Black ghost knife fish and bichir tank size suggests

[Neil Mani]

Wow, flowerthorns are expensive! I like your idea of discus and clown loaches though. What do you think about this for the 125g;
2 delhezi bichirs
1 Senegal bichir
2 rope fish
Temporary BGK fish
3-5 discus
3-6 clown loaches
And either a pleco (I love the green phantoms, but they are pricey) or a pictus catfish?

Thank you! I was also able to put the goldfish and dojos (I got 4 more!) Separately into the 55g.

For now if you get all the fish as baby. Beaware, most of these fish get huge really quick like the bichirs. Once they reach the 6 inch mark, you might want to take out the BGK. Difficult choice between pleco and pictus. In general, if you are willing to clean the tank on your own without help, go with the pictus. Else, go with desired pleco. But with the stocking, you should go with a smaller pleco(5 clown plecos, 3 bristlenose plecos). Also with the clown loaches, they get up to a foot. Imagine having 6 loaches fully grown in the tank in single file. A general rule is 30 gallons per clown loach. Plus All the other fish exceed 1 foot as well excluding the discus. Discus get more height in their body shape. You could try doing this.

Bichirs
Ropefish
Plecos
------------
Discus
Clown Loaches
Pleco/Pictus
------------
100 of any schooling fish
Discus
Pleco/Snail/Shrimp
--------------
Remember, you can put fish that can fin into a 10 gallon all the way to a 125. You have many options.

 

[Juliak]

Okay, I think I'll just stick to my bichirs & rope fish then, with a possible pleco... I really don't want to rehome them since I love their prehistoric look and it doesn't sit right with me for some unknown reason to buy hundreds of dollars worth of schooling fish for such a large tank, although it would look cool, I already have another 55g planted community tank (I have a 5g, 10g, 55g community, 55g with the goldfish and dojos, and the 125g). Thank you for all your advice, do you have any suggestions for middle level fish with the bichirs and ropes? (Ones that wouldn't be eaten once the bichirs grow and could comfortably fit in the tank). Thank you!

 

[Neil Mani]

I mean you could try chiclids. Though the bichirs and ropefish are bottom dwellers, they constantly explore their home inculding outside the "play pen". Btw bichirs can live on land as long as they are moist. I've seen a jurrasic world tank somewhere else. He is keeping Tiger barbs, YoYo loaches, and gloTetras. Also just thought of the idea, you could get a rainbow shark or black tail shark. Man, I wish I had all these fish. If you are wondering how I am helping you though I have never kept these fish, I have done a lot of research on these fish besides ropefish.

 

[Neil Mani]

Also, the guy is keeping chiclids or kerebinis in the tank. Hope it helps.

 

[Juliak]

What a nice tank! I really appreciate the feedback nonetheless, it's always better for there to be two opinions rather than one especially since mostly all my knowledge is from the internet too. I once saw this article about bichirs and they kept one in water and one out of water and tested their ability to walk after a few months and they found that the one that lived above water adapted and had stronger muscles/changed so that he could walk more upright and quicker. I cant find the article anymore but I thought it was pretty cool. Thank you and I'll look into cichlids that are peaceful/not too aggressive

 

[Neil Mani]

Also, just learned, bichirs are peacful. They just eat whatever fit in their mouth. Example, if you had a clown loach fully grown, the bichirs wont bother him because the loach wont fit in their mouth.

 

[Neil Mani]

Also, how much is the 125 gallon with the stand. Thanks!