Hola!

OK, I've decided what fish I want, and I think they'll be OK. Not going to be getting them any time soon, but thought I'd get opinions.

My tank is ~200L, much wider than it is deep.

I was thinking:

*1 pleco

*4 clown loaches

*4 bala sharks

*8 marbled hatchets

Potential problems: everything here bar the hatchets has the potential to grow enormous! So wasn't sure about inital numbers. Also, do we have bala sharks in NZ? Cause I really really really want some! So cute! :oops:

How does that sound?

Yay yay yay! Are they likely to eat the hatchets? Maybe in that case I should plant it well to avoid dead fishies! :-?

In answer to your question in the other thread ... I don't know! Hense the stalling. I found a good DIY thing for stands, but the page has been closed now and I didn't save it. Considering the tank's a random size that makes it harder.

Should probably get a custom hood made too considering sharks and hatchets jump, plus, again, the weird-shaped tank.

But I don't know: is it imperative to get a hood where lights can sit nicely and cords be tucked away? There's so much information but I don't really know where to start!

yeah, you got some biguns there. if you want to keep the lot you will have to look at upgrading later down the track once they all get some size on. i think balas normally max out around 25-30, clowns max out at around 30 (but take many many years), depends on what pleco you want (commons can get around 50-60cm) and hatchets stay quite small (not sure but would guess 8cm?). make sure your lids are kept on for those hatchets, apparently theyre master jumpers :lol: i say they should all be ok temperment wise, your pleco *might* get bossy to the clowns but im not sure how those two nromally mix but just be prepared to rehome or upgrade (second option is best dont ya think lol!)

Definitely upgrade if needed!

Apparently plecos (yeah, common) only tend to get enormous if given the space. Of course, other fish notwithstanding, my broad tank may count as enough space but not work with other wee monsters!

So long as there aren't murders I'll be content. :bounce:

It's pretty big! Just not sure if'll be big enough when my cute lettle fishies grow into big monster fishies. Hehehehehe.

At least I thought 200L was pretty big... :lol:

keeping em in smaller tanks does stunt them, but that can cause serious health problems and they can get deformed etc etc. ive seen some gross pics of stunted fish, one was an oscar with overgrown gill plates :-?

keeping em in smaller tanks does stunt them, but that can cause serious health problems and they can get deformed etc etc. ive seen some gross pics of stunted fish, one was an oscar with overgrown gill plates :-?

Didn't know that! Gah! Do ya'll think my tank is too small for these beasties? Or will it take years for them to get too big, in which case I can upgrade... Don't want to hurt (deform!) my fishies!

Not asking for expert opinions, but are we talking months or years for full size? I mean, I think I'll be OK for a while...

commons grow pretty quick, depends on what size you get em, smaller ones shoot up like weeds. i dont think its too small for juvies but it might get too small as they get bigger, it something youll just have to judge when the time comes. i dont think youll have to worry about upgrading for the clowns within 5-10 years (depending on size you get em of course) ive seen 25 year olds at around 25 cm and thats nto fully grown :lol: not sure how quick balas grow, they might not outgrow the tank, but they might 'out swim' it, they are fast fish that like to zip round. how wide and tall is the tank? if you get them all small it will give you longer to upgrade.

why not ditch the big pleco and get some BN? that way you wont have to worry bout em growing to big. if the commons out you will probably have much much longer.

deforming them doesnt always happen through stunting, apparently their insides can get all muddled up though.

BN? Bristle nosed catfish? I've always, always like plecos though.

Tank's ~900mmx800x500 (500 being depth)

800 is pretty wide, definatly wide enough for a common and should be ok length wise depending on how active he is. you may run into probs with the balas and the length for swimming room, the clowns *should* be ok until they get to around 20cm or so. hatchets should be sweet. 50cm tall (im guessing thats what you mean by depth) is a good height, well done :bounce:

Woot. And yeah, depth of water, height of tank. :oops: Well, in about 6 months I might be ready for fish!!

umm, just a heads up, your tank is 360L, not 200L. 90X80X50=360000/1000=360L

Hehe. Awesome. Kinda approximate, couldn't be bothered re-measuring, but it's +/- 10cm, so pretty close.

To me 200L is big Mystic and know to find out it's actually 360L...cool :bounce:

Just out of interest, when these fishies start getting too big, how big am I looking to move them? Let's just say move them all at once. Is 500L enough for about 15 fish that can grow to 40cm?!

OK, I've changed my mind (again). :-?

Definitely want bala (did you say silver?) sharks - kinda the main fish IMO. But just read that they're shoaling fish and are happy with at least 6, so thought I'd get 8. Which obviously = big, at some point! Though I wish I knew how long it takes... 10year life span apparently.

Still like the idea of some marbled hatchets to hang round the top and be cute (and small - phew). So 8 of those.

But I'm rethinking the common pleco and clown loaches, since they all grow huge - doing a little research on small catfish.

Anyway, let's just say, would 500L be enough for 8 large bala sharks and possibly a large bottom feeder?