# Cookie Cutters for a 450 litre



## swampcom (Mar 15, 2003)

Exactly what the title says! I will shortly be the proud owner of a 4' x 2' x 2' tank which is 450 litres capacity and I'm looking for cookie cutters for it.

If it helps, the tank will have 3 canister filters, a 2217, a 2026 and a 2324 giving me a turnover of approximately 2650 litres per hour and about 13 litres of media volume. I've gone for these over a sump as I already have them spare from other tanks which saves on the initial cost of a sump/weir/pipework/return pump and also has lower running costs than a big return pump. Plus 3 canisters gives me a bit of redundance should 1 of them fail.

I'm ruling out mbuna as I already have a tank dedicated to them. I think my preference is the all male hap tank so I've started with that one but am very open to other ideas.

*Hap/Peacock All Male*

Baenschi (already have)
Ngara (already have)
Firefish (already have, don't shoot me purists!)
Dragons Blood (as above!)
Taiwan Reef (must have)
Cobue
Fryeri
Lwanda
Maulana
Chiwindi/Blue Neon/Flavescent
Eureka
Red Empress
Lithobates Z-Rock
Spilonotus Tanzania (too big?)
Phenochilus (too big?)

That's 14 fish including a couple of biggies, can I add more?

*Hap/Peacock Male and Female*

I assume I'm looking at a max of 3 species (more likely 2) that won't crossbreed, open to suggestions!??

For instance will aulonocara, protomelas and otopharynx crossbreed?

*Tang Tank*

Calvus (would be a must have)
Leleupi
Marlieri/Regani
Cyps - how many?
Can I fit a group of sandsifters into this size tank?
If no to sandsifters, then a group of petricola.
Is a single tret asking for trouble?
No to tropheus!

*Large Eartheater Tank*

Satanoperca Leucosticta (too big and if not how many?)
A group of keyholes or festivums
Brochis
Some L-number plecs
Something with a splash of colour - abramites maybe?

*Medium Eartheater Tank*

Geophagus Tapajos Orange Head (how many?)
Apistogramma Agassizi pair/trio
Diamond Tetras
Rummynose Tetras
Corys
Various other cats - suggestions?
Any other ideas?

Cheers for any and all suggestions!


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

I like the all male hap/peacock tank for color. You could also add some petricola cats and maybe a group of mbuna (yellow labs or cyanerhabedos) for color. Lots of diversity and activity.


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## swampcom (Mar 15, 2003)

YES to the petricola!!!

Anyone got any opinions on the spilonotus or phenochilus? At a potential 10" are they a bit too big for this sized tank?


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

swampcom said:


> Exactly what the title says! I will shortly be the proud owner of a 4' x 2' x 2' tank which is 450 litres capacity and I'm looking for cookie cutters for it.
> 
> If it helps, the tank will have 3 canister filters, a 2217, a 2026 and a 2324 giving me a turnover of approximately 2650 litres per hour and about 13 litres of media volume. I've gone for these over a sump as I already have them spare from other tanks which saves on the initial cost of a sump/weir/pipework/return pump and also has lower running costs than a big return pump. Plus 3 canisters gives me a bit of redundance should 1 of them fail.
> 
> ...


This almost one of my dream tanks.

Start out with a group of juvenile Tapajos orange heads, with the intention of keeping two pairs.
One trio of A. agassizii, one pair of Laetacara curviceps, Lemon tetras, Dwarf pencilfish, and a pair of each of the top 3 catfish from this list, Catfish species found in the Rio Tapajos.


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## swampcom (Mar 15, 2003)

Pencilfish is a fantastic suggestion!

Anyone for a tang suggestion to further confuse me?


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I am always for a Tang tank :thumb:

What you suggest sounds great! Calvus, leleupi and juli should get along fine, plus a nice big group of cyps - 12-16? Some petricolas should be fine as well, but I'd say that's it. I've never kept sandsifters, but I'd think they need more than 4'. Also, the leleupi and julis will compete some for the rocks. No need to further complicate things with a tret. Plus I reckon a single fish would look odd in that setup - bit like you wanted a colony and all but one died :lol:

When it comes to julis, my personal preference are transcriptus. They look fantastic and stay a little smaller - great for your purposes!

















_Julidochromis transcriptus in my 240G Tang tank._

Just to water your mouth a little, here a couple of shots from my setup:


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## swampcom (Mar 15, 2003)

Those julies are exceptionally nice, particularly in the second picture. What's that beast in the 4th pic? And a fantastic closeup of the leleupi.

And now my head is turned again! I'm still leaning towards the haps/peacocks with tangs in close second based a lot on the fact that my tap water is much closer to African conditions than South American so at least I'm down to a choice of 2.

For a hap/peacock tank, I would be looking at 15 or so cichlids with a group of synos foraging at the bottom.

For a tang tank, a dozen cyps (they are expensive over here!) and 2 groups of 6 juvies out of calvus, leleupi and a julidochromis sp. with the possibility of either the synos or sandsifters still to be decided?

Anyone got thoughts on sandsifters for this tank?


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

swampcom said:


> What's that beast in the 4th pic?


_Altomlamprologus compressiceps_ 'Gold Head'

I am not sure how much shipping would set you back, but I was just in Germany for X-mas, and this place has one of the most amazing selections of rift lake cichlids I've ever seen, and prices where well below what I'd expect to pay at any shop in the USA. I paid less than Euro 100 for 8 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis, 3 Altolamprologus calvus 'Black', and 6 Lamprologus similis - all fish of good size - especially the altos - and top quality :thumb: They ship world wide.


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