Time to start thinking of stocking

[Orion]

I'm finaly getting pretty close to getting the 45 ready to role and now we're thinking more seriously along the lines of what we want to stock our tanks with. This seems to be the most agreed upon for the 45 gallon:

-5 Juvie Alto. Calvus 'Inkfin'
-some dwarf Julies
-Shellies ( I would like to get some new shellies like occies, but more than likley I can't because I may end up needing to move the N. multies out of the 75 and into this tank. If I do, I will put both of my multie colonies in the tank on either side.)
- Paracyps*

*The paracyps are iffy right now. I really don't know if I'm going to have the room for them plus the other rock dwellers once everyone grows up. If I run across some at a good price then if they don't work out I will put them into another tank.

Figuring out what to do with the 45 was easy. We've had a lot more difficult time tring to decide what to do with the 75. I would really like to do a troupheus and goby tank. But it's going to take a while to get the funds for a big enough colony from the go. Then agian if I'm able to set it up where I can get a few juvies from different people that are all around the same size then I may go that route if I can manage to do it within a short time period.

Something else that I would really love to keep are the xeno's. If I did that then I would probably be able to keep some of the larger shellies in with them as well.

We did talk about making the 75 a SW tank. But really we don't have anywhere localy to get anything, and I don't want to throw the money down for all the LR I would need for it right now, especialy for a first time out with SW.

Also discussed a SA/CA setup with the larger cichlids, but I don't want to get into plants that much again. We talked about some of the haps and peacocks too, but really my wife would love to have some mighty troupheus, so I guess my hands are kinda tied (not that I'm complaining to bad. )

Any thoughts, sugestions or other idea's?

 

[FroggyFox]

If you found a chunk of money and wanted to try the 75 SW, you could have the tank set up, figure out the salt mix (get yourself a refractometer) and get the tank and water running (plumbing...powerheads etc) Trust me, that takes enough time and its possible to (and kind of easy) to build a SW tank slowly. Go with the mechanics and learn about that...and then when you get some $$ drop a chunk on some LR. Get it into your tank for a cycling period...then if you decide you want more after a couple weeks (or more) then drops some more $$ on some more LR until you're satisfied with the look. And then you can start in on lighting and stocking the tank...which again can go really slowly.

The tropheus would be great though, if she wants them and you want them then maybe the best thing to do is to wait for the $$ to come through and do that

Personally doing a tank like your 45 I'd like to focus on one species like just getting the julies...and then maybe a couple of comps or calvus to keep things interesting. I'd love to redo my 29 and focus on just one or two species...

 

[Orion]

I'd love to redo my 29 and focus on just one or two species...

No comment...

As of right now my wife and I are in the proccess of getting Loan secured for our first house. So we're getting so tight we sqeak when we walk. So really much of anything is totaly out of the question for a good while.

But I think that we may keep an eye out for any of the dwarf julies, and if we can get some at a good price we may get some for the 45, and all the calvus we already have along with the other colony of N. multies. That will probably be it for a good long time.

Oh why couldn't I have been born a millionare?

 

[Fishchaser]

cichlids are awsome get colourful ones

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Also discussed a SA/CA setup with the larger cichlids, but I don't want to get into plants that much again.

Exactly why i don't want them again!! Although i sometimes do. haha I wish i was a millionare too, but alas...i am not.

So many great choices for a 75, wow. As you already know i am more of a malawi guy so i'd go with a hap tank myself. However tangs are cool and your stocklist above looks good, all are awesome species. Though would the calvus not take shots at the paracyps at night when they move to deeper water to sleep, of course once the get bigger? It'd be my concern.

Xeno's are cool.

If you come up with the money, i'd definently go Tropheus. Probably becase they do have some good colors and can be seen from across the room (My kind of thing..) Not to mention they are a very interesting species and would be a new challenge to keep.

 

[Verse914]

Go with the Trophs They are so entertaining and interesting to watch. A 75gallon is a great size for a group...

 

[Orion]

I don't know if they would do that or not Matt. I've never kept the paracyps, and so far I don't have any experince with calvus interacting with other fish because they have been in a species grow out since I got them. I would imagine that's a very real possibility. One of my main concerns with the paracyps are that they are more rock dwellers than open water like the cyps are, and therefour need the rockwork, and with two already decent sized rockdwellers, I don't know how well they would be able to fit in and hold there own.

Unfortunatly I can't even get any malawi's localy since our LFS shut down. So anything I do get will either require a trip to pick up or shell out shipping for them.

Yeah, I really like the troph's. And Verse is right on the money with the tank size. I've seen some awesome displays in a 75 with troph's in it. That's probably what i'll go with once we have the house thing squared away and a little funds built back up for it. That and some gobies of course.