Newbie here first time 150 gallon tank
- Thread starter pogoforeman
- Start date
you may get more feedback if you can id the fish by scientific names(genus/species)
common names are just that.. often too common and may actually refer to several different species..example: long nosed sucker sturgeon
a search of this name is fairly none specific on results .
also. FW flounder ends up with similar results.
this makes it difficult to give you constructive information.
generally , from the sounds of it.. you are looking at , possibly, several species which may not be compatible with their selected tank mates..often requiring very specific water parameters which are too different to comfortably raise the fish or give any advice.
good luck .. if you can get more specific information please let us know.. I'm sure folks would love to give you thier opinions
common names are just that.. often too common and may actually refer to several different species..example: long nosed sucker sturgeon
a search of this name is fairly none specific on results .
also. FW flounder ends up with similar results.
this makes it difficult to give you constructive information.
generally , from the sounds of it.. you are looking at , possibly, several species which may not be compatible with their selected tank mates..often requiring very specific water parameters which are too different to comfortably raise the fish or give any advice.
good luck .. if you can get more specific information please let us know.. I'm sure folks would love to give you thier opinions
The tank looks nice, the stocking needs some work. The marine/brackish fish won't work, unless you go that direction. Also the flounders and "dolphin" may be hard to feed properly.
So I am assuming by freshwater dolphin, you mean the Mormyrus tapirus
Is that correct?
I do agree with the others though, your stock needs a little tweaking.
1 Freashwater Dolphin (if it's the mormyrus sp or similar that I have pictured above, then this is a good read "I don't know if any of this helps you... but the "dolphins" are absolutely amazing fish to keep. My M. kanume is my absolute favorite fish ever. They seem to be hardy, like amiddae said, just avoid the "extremes" and keep clean water and you will be fine. But they tend to be aggressive fish towards their own kind. So you definitely do NOT want to keep 2-3 of them. You would need to keep 7 or more probably in a LARGE (VERY LARGE) tank.... I would say 200+gal at least for that many. THese fish can get 16-30 inches long or more depending on species and are ACTIVE swimmers. They also need "things" in the tank to explore ... very curious animals that seem to need some kind of mental stimulation." http://forums.***********.com/lofiversion/index.php/t97730.html
1 Moray eel (these are brackish/marine fish http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm)
2 bala shartks (better in a group of at least 3, this is a good site http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile21.html)
1 green spotted puffer (brackish http://www.splutphoto.com/pierre/puffer.htm)
2 spotted catfish (I'm guessing either pictus catfish or spotted rapheals? )
long nose sucker sturgin (is it a true sturgeon? If so they need a POND not an aquarium, if it's some sort of pleco or catfish, please post pics or anything to help us figure out what it is)
2 freshwater flonders (this site is fairly good http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Flounder.htm they too are brackish)
, and the 9 mollies and platties
Please post pics though and congrats on the 150 gallon!
Is that correct?
I do agree with the others though, your stock needs a little tweaking.
1 Freashwater Dolphin (if it's the mormyrus sp or similar that I have pictured above, then this is a good read "I don't know if any of this helps you... but the "dolphins" are absolutely amazing fish to keep. My M. kanume is my absolute favorite fish ever. They seem to be hardy, like amiddae said, just avoid the "extremes" and keep clean water and you will be fine. But they tend to be aggressive fish towards their own kind. So you definitely do NOT want to keep 2-3 of them. You would need to keep 7 or more probably in a LARGE (VERY LARGE) tank.... I would say 200+gal at least for that many. THese fish can get 16-30 inches long or more depending on species and are ACTIVE swimmers. They also need "things" in the tank to explore ... very curious animals that seem to need some kind of mental stimulation." http://forums.***********.com/lofiversion/index.php/t97730.html
1 Moray eel (these are brackish/marine fish http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm)
2 bala shartks (better in a group of at least 3, this is a good site http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile21.html)
1 green spotted puffer (brackish http://www.splutphoto.com/pierre/puffer.htm)
2 spotted catfish (I'm guessing either pictus catfish or spotted rapheals? )
long nose sucker sturgin (is it a true sturgeon? If so they need a POND not an aquarium, if it's some sort of pleco or catfish, please post pics or anything to help us figure out what it is)
2 freshwater flonders (this site is fairly good http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Flounder.htm they too are brackish)
, and the 9 mollies and platties
Please post pics though and congrats on the 150 gallon!
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Definitely nippy.
From the sounds of it the OP is looking for a disaster. Numerous fishes that have completely different needs..
The FW Morray does much better in HIGH brackish if not total marine. I have kept them and couldnt get them to eat till I raised the salinity.
I think I went over my head. I really questioned the guys at the pet store if they would be fine together and of course to make a sale they said yes. When my wife got home form work se discovered that the two pituc cats had ich, so se called me I told her to raise the temp up by two degree at a time every hour till 82 degrees and put the ich medication in the tank. I really do not want to loose any fish I am setting up a 55 gallon in our bed room so please help me on which tank I soun keep fresh and which sould become the brackish and what fish sound go where I wish I would have found this forum before I listen to the guys at the auqatic store.
Wow i love your tank I might be getting a 150 or 180g tank in a few months. I was wondering what this setup cost u if u dont mind me asking.
That tends to happen unfortunately when you go to a pet store, either A) they sell you species they KNOW are incompatible to make a quick sale or B) they themselves are really clueless about the fish.
Do all the other fish have ich, or just the pictus? Unfortunately, pictus catfish are VERY prone to ich, they seem to be "ich magnets" in my opinion.
What ich medicine are you using right now? Pictus are scaleless so you have to use certain medicines when treating them, or at least use at half dose, and you can bet your money on it that the freshwater flounder, freshwater dolphin are sensitive to medicines, along with pretty much all your other fish excluding the platies and mollies.
Right now though, if the sturgeon is a TRUE sturgeon, (you never said if it was or not), you need to return it to your pet store first thing in the morning, hopefully it won't get ich. If not, please post a picture or a description or what the name tag said or what the employees said, anything to help us identify what it is.
Saying it is a true sturgeon and you return him, this would be your remaining stock/stock needs:
-Freshwater moray eel (assuming you have Gymnothorax tile not another species- high brackish/full marine, SG (specific gravity) of at least 1.010, temp ~80F, completely covered aquarium, sand substrate, eats frozen sea food, crustaceans, live brackish/marine fish sometimes, nocturnal, recommended tank size varies I've read from 30 gallons- 150 gallons, species only tank recommended, need lots of places to hide, maximum length 24" is http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/4f.html )
-Bala sharks (ph 5.7-7.9, dH 5-15, temp 72-84F, recommended in groups of 5+ as they are a schooling fish, 125 gallon minimum size, omnivores- flakes, pellets, frozen, live, need vegetable matter, maximum size 10-14", see http://www.balashark.info/bala_shark_care.php )
-Green spotted puffer ( max size ~6-7", brackish/or could do full marine even, need a diet of hard shelled food to keep their fast growing teeth down, species tank recommended, several feedings per day recommended, 30 gallon min tank size see http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Puffers/GreenSpottedPuffer.php )
-Pictus catfish (pref sand or small grained round smooth gravel substrate, max size either around ~5" or ~10" depending on whether peruvian or columbian origin {Colombian Pictus Catfish: The small spots form almost linear rows along its flanks and its caudal fin is striped. Their semi-aggressive/ territorial behavior is focused only toward their Peruvian counterparts. Other than the occasional wrestling matches, they are quite sedate preferring to stay motionless in a favorite spot.
Peruvian Pictus Catfish: The large blotches are more random and continue on its caudal fin. Their behavior seems just as random, constantly swimming over and under the same areas for hours."" http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com/index.php?showtopic=1788}, best in groups of 4-5+, min tank size ~100 gallons preferably a 5ft+ tank though, 75-81F temp, 7-7.5 pH, omnivore, see http://www.aquariumdomain.com/viewSpeciesFreshwater.php?id=38
-Freshwater flounder (max size ~8", there's a variety of them, some truly freshwater, some brackish, hard fish to keep, carnivores that prefer live foods and are slow eaters, nocturnal, minimum tan size 55 gallons, sand substrate, low light, temp 74-82F, pH 7-8, 7-10 dH, will eat tank mates that can fit in their mouth see http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/miscellaneous/Tonguefish.php )
So as for stocking, you could probably do-
~150 gallon
-2 Bala sharks (get 3 more)
-2 Pictus catfish (get 2-3 more pictus)
-1 Freshwater dolphin (I'm assuming this would be okay to have with the pictus and balas, not 100% sure though)
For the 55 gallon, I'd recommend doing a species tank. So choose either the green spotted puffer, "freshwater" moray eel, OR the freshwater flounder, and return the rest, along with the sturgeon. Keep in mind none of these species are beginner friendly really and don't do well in newly set up tanks, esp not the freshwater flounder. You could try to do both the moray and the GSP in the 55 gallon (high end brackish or full marine), although GSP are very nippy and there is a chance of the eel trying to eat it, and them both dieing.
As for the platies and mollies, in either tank, they would become food probably for the other fish. So either make the 55 gallon a molly and platy tank if you want them to live as your other fish grow, or if you don't mind them getting picked off, then you could do the platies in the 150 gallon, and the mollies in either the 150 gallon fresh or the 55 gallon brackish.
Hope this helps!
Do all the other fish have ich, or just the pictus? Unfortunately, pictus catfish are VERY prone to ich, they seem to be "ich magnets" in my opinion.
What ich medicine are you using right now? Pictus are scaleless so you have to use certain medicines when treating them, or at least use at half dose, and you can bet your money on it that the freshwater flounder, freshwater dolphin are sensitive to medicines, along with pretty much all your other fish excluding the platies and mollies.
Right now though, if the sturgeon is a TRUE sturgeon, (you never said if it was or not), you need to return it to your pet store first thing in the morning, hopefully it won't get ich. If not, please post a picture or a description or what the name tag said or what the employees said, anything to help us identify what it is.
Saying it is a true sturgeon and you return him, this would be your remaining stock/stock needs:
-Freshwater moray eel (assuming you have Gymnothorax tile not another species- high brackish/full marine, SG (specific gravity) of at least 1.010, temp ~80F, completely covered aquarium, sand substrate, eats frozen sea food, crustaceans, live brackish/marine fish sometimes, nocturnal, recommended tank size varies I've read from 30 gallons- 150 gallons, species only tank recommended, need lots of places to hide, maximum length 24" is http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwmorayart.htm http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/4f.html )
-Bala sharks (ph 5.7-7.9, dH 5-15, temp 72-84F, recommended in groups of 5+ as they are a schooling fish, 125 gallon minimum size, omnivores- flakes, pellets, frozen, live, need vegetable matter, maximum size 10-14", see http://www.balashark.info/bala_shark_care.php )
-Green spotted puffer ( max size ~6-7", brackish/or could do full marine even, need a diet of hard shelled food to keep their fast growing teeth down, species tank recommended, several feedings per day recommended, 30 gallon min tank size see http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Puffers/GreenSpottedPuffer.php )
-Pictus catfish (pref sand or small grained round smooth gravel substrate, max size either around ~5" or ~10" depending on whether peruvian or columbian origin {Colombian Pictus Catfish: The small spots form almost linear rows along its flanks and its caudal fin is striped. Their semi-aggressive/ territorial behavior is focused only toward their Peruvian counterparts. Other than the occasional wrestling matches, they are quite sedate preferring to stay motionless in a favorite spot.
Peruvian Pictus Catfish: The large blotches are more random and continue on its caudal fin. Their behavior seems just as random, constantly swimming over and under the same areas for hours."" http://aquaticpassion.animal-world.com/index.php?showtopic=1788}, best in groups of 4-5+, min tank size ~100 gallons preferably a 5ft+ tank though, 75-81F temp, 7-7.5 pH, omnivore, see http://www.aquariumdomain.com/viewSpeciesFreshwater.php?id=38
-Freshwater flounder (max size ~8", there's a variety of them, some truly freshwater, some brackish, hard fish to keep, carnivores that prefer live foods and are slow eaters, nocturnal, minimum tan size 55 gallons, sand substrate, low light, temp 74-82F, pH 7-8, 7-10 dH, will eat tank mates that can fit in their mouth see http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/miscellaneous/Tonguefish.php )
So as for stocking, you could probably do-
~150 gallon
-2 Bala sharks (get 3 more)
-2 Pictus catfish (get 2-3 more pictus)
-1 Freshwater dolphin (I'm assuming this would be okay to have with the pictus and balas, not 100% sure though)
For the 55 gallon, I'd recommend doing a species tank. So choose either the green spotted puffer, "freshwater" moray eel, OR the freshwater flounder, and return the rest, along with the sturgeon. Keep in mind none of these species are beginner friendly really and don't do well in newly set up tanks, esp not the freshwater flounder. You could try to do both the moray and the GSP in the 55 gallon (high end brackish or full marine), although GSP are very nippy and there is a chance of the eel trying to eat it, and them both dieing.
As for the platies and mollies, in either tank, they would become food probably for the other fish. So either make the 55 gallon a molly and platy tank if you want them to live as your other fish grow, or if you don't mind them getting picked off, then you could do the platies in the 150 gallon, and the mollies in either the 150 gallon fresh or the 55 gallon brackish.
Hope this helps!
I have to agree with what the others have said. your stocking is all over the place.
What are your water params? I myself don't trust bacteria in a bottle and prefer to go the fishless cycle route. Besides being more humane it provides time to research livestock so you don't end up losing fish due to compatibility/water condition requirements.
I would also increase filtration a lot. for a 150 I would look into 3 canisters the bigger the better.
Bala sharks do get large and IME will eat anything it can fit in it's mouth, and some of your fish won't get that big.
The best advise I can give is research and decide what you need to return/rehome and what you want to keep. Keep us posted.
What are your water params? I myself don't trust bacteria in a bottle and prefer to go the fishless cycle route. Besides being more humane it provides time to research livestock so you don't end up losing fish due to compatibility/water condition requirements.
I would also increase filtration a lot. for a 150 I would look into 3 canisters the bigger the better.
Bala sharks do get large and IME will eat anything it can fit in it's mouth, and some of your fish won't get that big.
The best advise I can give is research and decide what you need to return/rehome and what you want to keep. Keep us posted.
Hey Wizard i was hoping to get a tank about this size(maybe even 180g). And I was wondering for a 150 would i fluval fx5 be good enough or if i should throw a fluval 406 on there aswell.
