Looking for something different

[mattj]

I'm setting my 150gallon up again. First time upstairs - yay!!! I had to take it down to fix water/storm damage in the basement.

I'm looking for something different to do with this tank tho, I've had

marine/salt/reef (sort of)/sea horses/octopus
FW rays/arrowana
Oscars (love 'em)
community tanks

Looking for something stunning/fascinating - ideas I have so far include....

either
- fancy gold fish (e.g. orandas/pearl scale etc.)
- oddballs
- clown knife
- unusual catfish
- possibly one of those sealed/self sustaining systems (probably too involved for me at the moment tho)

[aquariumfishguy]

There are many possibilities, although I wanted to add if you go with Fancy Goldfish, which are lovely fish, you must make sure its a "species only" tank as Goldfish generally do not fair well with other fish.

In a 150, you could keep about 10-14 Goldfish in there....it would be cool. :)

This would (for me) be a hard choice to make just because we are talking about a HUGE tank and any fish you put in there will need your full attention and commitment. Goldfish live 20+ years so they would be a long commitment while other fish dont live as long.

What were you really set on?

[often dignified]

How about a cichlid species tank? :cool:

[mattj]

Originally posted by aquariumfishguy
[
In a 150, you could keep about 10-14 Goldfish in there....it would be cool. :)


I'm definately leaning this way. It could be very dramatic.

[mattj]

Originally posted by often dignified
How about a cichlid species tank? :cool:

I already have an Oscar tank and an Angelfish tank. Cichlid's do make fantastic species tanks. My anglesfish actually started breeding at one point. That was fun but the fry never made it past "dime size."

[Bwana]

Piranha tank?

[LMOUTHBASS]

no question about it - do a REEF TANK!!! are you kidding? you have an empty 150?! nothing can compare to the colors of a reef tank! the fuish are leagues beyond goldfish or even tropicals! make it a proze show tank! you wont regret it!

[mattj]

Originally posted by LMOUTHBASS
no question about it - do a REEF TANK!!! are you kidding? you have an empty 150?! nothing can compare to the colors of a reef tank! the fuish are leagues beyond goldfish or even tropicals! make it a proze show tank! you wont regret it!

It would be awesome but I'm concerned about the cost and effort required to do that right. I have considered one of those sealed, no maintenance systems. But, although it would be less work once set up, it takes enormous planning to get it right.

[Leopardess]

Rainbowfish. Rainbowfish only tanks (but I'd add some cories and otos) are awesome. It ought to be planted if you go this route, though.

They're such bright fish and very active:) You could have a bunch of different kinds too! Celebes and threadfins and boesmanis and irians and trifasciatas oh my!:D

One huge school of neons/cardinals/glowlights? Seen pics of tanks like that...talk about stunning!

OR

A tetra tank. Like 15 schools of 10-15 different tetra species:) That would be awesome:)

[PumaWard]

That would be an awesome tank for a grassy plain look with a large shoal of say 75 small tetras like cardinals or glowlights. You could have another shoal of about 20-30 pygmy cories and 15 otos...


I envy you ;)

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

African Rift lake cichlids.


No question- you could get some beautiful large species in that tank.

Like this one i pulled off the web:

http://www.duboisi.com/gallery/1202/images/Post-23-1594malawi20026bis.jpg

[LMOUTHBASS]

your right about the salt very $$$ but prob worth it -
recreate a specific bio-tope!!!
like pic a region of the amazon and add only fish and plants that come from there that woudl be stunning! say you get the area where cardinals come form a HUMUNGOUS school of them in their natural surrounding woul be awesoem !!! and of course what ever else live with them -

[aquariumfishguy]

Matt, I like your style...and I'm glad you like mine when it comes to Goldfish :cool:

While the tropical fish are nice, you could place most tropical mentioned in much smaller tanks, and they would be just as happy. Reefs are expensive, although they are nice.

...but GOLDFISH...real nice school of Goldfish are something you dont see everyday or get to have unless your lucky enough to have a 150. :eek:

PS: I think too many peoples minds are spoiled because they've went by too many walmart goldfish holding tanks. :p

[LMOUTHBASS]

just my opinion - sorry but goldfish = boring!!!


ps - not insulting anyone who likes them just get bored with them easily - i mean you can't do much with the tank if their in there - i like tanks with lots of plants or natural type surroundings

[tricksterpup]

Hmm.. Goldfish are not boring.. I think they are cool fish but how about trying some thing a little different.
How about trying to get some grass, such as jungle val and some long growing grass plants for the tank and try some Native fish, such as Golden shiners, a few pumpkin seeds or other sunfish. I think that would be a really neat setup. The shiners can be bought at any Bait shop for cheap and you might be able to find sunfish there also or online. :)

jim