Stocking my 75gal

[XimeD]

I started fishless cycling my 75gal (acrylic 48''x15''x24'') today and want to start planning stocking:

These fish will be moved from my 20gal into my 75gal after cycling:

-2 giant danios
-2 red tail tinfoil barbs
-1 common pleco (will eventually need another home I know)

I am planning on adding:

- 1 fire eel (I really want this eel, if I add this and nothing else that is fine with me)

However, I would like to add:

- 3 or 4 pictus cats

I think I will be fully stocked about now, but would like a small school (5 or so) tiger barbs to occupy the middle-top of the tank. This would really be too much once the fish are full grown, right? (lol, I kind of know this but need to hear it )

Alternatively, I could add the tiger barbs to my 20gal which will be empty, I am planning on keeping some ghost shrimp for the eel in the 20gal.

Thanks for any suggestions-comments

[XimeD]

Here's a pic (ordered some live plants - should get then pretty soon :p)

[BigJim]

Is the tank 15" tall or 24" tall?

If the tank has a 48"x24" footprint, you could probably add the pictus group. If it's only 48"x15", it might be a squeeze.

[FishEggs]

what are the dimensions on the tank? it doesn't look quite right to be a regular 75g to me.

[BigJim]

He lists the dimensions in the first post. I'm guessing they work out to 48"L x 15"W x 24"T.

[XimeD]

BigJim has it right it's 48''Lx15''Wx24''T. I was too lazy to the math, guess this is what happens when you buy a used tank off of craigslist =(

So no pictus cats? even if it's 3? And no TBs?

btw im a girl, the guy in the pic is my hubby =)

[XimeD]

Ok, did the math in a round about way (I'm from So.America so liters is easier for me, even after 6 years in the US lol). Here's to the mathematically inclined:

1'' = 2.54cm = 0.254dm

So: 48''x15''x24'' = 12.192dm x 3.81dm x 6.816dm = 283.16 cubic dm or 283.16L (1 cubic dm = 1L)

Since: 1gal = 3.785L

283.16L / 3.785L/gal = 74.8gal

Yay! at least it is a 75gal =) It would be considered 75gal tall right?

[BigJim]

It really depends on how well they'll get along with a fire eel. I have a single pictus that I bought before I realized how big they get. He's ~8" long and very protective of his cave. He attacks anything that gets too close, including my 8.5" raphael cat. They're gorgeous fish, but it takes some special care to put them in a good situation.

I'm not sure you realize how large tinfoil barbs get. I've seen them hit 8"+ and they're beefy, active fish. They put a significant bioload on the tank. That's why I'd caution against the tiger barbs for the moment.

Sorry. I'm one of those misogynistic old cavemen that refers to an unknown gender as "he" or "him". No offense intended.

[XimeD]

Originally Posted by BigJim

It really depends on how well they'll get along with a fire eel. I have a single pictus that I bought before I realized how big they get. He's ~8" long and very protective of his cave. He attacks anything that gets too close, including my 8.5" raphael cat. They're gorgeous fish, but it takes some special care to put them in a good situation.

I'm not sure you realize how large tinfoil barbs get. I've seen them hit 8"+ and they're beefy, active fish. They put a significant bioload on the tank. That's why I'd caution against the tiger barbs for the moment.

Sorry. I'm one of those misogynistic old cavemen that refers to an unknown gender as "he" or "him". No offense intended.

haha none taken, just figured I'd mention it since my name probably looks weird lol

Yeah I sort of knew the TBs were a no, just needed to hear some else with more experience say it

I didn't realize you could have pictus in singles, I thought 3 was the minimum. What if I only get 2 then? or a single one

I am more worried about space, if filtration becomes a problem I can add a HOB (like aquaclear 110) right?

[XimeD]

Bummer I forgot to mention this, planning on having MTS to stir the sand with a few assasins in there. How much will this add to the bioload? Enough that I can't keep any pictus at all?

[XimeD]

Also, I will be getting the fire eel as small as I possibly can (within reason of course). I am aiming for 4-5'' so that I can watch it grow. If in a couple of years it gets too big even for the 75gal, who knows? by then I will probably want a 300gal.

Now that MTS took over there is no going back.

[BigJim]

I've seen the pictus school in the store tanks, but I tried a second in my tank and he got harassed by the first, got ich, and died. I may just have a weird fish that is comfortable by himself and I was definitely stupid for trying to put two pictus in a 29g.

If you've got your heart set on both pictus and the fire eel, let the tank get established and add three or fewer small pictus cats and a small fire eel. Provide lots of cover on the bottom. I did see a tank with a piece of small diameter drain tile buried in the substrate for the eel. If both the cats and the eel are small, they're more likely to tolerate one another and get used to one another as they grow.

I don't count the MTS or assassins. I've heard apple snails can add a significant bioload, but I fell the MTS do more than enough to offset any bioload they contribute.

[XimeD]

Yes, the plan is getting the cats and the eel small.

Define established? How long after cycling is done does a tank become established?

[BigJim]

An established tank is a tank that doesn't have any frequent changes in it. Some qualities would be:

- A healthy stock list that has been in the tank for a significant period of time (60 days maybe?) with no sign of illness or major aggression. There's no point in stressing out your current fish with new tankmates and possibly wiping out the tank with a disease.

- Water parameters that are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and nitrates that don't get above 20ppm between PWCs. If your nitrates climb too high too quickly, your tank is overstocked for your maintenance. Meeting these conditions indicates that you've got adequate filtration and and adequate maintenance schedule.

- No sudden algae outbreaks. Most new tanks experience a brown algae (diatoms) surge and recession. Outbreaks of other types of algae also indicate system stability issues. If you have GSP or BBA issues constantly, you may still have a stable system.

I may be a little conservative with these conditions, but if they're met, you'd have a pretty stable system. Adding several larger fish at a time could start a minicycle. In your case, adding the pictus and the fire eel at the same time is the best case scenario. It's just best to do it in a stable system to minimize the chance of a minicycle.

[XimeD]

Thanks for the clarification BigJim =)

I tried giving you more rep but it won't let me cause I did once already recently. I'll keep it in mind, it's the least I can do for all your help =)

Now, the waiting begins..........

[FishEggs]

ahhh yes the hurry up and wait phase. gotta love it.

[XimeD]

Yeah, that was one of my hard learnt newbie lessons..... The cost of not waiting is much higher than the cost of waiting (and I don't mean this in the monetary sense)

Lesson learnt!

[BigJim]

Originally Posted by XimeD

The cost of not waiting is much higher than the cost of waiting (and I don't mean this in the monetary sense)

This is why you need several tanks. You can distract yourself with another tank while you wait for the first to do its thing.

[XimeD]

Originally Posted by BigJim

This is why you need several tanks. You can distract yourself with another tank while you wait for the first to do its thing.

True, true. But my MTS is just starting lol

On a side note I think I am going to keep dwarf puffers with ghost shrimp in my 20gal once I move everyone to the 75gal. Started the research on the puffers