# New Tank



## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

I have finally been able to get ba into the hobby and while I am waiting on the lfs to be able to order me a p I have set up this tank.

It is a 29g right now with a 40g waiting as a midway tank and a 75g as the final place for these fish. 
Right now it is a 3" or so Red Devil, a 1.5" managuense, a 6" senegal bichir, a 1.5" green spotted puffer, 2 common plecos at maybe 3", and some dithers(bala shark, some tiger barbs, maybe some silver dollars at some point). I know the red devil or jag being with the puffer isn't recomended but as of right now there are no problems. When they get close to each other they mind their own business or the puffer just swims off.

Here are a few pics.

One of the better pics of the red devil.








A pretty good pic of the jag considering his small size.








The bichir by a gold inca snail.








The best I could get of the puffer. He is so quick.








A full tank shot.








A good shot of the jag with the red devil lurking.








And one more of the red devil that I liked.








So far I am happy with the set up. Can't wait for them to grow so I can expand into the bigger tanks but at this point it is nice.


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

nice clean setup. i like it.
all your fish look happy and healthy
i like the minimilistic aquascaping. nice and neat


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

Thanks. As far as aquascaping the only thing I want done differently is more plants. I am just adding them slowly. I really need to get some hc or glosso to cover the bottom


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## exodon king (Mar 25, 2009)

nice baby jag. they look awesome at that size. i have a 55g tank with a bunch of them at that size.


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

Yea I like him. He is actually my roommates fish. He wanted a good fish to put in there ad was getting an oscar. I told him he didn't wanna cause the red devil wouldn't like him too much so I talked him into the jag. Right now the jag just keeps his distance but I know he will stand up to him sooner or later. This red devil is one of the best I have seen and I have kept quite a few. He is still getting used to people being around but as far as things in the tank go, he rules. Me and a buddy went to the lfs when they got a new shipment in and spent 20 minutes staring at the red devils until we found the right one. He was dominating all the others, including the bigger ones, so I got him.


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## exodon king (Mar 25, 2009)

unfortunately, it will eventually need a much bigger tank (75/90), and will most likely need a tank to its self. i have a few that are in community tanks, but usually they will need to be alone.
also, your ideas for dithers will not work as they too will outgrow the suggested tank.


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## CichlidAddict (Jul 1, 2005)

Looks good, but the puffer should be in brackish water - not fresh.
It may survive for a while in fresh but it's eventually doomed unless it gets into brackish water.
http://www.splutphoto.com/pierre/puffer.htm


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

exodon king said:


> Looks good, but the puffer should be in brackish water - not fresh.
> It may survive for a while in fresh but it's eventually doomed unless it gets into brackish water.
> http://www.splutphoto.com/pierre/puffer.htm


I have read so many conflicting stories on green spotted puffers that I almost feel like none are true anymore. I have raised this specific type of puffer in a strictly brackish tank, converted to salt water, and kept in fresh. All have thrived regardless as long as the water was kept to standards. The group I had in freshwater didn't look any worse off, grow any slower, or act any different than the others. And all three types were grown to full size. I appreciate the info, if I were hurting any of my fish I would want to know of it, but in this case I think I am safe. If the red devil decides he doesn't like him anymore then that would change things.


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## exodon king (Mar 25, 2009)

you said you have a 75 for them to eventually go in. but a single jag needs a 75g footprint to itself. this means the rest of the fish will need new tanks too. the RD can get to be over a foot long as wel, so it would also need a big tank (most likely to itself too). also, the bichir will get closer to 2 feet.

silver dollars and bala sharks need to be in groups, and grow much too large for the 3 tank sizes you mentioned. (bala sharks will grow to be over a foot long as well). if you plan to house these guys for live you will need at least a 6' tank (125g/150g)


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

I knew the red devil and jag would both be over a foot but I did think they could cohab the 75 if they had been together for that ammount of time. The bala shark isn't supposed to grow longer than 10" and the silver dollars, even in a group, wouldnt be much. They don't grow over 6". Also the bichir is listed to not grow more than 12"

Are any of these sizes not right?


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

I give the GSP no more than a few months in freshwater. Puffers are already prone to infection as it is, let alone putting them out of their element. He will probably get sick man.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Love the red devil, they are great fish


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## Doktordet (Sep 22, 2006)

its a nice tank. add a black background to it to finish the look.


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

TimmyTeam said:


> its a nice tank. add a black background to it to finish the look.


Nice suggestion, and already planned as well.


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## gtc (Nov 5, 2008)

Cool set up man


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## exodon king (Mar 25, 2009)

erikcooper said:


> I knew the red devil and jag would both be over a foot but I did think they could cohab the 75 if they had been together for that ammount of time. The bala shark isn't supposed to grow longer than 10" and the silver dollars, even in a group, wouldnt be much. They don't grow over 6". Also the bichir is listed to not grow more than 12"
> 
> Are any of these sizes not right?


quick search

bala hark 16" http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile21.html

silver dollar 8" (and thats 8" long. at 8" long it will be at least 5" high. remember you need to calculate square inches per gallon when discussing tank size requirements) http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile23.html

bickir 20" http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile41.html

its always a good idea to know what youre getting into before you commit.


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

This site says less on the Bala, and the lfs is what told me 10" http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/321.htm

Says what I said on the bichir http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/696.htm

and the silver dollar, which even at 8" wouldn't have been to big... http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/567.htm

I did know what I was committing to.


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

Just an update. I had to move the puffer into his own tank. The little joker kept messing with the red devil and I don't even wanna take the chance of him eating him. So no he is living by himself in a nice brackish tank. Soon to have a figure eight and maybe a scat or goby or two. Other than that it is looking good.


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## roccov12345 (Sep 26, 2008)

I had a red devil a couple years back. Let me tell you the name fit the personality. One of the meanest fish I've ever had. Would immediately kill or stress all other fish to the point of no return. Mean little fish..........


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

Yea. I have always loved Red Devils. The only fish I have always wanted more in the cichlid family is a red terror. It seems you can't ever find a true festae around here...


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2009)

Nice tank..great pics


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## erikcooper (Feb 18, 2004)

ksls said:


> Nice tank..great pics


Thanks. It looks a little different now. Working on setting up the 40g for a little while to give them a little more room


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