Large Empty Tank And Thinking Of Oscars.....

[mattlee]

Oscars generally loose their markings as they get bigger, just a natural thing. I'm lucky that I chose a highly coloured/prettily marked O in Boris, and he has grown into an even better looking fish now. He's really handsome, and his orangey/red markings are really vibrant.

Pics of your O when you get him please

i am picking him up in 2 weeks and he is absolutely stunning. if anyone has been to wharf aquatics recently he/she is the oscar in with the big common and gibbis in the corner

ok so ive just spent the morning giving the tank another clean and scrub and had a play around with some bogwood i have horded over the years, i knew i would need it some day

what do you guys think....? too much wood and not enough swimming room or is it suitable for the stocking plans?
2 x asian sun catfish (currently about 2.5 inches)
1 x Black Ghost Knifefish (currently about 4.5 inches)
1 x Frontosa Cichlid (currently about 7 inches)
1 x Rotkeil Cichlid (currently about 3 inches)
1 x Oscar (got one reserved)
1 x Siamese algae eater (currently about 4.5 inches)
1 x Red spotted Severum (if i can find a good sized one)
1 x L114 (still looking for one)
1 x L190 (offered a 6 inch specimin)

 

[rdp50734]

I wouldn't worry too much at all about mid-sized plecs being bothered by the cichlid mix that you are proposing. Any plec that is going to max aout above about 5" should be fine.
BTW L014 are probably my favourite plecs !!!

they are a beautifull plec but ive read that they require hotter water than normal and suit a discus tank rather than a mid 20's tank... this is whats kind of put me off the L014.
can anyone confirm that they are ok at a mid 20's temp tank?

24.0-28.0°C or 75.2-82.4°F planet catfish.

http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/detail62_165216.php

L114's £20.

 

[mattlee]

changed my mind again.........

ok after a trip to wharf aquatics i have got a fully grown oscar being held for me until my tank is ready. i had to have him he/she is beautifull and after seeing the actual size of a fully grown oscar i think my stocking plans might not be what i wanted. as i was out to get a 'wetpet' i feel this is what i will have with the oscar. i want peace in the tank and dont want to be removing fish every 5 minutes until its this way. so here is the new stocking plans -

2 x asian sun cats
1 x BGK
1 x oscar
1 x siamese algae eater
3 x spotted climbing perch
1 x L190
1 x L114
1 x rotkeil severum
group of dithers.....?

also after not wanting dither fish i think i would like to add a small group of maybe 5 or 6 fish that wont become lunch for the oscar! i dont want silverdollars as they get too big/round so can people chuck a few dither ideas my way please. my local maidenhead has 2 x 6 inch denisonii barbs they said i can have but i feel these would be much better in a group of 5 or 6 and i cant find anywhere or anyone selling barbs of this size i think something like the barbs would be ideal its such a shame they only have 2. i could wait for my group of 7 to grow i guess and add them in time
then i would have to stock my other tank again

 

[star4]

The denisonii barbs are these also called red line torpedo barb? they had some at Shirley aquatics, a tank full of good size ones, if they still have them.

 

[mattlee]

The denisonii barbs are these also called red line torpedo barb? they had some at Shirley aquatics, a tank full of good size ones, if they still have them.

yeah they are the same fish. did you see how much they were? my only issue with buying these is that i already have 7 in another tank that are about 3 inch and could always add these when they get bigger...
if i do go with adding my 7 then i will have to go through this whole stocking thing again in my 4ft tank and i dont think i can handle that just yet....

 

[star4]

I didnt catch how much they were, I was talking to the assistant at the time who was trying to get me to buy some, but I put my fingers in my ears and went la la la la la (Its ok I he does know I am a complete nutter and he is a terribly bad influence )

 

[Wills]

What about a group of these Strawberry Headstanders that are starting to get imported http/www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=6873452&fbid=478564981097&id=7267566097 Seriously incredible markings on this fish but no idea how available they are but I can imagine its possible through the importers name on that photo.

But if you cant find them how about a group of some headstanders you could get a really nice group of pretty much any of the common ones including some of the leporinus species that are normally quite problematic but thats just because people keep them as single specimens in tanks rather than in groups like they should be.

Wills

 

[mattlee]

What about a group of these Strawberry Headstanders that are starting to get imported http/www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=6873452&fbid=478564981097&id=7267566097 Seriously incredible markings on this fish but no idea how available they are but I can imagine its possible through the importers name on that photo.

But if you cant find them how about a group of some headstanders you could get a really nice group of pretty much any of the common ones including some of the leporinus species that are normally quite problematic but thats just because people keep them as single specimens in tanks rather than in groups like they should be.

Wills

cheers wills ill take a look at those mate

 

[mattlee]

can anyone suggest what lighting would be best on this tank?

it currently has a 5 or 6 foot T8 tube layed on the top with a white plastic cover. at the minute it has no hodd just glass sliders. i will be getting a hood made up that will open in 2 x 3ft lids with a 6 inch gap in the middle so can fit tubes up to 3ft. how many tubes would i want? 2 x 3ft or 4 x 3ft tubes. i might try some low light plants if the oscar will leave them in position but nothing over the top for plants etc.

 

[mattlee]

tank update. as my filter seems to be cycling to plan i have dropped the sand into the tank today and filled with water. the heaters are on and 1 Fx5 is running. over the weekend ill be playing with the wood to get it how i want. im meant to be collecting the oscar next weekend so i have a week or so to get the filter cycled unless they can hold it for another week

this is my first fishless cycle as ive always seeded filters in the past or used media from other tanks etc. my ammonia is dropping from 4ppm to 0 ppm in about 10 hours amd i think the nitrites are starting to drop now, hopefully if it drops to 0 over the weekend or begining of next week then there may still be a chance of the tank being ready for next weekend. i have my fingers crossed.

does anyone have any ideas of time for the nitrites to drop to 0? i have added some cycled media from other tanks so it should be kicked on nicely

 

[hamfist]

i have added some cycled media from other tanks so it should be kicked on nicely

With mature media added, tanks/filters usually cycle in no time. I'd be amazed if it wasn't cycled by next weekend.

 

[mattlee]

i have added some cycled media from other tanks so it should be kicked on nicely

With mature media added, tanks/filters usually cycle in no time. I'd be amazed if it wasn't cycled by next weekend.

i hope so as im getting twitchy now...... i just want some fish in!

i couldnt add too much but put in what i could spare from 2 tanks so hopefully it will be ready

 

[mattlee]

picked up my L190 pleco from rare aquatics in crewe, its about 5 inches nose to end of tail and seems very healthy and fat

ill get some pics tomorrow when its hopefully settled in nicely

 

[markandhisfish]

cant wait to see this badboy stocked. the suspense is killing me

 

[mattlee]

cant wait to see this badboy stocked. the suspense is killing me

its killing me too..... the tank is now full of sand, wood and water up and running to check the new filters and heaters are working ok. a big tank running with absolutely nothing living in it
also all the fish ive been buying are all in different quarentine tanks scattered about the garage and some are going to be too small to risk with such a big oscar being the first to move in.... which is adding to the pain

hopefully it will be ready and fish in next weekend or next week sometime

so far i have bought the following fish-

2 x asian sun catfish @ 2.5 inches
1 x L190 pleco @ 5 inches
1 x SAE @ 4.5 inches
1 x BGK @ 5 inches
1 x oscar @ 12+ inches
3 x spotted climbing perch @ 1.5 inches

going on these sizes i think it will be a while before the tank is fully stocked and im still looking for an L114 of a decent size and ive got a rotkeil reserved for me at stars which will also need growing on a bit before adding to the tank.....
i think ill risk the cats, the pleco, the SAE, the BGK with the oscar from day 1 as they are either very fast or big enough to avoid the oscars mouth the perches will need to grow up quite a bit before risking it i think.