OMG!! 75gal OMG!!

[lyquidphyre]

I just won a 75 gal aquarium, plus a stand, plus a filter, plus lights, plus glass top, plus under gravel filter... for....

*drum roll*

$25


Before you go "HOLY @#$%" I had a $125 gift card for ebay anyways.. and the bid ended up being $154 so I only pay $25ish.. but thats not the point!

I HAVE A SEVENTY FIVE GALLON TANK!

w00t w00t

Now... what do I put in it???

I don't want to make it a Ciclid tank. I want it to be a peaceful tank (tropical). I want to have schooling fish- like two sets of fish that school. I want a few big fish and the rest medium/small fish. I went to the fish store earlier and made a list of what I liked.. tell me what you think-

Bala Sharks
Bolivian Rams
Cory Cats
Kuhlil Loach
Dwarf Gouramis
Dragon Fish? (thats an iffy)

I also have a spotted sail finned pleco that will go in there.. and I would like to put my 3 brilliant rasboras.

Schooling wise what do you think would be my best bet?
Tetras?
Head Tail lights
Het Rasboras..
or...??

One day I would like a discuss or two.

SO MANY CHOICES!!

Give me suggestions pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaassseeeeeee

Im so excited!!!!

 

[bunebop]

haha. congrats. I don't think w/ those fish u're gonna wanna add the bala sharks though... unless you want fewing schooling fish 8O cause they'll end up as lunch...

 

[reefrunner69]

Awesome!!!

 

[TankGirl]

Congrats! The bala shark can cetainly go with the other fish you suggest, but I guess it depends on how large they really get in an aquarium.

I would say only one DG (personal experience, other's have different experiences) and you could certainly get a trio of the loaches and why not add to your current rasboras? They would appreciate more than 3 in the school, for sure. I am partial to serpae tetras for color and activity, also. Het rasboras are cool, and how about some hatchetfish for the top?

 

[Hypostomus]

Congratulations on the new tank! And such a wonderful price too!

Don't buy bala sharks. They are an irresponsible choice of fish to put out by pet stores and distributors and get far too big for the vast majority of tanks when you combine the fact that they are fast-swimming schoolers with their actually physical size.

Dragon fish/Dragon eels are likely to be Polypterus or brackish gobies. Both are inappropriate for the kind of tank you want to set up except under certain conditions, I believe.

Bolivian rams (one of my favorites ), corydoras, kuhli loaches, and dwarf gouramis are all fine in a tank that holds schooling fish as its "showpiece." You might want to think about pearl, moonlight, or snakeskin gouramis, however, as you will have the space and they may feel a little more comfortable with some dither fish. IMO, a healthy pearl is much more attractive in a large tank than dwarves.

You could also go with just kuhlis or just corydoras. Having a pair each of a few different color varieties or species of corys would be nifty. I wouldn't get more than 2 pairs of Bolivian rams in that size tank, but that's just my preference.

Your sailfin pleco will be fine in there. If you're going to put your trio of brilliant rasboras in, why not get more? You could have a school of them and perhaps one of tetras or another kind of rasbora. Alternately you could move your rasboras out entirely and get a school of Congo tetras, which are truly stunning fish that are really underappreciated, IMO. Just don't expect them to act as dithers for gouramis-- they're more likely to scare them.

EDIT: I also second the hatchetfish.

 

[lyquidphyre]

Oh oh I have another question

I will now sell my 40gal tank that has the guppies and two platys in it.

Do you think it would be stupid to keep a few guppies and my two platys to give variety? Im attached to a few of them


Would that work in the mix?

Also, no on the bala sharks.. is that so with all the other shark relatives? Like the silver tip and what not?

 

[TankGirl]

Sell a tank? I have never heard of this phenomenon....

 

[lyquidphyre]

Haha.. well after I move into this new house between me and my boyfriend we will have a 75 gal, two 29gals and so we don't need the 40gal. Its an okay tank.. it really needs a stand to make it pretty and I no longer want to invest in building a stand when i have a 75 gal tank ya know?? and it would be more fish money for me!


OH, also.. what about the Discus?? No one said anything about the discus being okay. I want one or two big, pretty fish that would be "focal points" or something

 

[oscarbreeder]

Congrats on a GREAT deal.

 

[lad2knowu]

GRATS!!!!! My Father-inlaw gave me my 75gal. Its awsome! Have fun!

 

[Hypostomus]

Discus need to be in bigger groups than 1 or 2. I also would not put them in that tank unless you want to devote the tank to a small collection of adults, but again, that's my opinion only.

Like I said, look into pearl, moonlight, and snakeskin gouramis. Snakeskins get to an admirable size, though pearls are my personal favorites out of those three.

As far as "sharks" go, a single red-tail black shark (Labeo bicolor, I think) should fit the bill. Very attractive fish, though they do not get along with their own kind or with other "sharks."

Alternately, try to find or order some Puntius denisonii, red-lined torpedo barbs. Some of the most beautiful barbs and indeed freshwater fish I have ever seen. To see a school of them (6" I think is the maximum size) in a well-maintained tank would be quite a sight! However, I have not kept them myself so I cannot give you an opinion on their safety alongside any long-finned fish.

Also, guppies and platies would be fine somewhere in that original mix, IMO.

 

[medge00]

well, you certainly have enough room for discus, though I really have no idea how'd they do with small schools of little guys. pm BrianNY about this, he seems to be the expert. Discus are pretty picky when it comes to water conditions.

conrats!

 

[Menagerie]

Wow!! What a deal--I'm jealous!! It sounds like your peaceful tropical tank is coming together. I would skip the discus for now. Have you given any thought to rainbow fish or kribs?

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Wow... Great deal, how much do you want for the 40? Just kidding, I am so broke...
Schooling fish - I just really like the tiger barbs, you will never get bored looking at them, but if you want a less agressive fish, a school of 15-20 Rasboras just make a wondeful display...

 

[TankGirl]

Discus are wonderful and I wholeheartedly recommend them, but in a species-only tank. I think a 75 is a great way to go if you want to try them. BrianNY is someone who can help you with the discus thing.

 

[lyquidphyre]

This is what Im thinking.. it might be pushing overstocked but I took the fish and their max growth to come up with these numbers. I did the one gal per inch of fish thing. Tell me what you think and correct me if Im wrong-

6 (2in) Hatchets (3- marble, 3- mathae silver) = 12in/gal
4 (3in) Bolivian Rams = 12in/gal
3 (3in) Cory Cats = 9in/gal
3 (2in) Brilliant Rasboras = 6in/gal
3 (1.5 in) Bloodfin Tetras = 4in/gal
2 ( 4.5in) Banded Rainbows = 9in/gal
3 (2in) Gouramis (one fire, 2 pearl) =6in/gal
1 (5in) Red-tail black shark =5in/gal

That equals 63 gals. I would still like 10 one inch fish for a "big" school. The fish I could "cut back on" are the brilliant rasboras and the blood fin tetras. Right now my 2 brilliant and 1 bloodfin are in my 29 gal and have out lasted most of my fish. If anything id get one more bloodfin. But yah... that isn't a definate list but its a start..
so yah.. what do you think?

 

[patryuji]

Why not 2 bolivian rams and 2 German (blue) rams? The germans stay a little smaller.

Also round up on the bloodfin tetras to 5in...safer that way.

Perhaps you should go with more rainbows than 2...have a school of rainbows and limit some of the other fish.

You could also consider a couple of Angelfish for centerpiece "large" fish in that aquarium but that would mean no big school of 1" fish (or they might become 1" snacks). Just don't get a mated pair and they should be fairly peaceful (and add them last so they don't become territorial to any brightly colored or other large fish additions).

 

[quarryshark]

Why not make it a SW reef tank? School of green chromis, a couple of Clownfish, Blennies and eventually some corals.
Ok , i'll go back to my corner now.
BTW congrats, heck of a deal!!

 

[Hypostomus]

I would go with 3 pearl gouramis rather than 2 pearl and 1 fire dwarf. The dwarf may actually pick on its larger relatives.

You might want to consider getting rid of the rainbowfish in the plan and increasing the size of your smaller fishes' schools instead to create the "big" school. 3 rasboras and 3 tetras are going to be very lonely in a 75g-- the bloodfin tetras would probably accentuate the colors of the pearl gouramis well in particular.

The corys, hatchets, rams, and shark are fine.

 

[lyquidphyre]

Okay.. so after sleeping on it Ive decided a few things-
1.Scratch the brilliant rasboras and bloodfins. I will keep the ones I have in the tank I have because they are doing fine and I honestly don't want a bunch of them.

2. I don't want gouramis. My boyfriend has the "gourami" tank. I am, however, going to take his dwarf gourami and get him a buddy. So two dwarf gouramis.

3. I don't think I want rainbow fish anymore. But that could change tomorrow. But as of now.. no rainbow fish.

4. I want an angel fish *nod*

5. The tetras I am interested in getting are- black, flame and skirt. Will any of those work with an angel?

So right now my list goes as following-

6 Hatchets- 12in/gal
4 Rams- 12in/gal
3 Cory Cats- 9in/gal
2 Gouramis- 4in/gal
1 Red tail shark OR Flying Fox- 5in/gal
1 Angel 8in/gal

= 50 gals

That leaves 20gal for a school of fish.

What about that mix??