What do you think?

[Fish]

Hi everyone, I have sold all my tanks and scaled down operations! I now have only two tanks (the wife finally won, I started a new company and do not have the time any more for 10 tanks not to mention our 3 year old) so I am down to a 220 FOLR and a new 150 I picked up last summer.

The new 150 is a giant it is 5 feet long 17 inches wide and 3 feet tall. I am looking for ideas on live stock! I have sold all my fronts and other Africans. So do not mention them to me. I would like to do a South American biotope job. I already have 6 gold sevrums that are 3 inches big and I have become rather fond of them. A friend is going to hold them for me while I set up the tank and sell my last tank! What else could you suggest I put in with them. I would like to have a schooling fish if possible. Does not have to be a cichlid. Also what other chiclids could you suggest? This is not a breeding tank, it would be more of a community tank and if there is breeding it will not be by my doing!
I am also willing to forget the chicled thing if I get some good ideas on other types of fish. Because this is a big tall tank I am looking for some large fish, or many small schooling ones! I would like to have the best of both worlds but do not see this possible. The only combination I could think of and correct me if I am wrong is neons and discus.
Well any input will be appreciated.
Regards,
Fish

[pluff]

How about some Tiger Barbs?

[Fish]

Forgot all about the barb family, Could be cool! big school of them. mayne something with diffrent colors then tigers. What do you think about rainbow fish!

F

[johnfish]

How about pirahnas?

I have always wanted a big tank full of pirahnas.

Then when people come to visit you could take out a leg of lamb, stick it in the tank, the water would boil furiously and then you pull out the clean bone.

How cool would that be?

[Drew]

for a 3' tall tank, severums make an awesome choice! they'll love you for the height factor
since you already have the severums it makes it a bit limited as to tankmates... they are generally 'gentle giants,' but still a foot-long fish will likely intimidate smaller ones... assumingyou have Heros efasciatus, they can attain a length up to 12", with females usually reaching the 9-10" mark.
generally being peaceful, but they are opportunistic feeders and would not hesitate if a neon happened to swim by...
assuming your lighting is sufficient, it sounds like it would make a great SA biotope... good light, murky water, slow current...
some other possible tankmates would be:
-geophagus spp. (just watch out because they have a habit of messing up your substrate and plants... geophagus actually means "earth-eater")
-discus (as long as you stick to ideal discus water parameters)
-angels
-larger tetras
-Mesonauta insignis (festivums -- one of my favourite fish!)
-larger Corydoras
all of these fish (asides from tetras) generally come from backwaters and offshoots of rivers/streams near the bottom or among plants/logs/tree roots
one thing to consider is feeding your severums a wide-variety diet... include native fruits (Avoid juicy, citrusy types), plant matter (hygrophila spp are ideal), worms, frozen crustacean, and the other basic frozen/pellets/flakes.
Also as for safe plants, most every Echinodorus species, java fern, and cryptocoryne spp are not relished by Heros spp.
btw, make sure you add lots of decor for them to hide in and among, try and make it as natural as possible.
Drew :)
also, keep an eye on them if you do have a pair(s)... in a 150 I dont forsee many problems as long as its not overstocked, but the pair will exhibit fairly territorial behaviour... just like other cichlids ;)

[Fish]

Thanks Drew, I now have a breeding pair by the way! I aming getting the tank set up soon so I will let you know how it goes!
Although geophagus are one of my favorite, I think I would have to skip them, as I plan to have a sand bottom Tank! Already went through the pain of sand siffters in my 220 salt with 400-500 pounds of sand!
Thanks
F