Not Sure What To Stock

[CAC]

Im in two (possably more...) minds about what to put in my 38g....I dont want to go brackish, and i dont want to go planted, but ive have had a few ideas... I dont really want a "normal" community tank, with a couple of tetra shoals, and some corys, but id like something thats abit more interesting (at least to me). I have thought about doing a catfish community, but i think that my options may be abit limited, because of tanksize. Also, ive though of doing a mini pred tank, with a Channa bleheri (a species of dwarf snakehead), and a Macrognathus pancalus and then something else, and im thinking of a Datnioides quadrifasciatus (allthough id need to rehome it at some point) or some other eel, like a fire eel, but i dont know how fast they grow?
(One thing that i would love is the Trachycorydtas trachycorystes off tropical imports, but they get too big for my tank apparently )
Any surrgestions? Im not really into things that are 'pretty' or 'beautiful', but something abit more 'beastly' and interesting(like feeding/other behaviour)...


Thanks alot, Mikey

 

[cane76]

you could grow out a small fire eel and a group of small dats?niether are fast growing imo.just get them nice and small

 

[ghent_3rd]

A mini pred tank is what I am looking at doing next year. Think I'm going for something like a senagalus and maybe the odd snakehead.

That's a long way off for me yet though. Trying to convince the other half to let me have a larger tank, easier said than done!!!

 

[CAC]

Thing with dats is that they need to be in groups of 5 really, and i know that id be ok with that many, and a fire eel in the tank...Surrpose that if the fire eel was 5" and the dats were 4", then theyd be ok for a good while...
Also, at xmas, im going to get myself a nice eheim external, ontop of what ive got now, so that should be quite capeable of lots of waste...
Would the fire eel be quite active. or are they abit boring? From what ive read/heard, theyre quite day-active, but whats peoples experiances? Thanks for your help, Mikey

 

[diademhill]

Thing with dats is that they need to be in groups of 5 really, and i know that id be ok with that many, and a fire eel in the tank...Surrpose that if the fire eel was 5" and the dats were 4", then theyd be ok for a good while...
Also, at xmas, im going to get myself a nice eheim external, ontop of what ive got now, so that should be quite capeable of lots of waste...
Would the fire eel be quite active. or are they abit boring? From what ive read/heard, theyre quite day-active, but whats peoples experiances? Thanks for your help, Mikey

If a larger tank isn't already in the pipeline I would avoid fish that willl outgrow the tank you have.
How about a clarias cat?
One could live ok in a 38g.

Another option would be a slightly offbeat comunity a shoal of upside down catfish & another shoal of headstanders - Anostomus ternetzi would be my choice. You'd be ok with these in a 38g.

 

[CAC]

Yeah, theres not one in the pipeline, but i know that dats grow very slowly, and theres someone whos willing to take 1 or more off me, and i know i could get them sold quite easily...Even given away, if to a suitable home.
I dont think i could get hold of those cats...

MIkey

 

[diademhill]

Yeah, theres not one in the pipeline, but i know that dats grow very slowly, and theres someone whos willing to take 1 or more off me, and i know i could get them sold quite easily...Even given away, if to a suitable home.
I dont think i could get hold of those cats...

MIkey

Clarias are easy to find - I know of a 14" specimen & three shops with babies within 4 miles of here. They are cheap & fun.

Dat's grow slowly but not that slowly and it seems a shame getting fish to move on in months.

 

[CAC]

By clarias cats, which of these do you mean? Have a look on this site: http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=8
Theres quite a few, and i wouldnt want to get the wrong one lol...Presumeably, if i got the one your talking about, then i could have no tankmates...

Thanks alot, Mikey

 

[diademhill]

By clarias cats, which of these do you mean? Have a look on this site: http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=8
Theres quite a few, and i wouldnt want to get the wrong one lol...Presumeably, if i got the one your talking about, then i could have no tankmates...

Thanks alot, Mikey

Clarias batrachus is the one normally seen.
I though of this from your bit "(One thing that i would love is the Trachycorydtas trachycorystes off tropical imports, but they get too big for my tank apparently sad.gif )"

A clarius would make a decent pet fish & the tank should be just about big enough for one. You would need a much larger tank to keep anything with one.

 

[CAC]

Yeah, they seem cool, and they get pretty big too....Are they noctounal, and have they got any special requirements???
Ill give my LFS' a ring
Cheers for the idea

Mikey

 

[diademhill]

Special requirements;_
Good filtration & a tight fitting lid

They are called walking catfish - guess why.

 

[CAC]

Allright cool. Might seriously think about stocking one...But they get to 15", surely thats too big???


MIkey

 

[cane76]

what are the dimensions of the 38 mikey?

 

[CAC]

It is: 81L x 36W x 50H cm

So as you can see, its not very long, but its got a decent width, and its pretty high....

Thats kinda why i dont know if the clarias would go in....

Mikey

 

[Callum]

it depends by the measurements its 38 (us gallon) rather than 38 UK gallon i wouldnt really want to put such a large fish in a small tank anyway kind of unfair on it