Stuck On What Stock To Get....need A Centrepiece Fish?

[mrvillicus]

Im a bit stumped, currently my tank is 4ft, 170lt. I have 2 dwarf gourami, 2 dwarf cichlid, 6 columbian tetra and one neon tetra which is approx 50% of the stock capacity. Im after a fairly large centrepiece fish but I cant decide what to get, especially one thats not going to eat my current stock. Either that or i completely change the stock to maybe cichlids?

Im really not sure as the choice is huge! what would you go for?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

You sure that's right? I've got a 3 ft tank and it's 180L

Have you plugged your dimensions into the volume calculator? Which dwarf cichlids do you have?

 

[MBOU]

Havent you only just set this tank up or swapped over to this tank?

EDIT: looking back at your other post, it looks like you are doing a fish in cycle at the moment? Will be a fair while before you get more fish anyways.

Also, your filter, is it powerful enough for your bigger tank? Looks quite small for the size of the tank...

If its the same size filter as you used in the 3ft, then you need to stick to the same kind of stocking numbers as the 3ft.... bigger tanks generally = bigger filtration!

 

[mrvillicus]

im asking this question for when the cycle has finished and the tank is fully setup.....I have apistogramma double red cichlids almostawesome

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I'm afraid I don't know much about apistos. Could you maybe increase your number of gouramis, maybe get different types? Or more females? May want to consider the same for your apistos but I don't know if they are a fish you keep in multiples though

 

[mrvillicus]

i suppose i could increase them, ive been looking at silver dollars or rainbow fish

 

[ZoddyZod]

the cockatoo cichlid (which I presume is the 'double reds' you have) are harem breeders. So one male and multiple (2 or more) females would be ideal.

rainbows can get boistrous and may not work with the current dwarves - will eat that neon as well

I know nothing of silver dollars except they get large, eat plants and are skittish so need to be kept in groups.

I second the comment on filtration. Bigger tanks require bigger filters, unless the filter you had previously was rated for a larger tank size? What filter is it?

Also, do check the dimensions to calculate the volume, that will help with the filtration question.

 

[mrvillicus]

the cockatoo cichlid (which I presume is the 'double reds' you have) are harem breeders. So one male and multiple (2 or more) females would be ideal.

rainbows can get boistrous and may not work with the current dwarves - will eat that neon as well

I know nothing of silver dollars except they get large, eat plants and are skittish so need to be kept in groups.

I second the comment on filtration. Bigger tanks require bigger filters, unless the filter you had previously was rated for a larger tank size? What filter is it?

Also, do check the dimensions to calculate the volume, that will help with the filtration question.

well the filter is an all pond solutions if600, it was only cheap but it can do 600l/h so i assume thats ok? the volume is right even using the calculator its 172 litres.....i will look at cockatoo cichlids now, thanks zoddyzod

 

[mrvillicus]

mmm clown loach would be nice

 

[ZoddyZod]

clown loach wont work - need to be in groups and get to a foot long (although they do grow very slowly).

 

[mrvillicus]

ah ok, shame that. Im looking at filters now as im not sure mine is enough

 

[crazyforcordoras]

How about a weather loach?

 

[ZoddyZod]

I'd recommend looking at externals for a tank of that size. Even the biggest internal (something like the Fluval U4) is only just about adequate - and wont be at all if you intend on planting it as you'll need much more flow.

you really want 5x volume per hour turnover, moving to 10x if you want plants.

How about a weather loach?

a cold or temperate water fish - not ideal in a mixed tropical community. Also gets pretty sizeable.

 

[mrvillicus]

okies, so id be looking at a tetratec 1200 or similar

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Its fine in my community. I got t whenit was 3 inches now its 7.

The only reason i reccomend it is because its active andd fun to watch.