Large Tank Set-Up

[FishResearcher]

My close friend has the room and money for a fish room. The deal is they pay for everything if I take care of all the details and maintanence. I am very excited about this about wanted some stocking imput. We're looking at anywhere from 1-3 tanks. Probably either 3 tanks, each 125g; or one 500g tank. Possibly two 250g. I'm looking for community tanks, planted, with medium/ large fish and schools. Maybe one could be a discus tank, but what are some good discus tank mates? And what are some options for the others? Thanks!

 

[catsma_97504]

Wow - I want friends like that!!!

As for what could be kept with discus fish, there are many options, such as rams, neons and other tetras. Just acclimate these fish slowly to adapt to the lower pH I assume your discus will be kept in. There are many SA options. I would not keep discus with angels as angels are too greedy with food.

As for other options, the door is wide open, literally. You could keep an arowana, oscars,, red tail shark, clown loaches, silver dollars or other literal tank busters!

 

[FishResearcher]

lol yeah, I'm pretty excited. There is going to be a total of about 1,500g but I'm spitting it up into 500g each for freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water I'm thinking taking the 500 total alotted for freshwater and splitting it between 2 tanks for two 250g tanks. I was thinking one could be a cichlid tank (maybe malawi chichlids) and the other a heavily planted community tank with lots of schools and a handful of larger centerpeice fish (thats where the idea for discus came in). I can't wait!!!

 

[catsma_97504]

Well, I know you will have tons of fun setting everything up! You're gonna have to post pictures of your progress to document everything and share with those of us who are less fortunate.

Oh, and Welcome to Fishlore!

 

[FishResearcher]

Thank you!
lol And mostly right now I am in the sketching out tank plans stage. A chance like this is never going to come along again and I want to do everything perfectly!! Any other specific suggestions such as people's favorite fish? I want to find fish with a lot of character

 

[catsma_97504]

Every individual you approach will tell you they have a different favorite.

That being said, MY favorite would have to be South American. Angelfish, rams, and many tetra schools. Just not neons as they are the natural food for angels. In a larger tank you could even have a school of Congo Tetras and many corys, otos, plecos, etc.

Then, having a second freshwater tank, I think it would be a good idea to go the opposite. Your idea of African cichlids or an Asian tank would make a nice contrast as well.

What are you going to put into 500G of brackish water?

 

[FishResearcher]

For brackish I was thinking I really like monos and puffers (like figure eights) and I like catsharks and have never been able to keep them because they are brackish. I don't know of many other brackish fish though... I kinda like your freshwater suggestion... How many different tetra schools (about 6-10) could there be and what are some good ones to keep? Also, how many angelfish: like 6 or 7 maybe? I do really like congo tetras.. how many of those could I keep? lol I know I have a ton of questions but I thought it'd be fun to include you all here at fishlore in my very fun project Also, what kind of plants? lol

 

[VeeSe]

For the discus tank, I've always wanted to have this mix ideally:
Discus with large schools of cardinal tetras and rummynose tetras, with some bottom feeders like corys or I guess some otos. You could pull this off in a tank as small as 75g I think, but if you had a 250g, you could really put quite a few discus in there with two very large schools of cardinals and rummynoses, or possibly three slightly smaller schools (pick a 3rd schooling species)

 

[maxima423]

first 500g i would do a couple of LARGE lake tang cichlids, some frontosa possibly =]

second 500g, i like your idea of puffers so i would love to see

third 500g, a large reef tank ^_^

 

[FishResearcher]

In a 500g, could I mix things with the puffers like some monos? I love them both but I don't know much about brackish compatibility...

 

[branw]

I would have one tank of Frontosa

 

[FishResearcher]

I love cichlids, but I don't like that bump some of them get on their heads... lol

 

[FiremouthGuy]

What are you going to put into 500G of brackish water?

Fill it halfway so you have a 250G tank. And put a big school of archerfish in it?

I would do a bunch of biotopes. What are the measures of the tanks?

 

[Ryan1824]

Another candidate for a large brackish tank is the green chromide.

 

[FishResearcher]

Hey every body =) Thank you for all the suggestions! I am still trying out combinations and would love more input. I might take some of the space from brackish and make more freshwater. I'm thinking:
Freshwater:
250g- Discus, cardinal school, rummynose school, maybe school of cories
125g- Rainbow fish (school of them?), school of congo tetras, maybe one large centerpeice fish(no idea what), and various other small schools
125g- Lake Malawi
125g- Lake Tang cichlid tank

Brackish:
250g-Monos, puffers, and various mollies

Not sure on anything else

 

[GBR.Moorrreeee]

For the 125 Tang tank I'd go with Tropheus, some Altolamprologus, and maybe Simochromis. If you do a bigger Tang tank you could do Petrochromis which are beautiful with tropheus and simos, or you could do an awsome community Tang tank with any size.

 

[GBR.Moorrreeee]

Oh yeah, be careful with the monos in the brackish because when full grown they need complete saltwater.

 

[FishResearcher]

I have room for saltwater tanks too, so I thought that once they grow up, I could add them into a saltwater community tank. Does anybody know of anymore brackish options?

 

[GBR.Moorrreeee]

You could do Scats.

 

[FishResearcher]

hm.... scats are kind of interesting.. I might try those. I have been having a really hard time trying to find brackish fish. Are there any schooling brackish fish?