200+ Gallon Tank - What Would You Keep?

[jaarus]

Hello,
I am currently weighing up my options and so looking for suggestions.

I have been given the go ahead for a large tank ( it will be min 200 gallons - either 7 or 8 ft, undecided - built into a wall ) and I am currently researching everything to see what I should keep in there, trouble is there is a LOT of options so I am kinda going around and around in circles!!!

I have at least 6 months to plan this fully so I am in no rush


I originally wanted to do a marine tank - they look absolutely amazing, the guys on various forums were all very helpful indeed and it was all looking good until I read one guys journal (that was virtually identical to the result I was hoping for) and the bill came in at just over £7000 to set it up from scratch.
Well my wife is understanding....but not THAT understanding - so that is a retirement tank and not one just yet (gives me about 20 years to convince her!!)

So back to my tank - what would YOU stock in it?
Looking for colourful, interesting fish.

 

[three-fingers]

Sting rays and silver dollars, possible with butterfly fish or halfbeaks for the surface.
That would be an interesting combination, and great fun to keep.
Though you should note rays really need dedication.

 

[annka5]

Easy decision - a big group of discus, with possibly a huge shoal of cardinal tetra's, and big group of hatchet fish at the surface.

 

[chibi]

I'd fill it with guppies!!

I don't think anyone would do that but me. D:

 

[cheesy feet]

A big planted tqank with ADA soil, pressurised co2 etc.If you have the money.For fish I would put a load of Discus in it, depends what you like.

 

[wendywc]

I second your sig... I would finally go saltwater with a tank that size.

 

[jaarus]

I second your sig... I would finally go saltwater with a tank that size.

I would have, but £7000 is a little too rich for my blood. I dont mind spending money or taking on a challenge, but thats just too much money at the moment!!


So, so far the suggestions are:
1) Freshwater Stingrays and silver dollars, possibly with butterfly fish or halfbeaks for the surface.
Stingrays do look very interesting, but not really my cup of tea
2) Discus, with a huge shoal of cardinal tetra's, and big group of hatchet fish at the surface.
Several votes for Discus - definately one to consider, could get several in a tank this size
3) Guppies
I have a guppie tank already, lovely fish but not for this tank!


Interestingly no-one has suggested any other cichlids?

 

[loachman]

Big shoal of medium sized fish for the middle/top levels. Something like rainbowfishes (my new favorite fish, in addition to loaches). They're active, colorful and small enough you can get ~30 of them.

Probably a 6 inch pleco or 2, and some cories for the bottom.

Discus are nice, but i've never seen an active discus. They seem really boring and are overly expensive compared to other fish that seem to have personality. Not to mention the insane trouble in keeping up with the water changes on a 200 gal tank that discus seem to need.

 

[three-fingers]

How about : 1-3 shovel nose catfish, 1 common plec (or large plec of your choice), 12 silver dollars, 1 oscar and 3-6 bala sharks.
I think that would be a cool large community set up .

 

[kimmers318]

I would put the largest puffer I could keep in that tank in it if I had the option to start up such a large tank. But, alas, I have to wait til the children grow up and move out for room for such a tank.....hubby already has a 90 and a 75 in the living room!

 

[Esfa]

WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?!

You deffinately need bichirs and ropefish in a tank that big! with some smaller synos. That would be amazimg.

 

[PRW1988]

Hmmm... Gotta say, I think a lovly saltwater or African cichlid set up would look amazing that's just me though, if your looking for strickly freshwater why not heavily plant it and get about 8-10 Larger angelfish along with some rams and things like that, mabye some hatchet fish for the surface