# Rom Or Lots Of Reds?!



## Jared35 (Sep 15, 2009)

I was wondering which would be cooler to stock my tank with it will be in tommarrow. I
am gonna get about 10-11 reds if I don't go with the rom. It will be semi heavy planting with driftwood
and amazon decor. Give me your info on what would be cool it will be the center piece in my house.

Thanks!


----------



## bigshawn (Dec 29, 2005)

I'm a shoal man but others will have diff opinions its really up to you,,,,,,,,


----------



## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

if you have the money to get a big enough rhom i say the rhom. if you on a tighter budget i would go for a mixed pygo shoal and grow them out. could also try for a mac shoal.


----------



## Big Den (May 5, 2008)

Nice shoal of reds.


----------



## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I've got 15 reds in a 220gal but a Rhom would be cool also.
As was said it all depends on what you wanna spend.

Tough choice man but good luck with it


----------



## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

I would say a huge group of pygos over a rhom- way more activity IMO


----------



## bigshawn (Dec 29, 2005)

never mind I asked what size tank you had I see 240g with that size there are a few ways you could go


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

a big group of pygos would be entertaining, but a big planted tank with a large rhom and a bunch of tetras and other small fish would look amazing.


----------



## glockner99 (Nov 2, 2005)

Are P's allowed in Texas.....


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

no they are not lol


----------



## CuzIsaidSo (Oct 13, 2009)

Piraya shoal


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

IMO the only way a Rhom would ever come close to the coolness of a group of pygos in that big of a tank would be if the thing was 17" or bigger.

In a 240? sh*t, I'd throw fifteen pygos in there without batting an eye.


----------



## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

I would go with a Pygo Shoal. I am just so fascinated with how the Natt's group and work together. I love how I have a 48 inch long tank and they all cramp in a 8x8inch area. It pretty much says, "Don't come in my house because we attack as one."


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Puddjuice said:


> I would go with a Pygo Shoal.* I am just so fascinated with how the Natt's group and work together.* I love how I have a 48 inch long tank and they all cramp in a 8x8inch area. It pretty much says, "Don't come in my house because we attack as one."


I am just so fascinated with your avatar.


----------



## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

CuzIsaidSo said:


> IMO the only way a Rhom would ever come close to the coolness of a group of pygos in that big of a tank would be if the thing was 17" or bigger.
> 
> In a 240? sh*t, I'd throw fifteen pygos in there without batting an eye.


AND YES

I wouldn't have have a huge tank like that sitting there with 1 fish in it. Get a pack man!


----------



## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Iv'e had both and they are both pretty awesome. I'm in love with the Rhom I currently have and i'm fine with it having a 180g to itself.
But I really do miss having the shoal. I say you should put a whole bunch reds or other pygos in your 240g because it makes for alot more activity than a single Rhom IMO.


----------



## Blackdude (Feb 28, 2003)

If it's not a 16 incher +, go with pygos

3 reds
3 caribe
3 tern
3 piraya

Get it small to see, who will outgrow the other


----------



## Armand_caribe (Sep 9, 2009)

A 240 gal would be great for a shoal of pygos














I think that tank would be too much tank for a single fish unless you can get a 16+ rhom as someone has said above, otherwise you would get bored mate....:nod:


----------



## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

shoal of caribe + pirayas would be awesome


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

That's a tough one I like both. I guess like some of other members have already stated, if it's a big rhom then go for it, but if you can't find one you like go for the pygo's







they're pretty cool and fun to watch.


----------



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Pirambeba said:


> That's a tough one I like both. I guess like some of other members have already stated, if it's a big rhom then go for it, but if you can't find one you like go for the pygo's
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I probably would do p's and do a large SA cichlid tank. If your doing a shoal i would do mixed


----------



## gtc (Nov 5, 2008)

What about a shoal of s eiganmannies? a shoal of macs too will be cool if you're pocket's up for it. Good luck.


----------



## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

xeloR said:


> I would say a huge group of pygos over a rhom- way more activity IMO


agreed......im moving mine to my 180g and putting my pygos in my 240g
so get something other than reds....but pygos for sure


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

gtc said:


> What about a shoal of s eiganmannies? a shoal of macs too will be cool if you're pocket's up for it. Good luck.


You can school Eigenmanni's!?!?!


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

all piranha's will "school" if you have a big enough tank lol

If you found some I would do some Geryi


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

sean-820 said:


> That's a tough one I like both. I guess like some of other members have already stated, if it's a big rhom then go for it, but if you can't find one you like go for the pygo's
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I probably would do p's and do a large SA cichlid tank. If your doing a shoal i would do mixed
[/quote]

I have a Red Terror at home in a 45 Gallon, it's a single specimen and it's actually my dads. I'm not much of a cichlid person. As for mixed groups I'm somewhat stuck-up, I don't like the idea of mixing Reds of different regions, ATM plan is 125 Gallon with either 6 Caribes or 3 Ternetzi in it.

What you think?


----------



## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

i just moved my fish around today and it woke my 240g up
deff a group of pygos man


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> all piranha's will "school" if you have a big enough tank lol
> 
> If you found some I would do some Geryi


All Species?!?!


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

if the tank is big enough lol

im talking huge though, thousands of gallons


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> if the tank is big enough lol
> 
> im talking huge though, thousands of gallons


LOL, maybe. Well...... except for S. Elongatus, I'm almost certain they are Ambush hunters. If you were to stick some of those in lets say a 1500 Gallon, they would probably fan out seeking there own hunting ground/territory.


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

a few people have had elongatus co-habs in tanks as little a 75g


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> if the tank is big enough lol
> 
> im talking huge though, thousands of gallons


ummmm.... no


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

um yes. how do you figure they won't?


----------



## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

you seriously think that any piranha species will group together when placed in a large tank? pygos barely tolerate each other in the wild and in captivity, serras are even less tolerant of each other.


----------



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> um yes. how do you figure they won't?


Theoretically if your doing a 10000g tank you can keep practically anything, but thats alot different then a 240g tank. From opefe i read that the natural total habitat per s. marginatus is 13 square feet which is barely anything. A 240g would be enough for a single marginatus to have its entire natural habitat. If your doing a monster public display tank and each fish can have their natural territory it can work, but in a normal home aquarium fish can only have a fraction of their natural territory which is why fighting for territory and dominance often occurs.

I agree with joe that all piranhas will not school. Pygos hang out together for protection, but thats not what serras do. If you have a 10000g tank you can keep multiple serras, but you arnt going to have it stocked with 1000 serras like you could pygos. If you had a 10000g tank they wont stay together and shoal, they will fan out and stake their own territory and attack other fish that enter that territory. Living in the same confined area and putting up with each other is not the same as schooling or shoaling.


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

ok I will rephrase it then.. with a big enough tank all piranhas could possibly co-hab.

there was a zoo I read about that had a 30,000g tank with 6 rhoms and some others. it was all good because of the amount of total space in the tank it was almost like being in the wild


----------



## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

i guess everyone is saying the samething here....lots of space
can yield a cohab.....its like trying to mimic a natural environment


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

exactly


----------



## Pirambeba (Feb 1, 2010)

sean-820 said:


> um yes. how do you figure they won't?


Theoretically if your doing a 10000g tank you can keep practically anything, but thats alot different then a 240g tank. From opefe i read that the natural total habitat per s. marginatus is 13 square feet which is barely anything. A 240g would be enough for a single marginatus to have its entire natural habitat. If your doing a monster public display tank and each fish can have their natural territory it can work, but in a normal home aquarium fish can only have a fraction of their natural territory which is why fighting for territory and dominance often occurs.

I agree with joe that all piranhas will not school. Pygos hang out together for protection, but thats not what serras do. If you have a 10000g tank you can keep multiple serras, but you arnt going to have it stocked with 1000 serras like you could pygos. If you had a 10000g tank they wont stay together and shoal, they will fan out and stake their own territory and attack other fish that enter that territory. Living in the same confined area and putting up with each other is not the same as schooling or shoaling.
[/quote]

^EXACTLY^


----------



## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

exactly why i put school in quotes.

and there is time were even serra's can tolerate each other


----------

