New 120 Gallon!

[drobbyb]

My mother in law called me while ago and offered me her 120 gallon tank and stand!! It's been sitting empty for about 3 years, so I will have to start from scratch, but it appears to be in good condition. Now I just have to buy filters, substrate, lights... lol One piece at a time as finances allow.

This leaves me with a dilemma though, do I go for something I have never kept before or go back to rainbows? I suppose since I have no space to breed, rainbows would be pretty moot (half the fun of owning them is breeding them and raising the fry). Any ideas?

 

[Biulu]

This leaves me with a dilemma though, do I go for something I have never kept before or go back to rainbows? I suppose since I have no space to breed, rainbows would be pretty moot (half the fun of owning them is breeding them and raising the fry). Any ideas?

Why? A nice biotope tank with plants around rainbows would be lovely too...
Alternatively you could go with a cichlid tank and breed them in situ

 

[Aqua Tom]

How about keeping an Octopus?

 

[drobbyb]

Keeping Octopus in aquaria

Seems really cool. I would love to have an octopus, but I just don't think I can afford the equipment or salt. Still, thanks for the suggestion, if I ever decide to go saltwater I might seriously think about owning one as a pet. Great suggestion.

 

[jonnyf84]

Keeping Octopus in aquaria

Seems really cool. I would love to have an octopus, but I just don't think I can afford the equipment or salt. Still, thanks for the suggestion, if I ever decide to go saltwater I might seriously think about owning one as a pet. Great suggestion.

Salty all the way! or for trops, reticulated stingray, snake heads, large gobies, wolf fish, puffers, mormyrids, arowana, or a single mosquito rasbora

You could always try something completely different, some axolotls or xenopus', or even a snapping turtle!!!! Now that would be sweet!

edit: not a alligator snapper obviously!

 

[OldMan47]

Actually I saw an octopus in a more professional setting than most of us can manage to maintain. It turns out that an octopus has a relatively short life span, especially considering its size. If an octopus manages to survive to a ripe old age of a year it is ancient. As much as they appeal to me, the octopus is probably best left to your local ocean type commercial aquarium like the one I visited in Oregon.

 

[Carlovel1]

You should keep Discus

 

[drobbyb]

I have kept discus in the past. I loved the fish, but sometimes my schedule wouldn't allow for daily water changes to grow them out properly.

I was looking at severums. I might get a few of them and see if I can get a pair to breed.

 

[Carlovel1]

Yes! Severums are great fish! Personally, I'd go for the Gold Severum with orange/red spots

 

[drobbyb]

I went to her house to measure the tank, and turns out it's 110 gallons. Still, that's a nice size.

 

[Biulu]

Breeding severums should be fascinating... Have you ever had mouthbrooders?

 

[drobbyb]

I have bred African cichlids, specifically mbuna, but I am sure that severums are a little different.

 

[kizno1]

What about a breeding group of a rare type of Geophagus. A big shoal of Geophagus iporangensis would look great and if you can breed them you shoal be able to sell the fry fairly easy. You could probably get away with keeping a pair of Severums in with them aswell if it was one of the small types like Rotkeil severums.

 

[drobbyb]

So, I went shopping for filters today. I visited my LFS but he didn't have what I wanted in his shop, so he would have to order them. Now comes the fun part. Since I am going to have to order them anyway, do I just get them online or order them from my LFS and support his business?

I snagged his supplier catalog I'm all in favor of supporting my local business, but we'll wait and see how he compares to price + shipping. If he ends up being only a few more dollars more expensive, I will buy from him.

I was thinking of buying 2 Aquaclear 70's and an external of some sort, but I haven't bought an external in over 10 years. Keep in mind I'm in the US and on a budget. Any recommendations?

 

[waterdrop]

Aw gee robby, I hate to think of you with anything less than an eheim but I understand. maybe one of those white pond filters (look a lot like the marineland/tetratec boxes) would be super-cheap? I'm amazed that your mother-in-law would have a 110 and it not be something you put there for her, lol.