Juggling My Current Fish!

[N0body Of The Goat]

I've PMed some forum members about this situation already, but if more forum members have opinions, I'm happy to read them and decide on a definite plan...

I recently bought an Aqua One 620T (130l) off someone on my delivery round, which I have just began cleaning. My intention is to house my current small peaceful fish in it [freeing up the Korall60 for a species only Aphanius mento (Persian Killifish) tank], plus sometime next year I may well add another group of fish to it

• Gymnochanda filamentosa (Filament Glassfish)
• Hypoptopma inexspectatum
• Pangio doriae (Golden Kuhlis)

My biggest dilemma is how to split my remaining fish, most of which are currently in the 540l, after my Lionhead Cichlid parents acted unusually aggressive towards any tankmates once the fry were born. However, there are some compatability issues

• The Pearl Danios have been the victim of two bad judgment calls by me over the summer, resulting in five fish being eaten by tankmates. The prime suspect is my Humphead Glassfish, as recently I've seen a predatory side to them that has never presented itself to me before, but is documented by our very own Neale Monks in a PFK article. Long term, they are also risky to house with my African Butterfly (soon to get him some "friends"), Leopard Bushfish and my Golden Wonder Panchax.
• The Indian Red Tail Squirrel Loaches have also been "eyed up" by my Humphead Glassfish, but thankfully have so far been far too quick for the glassfish, whenever they have decided I am not feeding them enough! However the tricky part is that these Squirrels are a type of "Hillstream Loach" and so need a <23C temp and lots of current, so the oxygen saturation is good.
• Ideally, my African fish (Lionhead Cichlids; African Butterfly; Synodontis brichardi; Leopard Bushfish) need a temp of 23C [Yellowtails are happy at 20-24C], albeit they have not appeared to show any signs of stress at the comprimise temp of 22C that has been in the 540l. With the exception of the African Butterfly, they enjoy a strong current.
• Although I have not seen such issues to date, Neale Monks' article on Humphead Glassfish strongly suggest that African Butterfly Fish may have their long spindly fins nipped (and generally get upset by the eager feeding). Along with my Filament Glassfish, he is an ongoing concern about eating enough, as he gets "spooked" when I open the lid of the 540l (I used to be able to "spot feed" him quite sucessfully in the Rio240.
• The Weather Loaches (eight of them) are expected to reach ~20cm and so should probably remain in the 540l. It helps that nobody seems to be bothering them most of the time, although the smallest one sometimes gets the attention of the male Humphead (albeit with no change of sucess, far too quick and too much cover provided for my loaches).

Part of me thinks it would be kindest on my Pearls to give them to another local fish keeper who has a peaceful, 4-foot long tank, as I feel so guilty about not being able to guarantee their safety in either of my big tanks (as in I think by splitting the 540l fish there is going to be something in the 240l that will eye them up as lunch.

I had wondered about converting the Rio240 into an African only tank, but then I worry about what if the Lionheads spawn again and also how the Lionhead "dad" attacked "mum" when she was not ready to spawn again while tending to 6-week old fry. There is also the issue of whether three Synodontis brichardi are going to be ok in a 4-footer amonst themselves and also what happens if the Lionheads spawn (I fear they will be the first victims of nastiness).

I had wondered about making the Rio240 the realtively peaceful tank (Denisonii; Yellowtails; Panda Garras; Bariliuis dogarsinghi; Pearls; Squirrel Loaches; S. brichardi), leaving the nastier fish (African Butterfly; Golden Wonders; Barilius canarensis(?); Leopard Bushfish; Humphead Glassfish; Lionhead Cichlids) plus the Weather Loaches in the 540l. Given the size of fish in the 240l, I could even move the Butterfly over, as nothing would be a tempting meal, even when adult size... If the Pearl Danios were not around (and to be honest as fuller grown 6cm adults they may well be too big anyway, most deaths have been the fry I raised from two seperate batches).

The other option I had come up with is a split along the lines of water current. This would mean that from the 540l stocking, I would want to move the Denisonii; Humpheads (I still think I lost two because of current related stress when the Magnum 8 was running); Leopoard Bushfish; African Butterfly... Which could actually make quite a nice 240l stocking (and give me chance to get some more Humpheads at some point).

I will double-check my signature after this post to ensure all fish are listed, so that anyone can comment knowing my complete stocking.

So, penny for your thoughts?