta), (Otto catfish), (Amazon leaffish)?, (South American Bumblebee Catfish), (Farlowella amazonum), (Amazon Pufferfish), (spotted raphael catfish)?, (Sevrum Cichlids)?, (Green Terror)?, (Parrot Cichlid)?

 

[Byron]

Well, the GH is too high for many species like the pencilfish you mentioned. Yes, there are some tetras that can manage, but some of those in post #9 will not last long. And only a very few dwarf cichlids. Corydoras are not suited. This really does limit possibilities, unfortunately.

 

[Rocky998]

Well, the GH is too high for many species like the pencilfish you mentioned. Yes, there are some tetras that can manage, but some of those in post #9 will not last long. And only a very few dwarf cichlids. Corydoras are not suited. This really does limit possibilities, unfortunately.

I guess the positive side is it lessens the stress of having SO MANY options... I guess it just helps narrow it down

 

[Archerfish]

Hello everyone, I've recently been toying around with the idea of creating a 2,000+ gallon fish tank (Being 20 feet long, 4-5 feet tall, and 2-3 feet wide) and basing it off of the Orinoco and Amazon river basins. I was wondering if I were to build this, what fish can I add. I was thinking a massive community tank with all sorts of small and medium sized fish including new world cichlids, tetras, pencil fish, small catfish, etc. Any suggestions?

What a fun project! With that much space, you can indeed do a river basin with a main channel and 'pools' at various depths allowing different themes. I would pick species that are compatible with your local water. From there, rank order those species from most to least desirable. Also, consider cost per fish, grown size, compatibility and other criteria. Just curious, is this something you are going to build yourself or contract out?

 

[kiko]

as it'll probably have lots of flow...hillstream loaches gotta be in there...they love the flow and look like mini stingrays
I would love to build a big one like that if I had the space too
if you need help and live around Toronto let me know...
I always had this idea of a "green" powered tank where its lights are powered by a battery bank charged by the water flow 24/7
regardless of how you intend on doing it....we want pics!!
the rest is just blah blah blah xD

 

[Rocky998]

What a fun project! With that much space, you can indeed do a river basin with a main channel and 'pools' at various depths allowing different themes. I would pick species that are compatible with your local water. From there, rank order those species from most to least desirable. Also, consider cost per fish, grown size, compatibility and other criteria. Just curious, is this something you are going to build yourself or contract out?

That would be awesome! Sounds soooo cool with the main channel and different "pools" and "themes"

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Wow, what an exciting project. If your water weren't so hard it would be easier--I'd build stocking around a big school of altums and an even bigger school of pictus cats. But your water isn't soft, and despite your previous successes, you're taking a real chance keeping softwater fish.
If it were me, given your hard water, I'd move my target a little north into Central America or Mexico. Lots of really beautiful fish up there that thrive in hard water. Some amazing cichlids and catfish, and of course huge schools of livebearers.