Advice on tank upgrade?

[highoctane500]

Hi,
I currently have a 90 Litre (24 US Gal) aquarium with 2X Pictus, 3X Hoplo Cats, 1X Sailfin Plec, 7X Odessa Barbs, 1X 10" Rope Fish (Reed Fish), and 1X Polypterus Senegalus (sorry i dont know thier propper names). I know this is very heavily stocked, but my other tank split so they are all in together at the moment. I am soon upgrading them to a 400 Litre (105 US Gal) aquarium. I will then be looking to get 1 or 2 bigger catfish to put in with them. Any ideas which fish will be happy in this size aquarium and with my other fish?
Thanks.

[MatsP]

I would say that your 400 liter tank will be pretty well stocked when your existing fish grows out. I wouldn't add more fish at this point, unless you are planning to rehome some of the existing fish.

And 2 is a bad number of pictus cats - you should consider getting at least one, preferably a few, more of these.

The Sailfin pleco should be able to grow to near 20"/50cm, which is way larger than what a 400 liter tank will be suitable for - but I understand that it's hard for most people to have a 2000+ liter tank in their home.

The rope-fish should also grow a fair bit larger than the current size.

You don't say how large your bichir (Polypterus senegalus) is, but they can reach a bit more than a foot.

--
Mats

[highoctane500]

Hi MatsP,
My Polypterus Senegalus is about 4.5 - 5" long. So when i get the 400L tank in, will it be ok to add 2 or 3 more pictus? Maybe this is the reason i dont see them? They only seem to come out at night but even then its only to feed, then they dissapear again. Will adding more boost thier confidence and make them come out in the day?

[MatsP]

So when i get the 400L tank in, will it be ok to add 2 or 3 more pictus?

I haven't counted out what the stocking level is, but yes I'd think so.

Maybe this is the reason i dont see them? They only seem to come out at night but even then its only to feed, then they dissapear again. Will adding more boost thier confidence and make them come out in the day?

I'd say they are more likely to come out if you have larger group, but they are still not going to be the manic group that you see when there are 20 in a small tank in a shop - unless you have 20-30 in a 90 liter tank, that is... (Which would overstock the tank by a fair amount!)

Remember that what you see in fish-shops is well looked after tanks, where there is often a "hidden" big filter somewhere you can't see, and the water is almost always shared between a large number of tanks. At home, you don't want to do that, unless you have a similar setup (tanks that share water, and large & frequent water changes).

--
Mats

[highoctane500]

I think il probably just get 2 or 3 more. I was looking to get an Aqua One 1500r with 2X CF1000 Canister Filters. What size should i expect the rope fish to get? Because when i bought him i was told by the shopkeeper he was nearly fully grown!

[MatsP]

I think il probably just get 2 or 3 more. I was looking to get an Aqua One 1500r with 2X CF1000 Canister Filters. What size should i expect the rope fish to get? Because when i bought him i was told by the shopkeeper he was nearly fully grown!

I don't actually know. In nature, from what I can find, they grow to about 3ft/90cm, but like many large fishes, they probably don't grow that big in a tank (they are poor food competitors, from what I read). I've never kept this species myself, so all the knowledge I give is basically what I can gather from web-sites.

Prices on these type of tanks have gone up dramatically since I got mine - I've got a RIO400, which is the same dimensions as the 1500r. I paid under £500 including gravel and a few bits and pieces. But that was 5 and a bit years ago.

--
Mats

[Richard B]

I've seen reedfish 18-20" in the UK.

I would be a bit worried that the ropefish or polypterus might see the odessa's as a snack in the not too distant future...

[highoctane500]

From what ive seen the Odessa's are way to fast for them. They havent shown any signs of aggression towards any other fish yet. Well not that ive seen anyway! I suppose its possible that at night they turn into fish hungry little monsters! There was a couple of Platy's in the tank when i put them in, which mysteriously dissapeared. I blamed the pictus as i didnt think the Rope Fish's mouth was big enough.

[Richard B]

I was thinking primarily about the time when the lights are off & the odessa's go into a period of reduced activity & rest - what some people would say "sleep"

The polypterus is too small at the moment but large specimens can crunch down all sorts of species - a big delhezi i know of chomped down a few corys & they are not a pleasant meal. The reedfish is less of a threat but when bigger an odessa is a tasty treat.

I think they both have a bit of growing to do before worrying too much though

[deetheman_6]

hi highoctane500 i too have a senagal bichir he's just over 5 and half inches and he's eaten in the past week two pepper corys and colombian tetra three fish all just over 3 inches the funny thing is leaves the rams alone.