42 Gallon Tank

[furry catfish]

Hi everyone I have a 42 gallon and I have been exploring all the possibilitys,so far my favorite is a big community tank,but I like oddballs as well so what oddball community could go in a 42 gallon?






thanks


chris

 

[VaegaVic]

Hi everyone I have a 42 gallon and I have been exploring all the possibilitys,so far my favorite is a big community tank,but I like oddballs as well so what oddball community could go in a 42 gallon?

thanks


chris

Believe it or not, not very much.
Quite a few of the oddballs are also know as Tank-busters, so a massive tank is deffinately needed.

I'd ideally say go with the community idea, much more rewarding.

 

[furry catfish]

yea your probably right,I already have one axolotl species tank anyway,that's enough oddball for me



thanks


chris

 

[always4lora]

depending on dimensions you could have one of the followingpolypterus senegalus , polypterus palmas and polypterus delhezi but the tank wold ideally be 15inch wide or wider . They're great fish and quite active ,bit limited on tank mates in a tank that size as they can eat quite large prey.

You could also have a erythrinus erythrinus but this would be solo in the tank , including your hands too!

All of the above will eat messy foods and will need top notch filterations

You could have any of the smaller spiny eels you have a group of them and something like hatchets for the top layer or keeping with the oddball theme a african butterfly fish.

 

[furry catfish]

by wide do you mean across the front? because its 4 foot across and polypterus seem like amazing fish,just one thing,would I have to feed him gold fish and guppies? because I really hate watching the poor fish ripped apart (my friend has pirahnas)

 

[furry catfish]

oh and if I get a polypterus (can I call it a dragon eel as I never remember how to spell it) are there any fish that could be with it without being eaten?

 

[indigoj]

I'd go for a small group of senegal bichir (polypterus) they are much more active in a group of say 3 or 4 - just make sure you hav a tight lid! I've kept various fish with senegals, anything over 3.5" and fairly swift moving should be ok. Mine when I had them ate a couple of juvenile rainbows but didn't touch opaline gouramis that were about 3" at the time.

Or depending on where you are a group of smaller snakeheads - if they are not banned where you live. These would be best in a species only tank though - nelly is the best to ask for advice really on these.

I keep Ctenopoma - Climbing Perch - with reed fish and in the past with polypterus. These are lovely fish fun to watch and relatively peaceful, they just have big mouths.

 

[always4lora]

oh and if I get a polypterus (can I call it a dragon eel as I never remember how to spell it) are there any fish that could be with it without being eaten?

Calling them dinasour eels is consfusing though as they are nothing to do with eel's

Senegals are pretty small polypterus and will most likely max out around 10inch some get larger but that seems average, so anything that isnt small enough to be viewed as food, use common sense really. As for feeding them they're pretty easily fed, most will take pellets , lance fish , cockles, mussels, bloodworm, crickets , feeder fish, prawn's etc. I feed mine mostly Hikari Massivore pellets , theyre pricey but you'll notice the bichir shoot up in size.
Feeders are not nessacry and unless theyre wild caught(pretty unlikely) you should have no issues with prepared food. If you are lucky to get a wild caught one it can be weened onto prepared food easily enough.

 

[furry catfish]

That's sounds great ,so if I get a group of 3 bichirs,are there any fish that you would suggest that would go with thee bichirs? would key hole cichlids work? I wouldn't think so because I hear they're slow but no harm in asking

 

[indigoj]

How big are keyholes? About 4"? If you got juvenile senegals and near adult Keyholes it could work but it can be trial and error.

I got my senegals at 3" and they were about 8" within 8 months.

 

[furry catfish]

How big are keyholes? About 4"? If you got juvenile senegals and near adult Keyholes it could work but it can be trial and error.

I got my senegals at 3" and they were about 8" within 8 months.

5,I'll try it,oh and also,are bichirs hardy?

 

[indigoj]

Tough as old boots, but of course like all fish need a cycled tank and good maintenance.

 

[furry catfish]

that's fine,I do weekly water changes on all my other tanks,what's another change to the list

 

[always4lora]

Good choise you wont regret it

 

[furry catfish]

Well I just looked at a few different websites and researched senegal brichirs and it said that they are only happy in a 55 gallon or bigger,are they wrong?