Advice On New Tank Set Up

[piscatory guy]

Hello members! This is my first post to the forum and thanks in advance for any help! I'm relatively new to keeping fish, about 3 years, and have slowly upgraded tank size to my current 20 gallon. But, the time has come for the tank of my dreams, which I'd like to stock with a few large South American Cichlids.

I have some experience with South American Cichlids (members of the 20 gallon include a small Jack Dempsey, a Bolivian Ram, and a beautiful male Firemouth), but not with the fish I'd like to have in the new tank.

So, I'm looking at a 90 gallon tank (US gallon, 48lx18dx24h) and stocking it with 1 Oscar, 1 Jack Dempsey (the small guy who is currently in the 20 gallon and who will need a new home soon before he becomes aggressive), 1 Green Terror, and 1 Pleco (he's currently in the 20 gallon and needs a new home b/c he's getting big). Of all of the fish, the Jack Dempsey and the Pleco would need to be in the tank. I don't have the other two (Oscar, Green Terror).

Another possible fish in the new tank would be the firemouth I have. He's getting fully grown (4.5 to 5 inches) and currently bosses everybody in the 20 gallon tank. But, his aggression is mostly for show and so far nobody has stood ground against him. In other words, I've never seen him bite another fish, but for now they all scatter when he feels the need to be aggressive. Of course I suspect that will change as the Jack Dempsey gets older.

I really want to do the new tank right, and not have it be a "house of horrors" for the fish (i.e., too aggressive). My plan is to put all of the new fish in the tank all at once as juveniles and watch them grow. Thanks for reading this longish post and please comment away!

 

[SamUK]

i think you mite be pushing it with 3 big cichlids, especially a JD and a GT.

having said that i havent kept JDs or GTs, jus read about them on here and they seem to like alot of space to themselves.

you mite get away with the firemouth, the oscar and one of the others but youd need good filtration and keep an eye on them because as the bigger fish become mature theyll start to get a bit moody!

the plec should be fine.

 

[piscatory guy]

Thanks for the advice. Any thoughts on how big a tank I might need to keep the fish I described? I might be able to swing a 120 gallon tank if that would do it.

 

[piscatory guy]

I just wanted to bump this message one last time and see if anyone else has any comments. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Definitely the bigger the better. I would consider moving the other inhabitants in first (the bigger sized Cichlids + Pleco from the 20 gallon, even the Firemouth) and seeing how they fair. If all is well, then try to add another fish like the Oscar. The 120 would be best. I would also try to keep it as sparse as possible, with a low amount of gravel, and some hiding spaces closer to the bottom. Re-arrange the tank when you put in new members, and make sure you cycle it first!

 

[molitor75]

Oscars are extremely messy so I would also agree that filtration really is paramount.. 120 gallon would be great bearing in mind that the suggested minimum for 2 oscars together is 125 and you have the other fish to think about.