# New to form, not to fish :)



## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

"" Hi all I'm new the the forum but not new to salt and fresh water aquariums. 

In the past I have had many fresh water planted tanks, and l have had quite a few living salt water tanks reef tanks.

I broke down my last tank about a year ago. Now I want to set up my 150 gallon tank, and set it up with a few large species of catfish that I have had my eye on. I don't want to heavily plant it maybe just some low light loving plants like Micranthemum, Cryptocoryne, Microsorum, Hygrophila, Hydrocotyle, Cladophora, and a bunch of Anubias.

I don't want a lot of plants because I don't have to spend tons of time to keep up maintenance; mainly want to focus on the fish in this cage. I will have a lot of rocks and drift wood decor.

I need some advice on a good filter, and basic care of a tank like that which I described. I have not had an aquarium that wasn't a heavly planted fresh water, or salt water. So, I would be somewhat of a novice at having a tank that does not use a finely tuned balanced ecosystem between flora and fauna.

The Cats I am looking at getting are:
Pseudoplatysoma spp.
Merodontotus spp.
And any other large body cats that I can find.

Also, I would like to start cycling my tank soon, so the most specific info I really need is on the different species of catfish themselves, and there preferred water parameters ect. I also need some good advice as to what kind of filtration system to set up for this kind of aquatic setting.

All comments and inquirys would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks. ""

I posted this same post on another forum a long time ago, along with a few other questions but I got no responses :/ I hope I can get a few answers here!

What has changed sense that time is my tank size. I was moving my 150 gallon out of a room to bring in a large (6'X4'X32") lizard cage and it snagged a corner and cracked across the entire back :chair:. 

I still want to set up a tank, I would still like to start the cycling hopefully this weekend, and I am still a big fan of catfish; but the size of my tank now is going to be either my 30 gallon tall, or my 60 gallon, if I can set up a new cage for the poison frogs that are in my 60 aquarium right now. For a tank in that range, I already have great lighting and filtration systems sitting around. Obviously my preferred species of fish can't go in such a small tank! 

So, here are my questions. What different species of cat fish are available to me now? what types of cat fish do you enjoy keeping? The main reason I like catfish, is because of their barbels and smooth skin. I also like them because they are a slow moving fish, and I am adding this fish tank to a room to add sort of a calming effect to it. I would prefer to have a freshwater set up and not brackish, but I CAN compromise on that. I do not like Pictus Catfish. The longer the barbels on a catfish the better. Since they are a bottom feeders, I will also be getting some other fish that are mid-range / surface dwellers, but haven't deiced on what species to get.

I live in Southern California, about 45 minutes from San Diego, so I have a wealth of fish stores near me. I can acquire, or request just about any species I want so there is no problem there. 

Again, any comments or input on species would be great! For both a 30, or a 60 gallon. Also any suggestions on fish that complement cats would be great as well, thanks!


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

I think that the Fluval Fx5 is hands down the best performing canister filter. Ehime has the largest media capacity but the Fx5 has the biggest pump available. I personally hate Fluval filters but respect the Fx5. For your tank its the only filter I would consider..that is outside of a fresh water sump. 

As far as catfish go:
I have a short body red tail that is amazing. They stay small...2'-3' that is lol. I think the regular red tails get upwards of RIDICULOUS1


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

grogan said:


> I think that the Fluval Fx5 is hands down the best performing canister filter. Ehime has the largest media capacity but the Fx5 has the biggest pump available. I personally hate Fluval filters but respect the Fx5. For your tank its the only filter I would consider..that is outside of a fresh water sump.
> 
> As far as catfish go:
> I have a short body red tail that is amazing. They stay small...2'-3' that is lol. I think the regular red tails get upwards of RIDICULOUS1


I like that filter, looked it up, has some good reviews on it thanks.

The game has changed a little bit.. a 30g just isn't going to cut it for me.. So tomorrow I am going to go pick up an 80g tall ( 36"32"16" ). I like the size because it allows me to have a more aggressive / larger cat, and some other larger top dwellers. It also fits very nicely on top my lizard cage next to my TV / computer screen! I like those short body red tails a lot, they have that nice thick body and barbels, but have a good color to them. That is exactly the kind of cat I was looking for. I have a nice light for the tank as well, Dual t5 actinics and dual florescent t5s, Which should be a good amount of light... I guess I am going to have to just plant my tank a bit more now as well haha :fun:


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

oh my bad. I just read above and noticed the part where your 150 broke. A fx5 would be absurd on a 30..but an 80..now we are talking! Hahaha yeah I tried to do tanks with minimal plants..and failed miserably. It happens 

This tank is starting to sound interesting. FYI those short body red tail cats can be hard to find and quit spendy. Im talking hundreds


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

I like the fx5 I almost had my hands on one at a rummage for $35 but I guess someone else has it on hold. I was so angry that it was sitting there still. I offered the guy $40 but I guess he knew what he was getting. Anyways 
Welcome to the forum!


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

welcome murloc i was in the same boat start out with a 50 then got a 55 then got a 90g lol


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

grogan said:


> oh my bad. I just read above and noticed the part where your 150 broke. A fx5 would be absurd on a 30..but an 80..now we are talking! Hahaha yeah I tried to do tanks with minimal plants..and failed miserably. It happens
> 
> This tank is starting to sound interesting. FYI those short body red tail cats can be hard to find and quit spendy. Im talking hundreds


Yeah a 30 or 60 was just not going to cut it for me. 80 is a good size, not huge, but has enough water in it so that I can easily balance it without the constant attention lower gallon cages have. I also got a screaming good deal on it, I LOVE craigslist, I originally got my 150g on there for $100. That is basically stealing haha. 

I am down to pay that much for the cats.. I really like them. I am going to call a very large fish store in San Diego and get them on order for me. I know they can get them, I have have had them get me some fresh water plants in the past that I didn't think I would ever see. Last time I was there, they had a Lion Fish, and some seriously rare eels, and VERY rare catfish, so I have faith haha. The tank cycling starts tomorrow, or after a few of these wood pieces I have get water logged.
I want to put a later of Carib Sea Eco Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate down, then a sand rock mixture on top for looks.. I guess I should be a little patient and wait until I can go down and grab those supplies :/ 



Cory1990 said:


> I like the fx5 I almost had my hands on one at a rummage for $35 but I guess someone else has it on hold. I was so angry that it was sitting there still. I offered the guy $40 but I guess he knew what he was getting. Anyways
> Welcome to the forum!


WOW, that is a serious deal for that filter! I would shoot myself in the foot if i lost that:sad: I will try and find one used, but if it comes down to it I will just fork out the $...What did not help me is that I went to a reptile convention today, with a serious intent of getting nothing, and I spent like $200 more then I should have :chair::chair:. Double shifts at work for me this week!

I have heard and seen a lot of people do this, but I never have, and I am hesitant to do it myself. To aid in the cycling, I know you can add some water from a well established tank to help out and make it go quicker... The only balanced water I have with bacteria in it is my pond. The idea of adding a few cups of it to my cycling tank freaks me out, because I have always taken the long road of 4+ weeks of cycling. What do you guys think?


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

i personally cycle my tanks without fish for one week with quick start, then i add a few fishes then i add the rest two weeks later


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

Redhead305 said:


> i personally cycle my tanks without fish for one week with quick start, then i add a few fishes then i add the rest two weeks later


I like that method. I can throw some goldfish in there, then take them out and feed them to my lizards / snakes. Or a ton of guppies I have, then let the larger fish I get just go ahead and use them as feeder fish. I actually have a few dozen white tipped minnows, they are a very attractive feeder fish. I don't know why I didn't consider this method before.


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

If you are going to use Eco Complete it comes calk full of beneficial bacteria (Im sure you know). This stuff will make your cycle period quick. 

Good to know you are supporting your llfs! A LFS will always go above and beyond to make sure they get what their customers want. Even if you are a few miles away.


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Add some minnows to the tank to make it cycle. That way your doing a natural cycle and not jump starting your tank by already adding stuff to it. I use minnows to cycle all mh tanks and I always have good luck with them. After I'm done I'll flush them,use them for fishing,feed them to my other fish,put them in my pond. They are also very cheap about $0.10-.15 I always have good luck. 

And yes I was not happy that I didn't get the filter. I was so angry they had it on the ground with the sale tag but wouldn't sell it to me because they were "holding" it. I didn't know rummage sales did that. I was ticked off all day about it.


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## Redhead305 (May 30, 2012)

i personally found a aquaclear 110 for 25 bucks =P


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## Murloc (Jul 26, 2012)

grogan said:


> If you are going to use Eco Complete it comes calk full of beneficial bacteria (Im sure you know). This stuff will make your cycle period quick.
> 
> Good to know you are supporting your llfs! A LFS will always go above and beyond to make sure they get what their customers want. Even if you are a few miles away.


Also one of my favorite substrates to start off a planted tank! To me it is kind of the easy road to take, and in the short run it always kicks my plants into gear to start them off. 

Out LFS here are awesome. I have never once gone to a major corporation to buy anything fish related lol. But here in southern California, we are spoiled with TONS of them. I have my favorite main 2 that I like to go to, but I have another 6 or 7 that I know I can count on. And every single one has at least one thing they do / have better then the others. If I want wild looking clown fish or sharks, I drive down a little south into San Diego. If I want to see the best Koi in town, or good CO2 systems, I go straight west or to a few breeders in Orange County. Freshwater supplies: I go to Vista. Fresh water plants: I go to Mira Mesa... Unique fresh water plants and rare fresh water fish: drive an hour to Palm Springs to see a local man from Japan who always has the hook ups haha. SO spoiled here lol. 



Cory1990 said:


> Add some minnows to the tank to make it cycle. That way your doing a natural cycle and not jump starting your tank by already adding stuff to it. I use minnows to cycle all mh tanks and I always have good luck with them. After I'm done I'll flush them,use them for fishing,feed them to my other fish,put them in my pond. They are also very cheap about $0.10-.15 I always have good luck.
> 
> And yes I was not happy that I didn't get the filter. I was so angry they had it on the ground with the sale tag but wouldn't sell it to me because they were "holding" it. I didn't know rummage sales did that. I was ticked off all day about it.


I love these " Whited Tipped Minnows " that I have right now. I am not sure what species they are. I feed them to my Mudskipper / Garter Snake / Pac - Man Frog / Newts / juvenile Terripan on occasion. If they somehow survive the predators, they are such a pretty little fish I don't mind them hanging out, because they look a lot like nice Tetra. And then, if they get eaten in the long run, I don't feel bad because I only just lost $.05


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## Cory1990 (Jun 14, 2012)

Yea I like the little guys, I keep a few in my goldfish tank, they are cheap and effective on cycling a tank. If you ever keep them for more then feeder fish they grow to like 2" to 2 1/2 inchs. Neat to watch from time to time they like to swim in the stream from the filter.


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