What To Do With 500Litres Of Space?

[Big_eyes]

I have an opportunity arising for a little plan. It won't be occurring straight away as there's a bit of work to be done first before the tank can be set up.

So I have the red sev, a few tapajo's and a firemouth already and am already planning on upping the number of tapajo's to about 6-8. Plus if I can get hold of another severum or two I won't say no. But then I doubt three would work out would it.

What else would you good folk suggest stocking wise?

With a tank this size I'd be heading into the unknown again filter wise so suggestions/advice on suitable filters would be greatly appreciated too.

Would a true parrot work in there?

 

[Verminator89]

Fluval Fx5 for filtration straight out. Ok its expensive but when your tunning a tank this size it goes witout saying really.

Stocking depends on your ideas for scaping. I'd say go for a monster plec, or just a big plec. Or something unique. Can't think like what at the minute. Haha, i'll come back later when i have my fish thinking head on.

 

[star4]

What To Do With 500Litres Of Space? Put a fish tank in it

 

[Verminator89]

Ahahahaha

 

[shroob]

Best filter for larger tanks in my opinion are trickle filters. Much cheaper too.

I'll probably get slated here, but whats the big deal with severums on this forum, sure they're nice fish, I had one once. But come on, theres a bunch of other fish out there!

 

[Big_eyes]

But come on, theres a bunch of other fish out there!

Partly hence the creation of this thread

I don't know what other options cichlid wise I have that will fit in with my current crew.

And star -

 

[hamfist]

DOes the new 500 litre tank have to include the fish you already have ? Or can it have totally new stock ?

Personally, my thoughts on my 500 litre where ... it's a big tank, so I may as well put some big fish in it. The rest of my family certainly appreciate the big fish too.

Central americans work well.

A Pair of Jags, Midas, Red Devils, Green terrors or similar.

Or a select small community. Maybe something like a GT, a couple of firemouths, a pair of nics, etc. Various options.

IMO, an FX5 is not enough on it's own for a 500, unless you are very lightly stocked. Big cichlids produce a lot of poop. You need a decent flow rate to cope. THe FX5 has 2300lph flow rate, so thats only a 4.6 x tank turnover per hour. Add another external with something like an extra 1000lph and you are good to go though.

 

[Verminator89]

I was forgetting the top end of a Fluval Fx5 was for 500L tanks haha. Yes, maybe more filtration would be adequate.

If it were me i'd love to set it up as a brackish tank and have a shoal of Mono's. Oh wow that would be amazing, with driftwood and roots coming down from the surface with underhanging Java fern underneath. With tall Vallis sparsely at the rear. Maybe some moss on the wood root tips. Oops, i'm off on one

So yes, Mono's Failing that exactly the same set-up but with Angels in freshwater.

I'm hooked on this kind of set-up, but imagine the previously mentioned but with lots of smaller fish. I think a common problem with getting a bigger tank is people overlook smaller fish. They automatically assume bigger means bigger fish, which is true and i myself am guilty of it. But just imagine a 500L tank with roots hanging down and everything mentioned previously with a shoal of rummynose tetras, or lemon tetras. Or if there too small a shoal of Edessa Barbs with a centre piece of a few big gouramis or firemouths. You could get 2 maybe 3 pairs in a tank this big of firemouths.

 

[shroob]

If the Red sev, tapajo's and firemouths are definitely in then stocking would have to be around them.

I would suggest cichlid possibilites could include and are by no means limited to:
Sajica
Cutteri
Festivums
Honduran red point
Rainbows
Red Bay Snook (depending on tank dimensions)
Thorichthys sp. (though might not due to already having FM)
Veija argentia (depending on tank dimensions)
Polleni
Blue acara

Now, if it was my tank I would have a female fastae (red terror) in there for sure, have you seen the colours on them!

 

[Big_eyes]

Doesn't matter now anyway, plans have all fell through already