# Pikes for a 55?



## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

after moving im finally able to setup my tank again. however, where i used to live the water was ideal for africans but here its more suited for sa's. after doing a little research, i've narrowed it down to a few types of tanks i would like, as far as stocking is concerned. one of the options was pikes. i know that there are several dwarf species that are easily kept in a 55g, but i was wondering if there were any non-dwarf pikes that are equally suited. any ideas on species and possible tank mates? also if anyone lives in or around the lehigh valley (pa) that knows of a good lfs please let me know.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Non dwarves would include belly crawlers, proteus and lucuis ... these 3 stay in the 6-9 inch range. Good tankmates would be like blue acaras or port cihclids.

Dwarves would open up choices, including larger tetras and apistos, ect.


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

asides from a pleco, what kind of catfish could i keep with them? i realise that cories and otos would become food after awhile...


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I'd go a striped rapheal cat, but realize you wouldn't most likely ever see it. Even the larger brochis would be questionable with those pikes.

One of those pikes, a pair of blue acaras or ports, a raphael and a pleco would be it in a 55 gallon though. Lots of waste with that combo. :thumb:


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## MetalHead06351 (Oct 3, 2007)

crenicichla lepidota is a personal favorite of mine....


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

thanks for all your help. if i went the dwarf route, what would my possibilities be as far stocking for the whole tank?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

If you went regani, wallacii, or noto's ... you could do two pairs, a group of larger bodied tetras (lemons, diamonds, colombians, bleeding hearts, ect) as well as even dwarf cichlids on the bottom (I keep mine with dwarf acaras _Laetacara_ spp., have kept with rams before, apisto's even) as long as you don't want fry from the dwarf cichlids (those species hunt apisto fry in the wild).

Tank is large enough for a group of cory's as well. Wallacii and noto's max around 4", the regani a bit bigger.

To give you an idea, I have 4 wallacii with 4 _Laetacara dorsigera_ in a 3ft long tank with no troubles. Just lots of driftwood, caves, and plants would be helpfull (I only have anubias atm).


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## cc_woman (Jan 31, 2008)

I have a belly crawler and he is not very aggressive at all. You could also try catfish like the bristlenose, they do well with many types of cichlids. I also have an orange pike, but he grows to 14" and will not be a suitable type for your tank.


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

so it sounds like dwarves and apistos wouldnt be a good combo as far as breeding is concerned, although im sure it would be prone to some interesting natural hunting behavior. if you had to choose between the dwarf and non-dwarf setup which would you choose?


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## cc_woman (Jan 31, 2008)

I would probably go for dwarves, but that is just my own preference.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

*looks at my handle name and sig ...* :lol:



Um, that was rhetorical, right?

Noto male:









Regani female:









Wallacii female:


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

very cool fish :thumb: . so as far as a dwarf setup is concerned, i was thinking about:

1 pair wallaci's
1 pair noto's
1 pair rams
10-12 diamond tetras
8 bronze cories
1 pleco

i want to go for a biotope/planted tank as well, so what plants would you recommend for newbie plant tanker like myself?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Noto's tend to be more aggressive towards each other and other pikes than regani or wallacii ... so I would either go 4 noto's or 4 wallacii. Luckily all 3 commonly available dwarf pikes are easily sexed, only the females have the markings in the dorsal fin.

The rams would be fine, as would the diamonds. If you want more of a biotope, I'd go wallacii (current ones are from colombia, like the rams and diamond tetras are) and metae cories. I'd do a bristlenose pleco as opposed to a larger one.

Noto biotopes have zero plants, they are from the rio *****. Wallacii are from the Rio Atabapo and Rio Orinico, but not sure which species grow there other than swordplants of course. I am plant challenged, so tend to stick to things I know I can grow irregardless of where the plants are from. I also stick to 'beginner' plants like anubias, java fern, crypts, swords, hygro, and val.


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## Tommi (Oct 11, 2006)

My dwarfpair. Nasty fish, very aggressive to its own.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Beautiful compressiceps *Tommi* ... though their aggression is so far beyond the other dwarves, which is why I left them off the ones I recommended. Nice to see a male and female that close, mine never paired ... but then you do have a slightly larger tank than what I tried it in!!! :lol:


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

full tank shot tommi?


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## cc_woman (Jan 31, 2008)

Those are some gorgeous pikes you have there :thumb: Rams are a great choice too.


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## toph017 (Aug 15, 2006)

for aquascaping im thinking about going with a lighter colored sand i.e. pool filter sand, drift wood, a few larger granite "river rocks", and of course plants. any suggestions on how densely planted it should be? (pics are always good :thumb: ).


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## Tommi (Oct 11, 2006)

Those C. compressiceps havent bread yet, but behaviour is clear. They've been looking for a spot over a week now and I cant find that third pike no more. I quess they have slaughtered that one too, so no tank is big enough for couple so tiny fish. If they breed, I dont think fry can survive long and Im not going to move them to breedingtank cause Im afraid they'll start fighting again.

Tank shots can be found here.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

*Tommi*- One the pair bonds, it is usually pretty stable. I've read several reports of breeding in a 20 gallon long, but the pairing had to take place in huge tanks. Wow, killed their way down to a pair even in a 300 gallon tank? Nasty lil buggers. I amost think they need to be kept mbuna style. Overstocked and massive rock work for caves.

*toph017* - I don't have any full tank shots, but deffinately check out *Tommi's* tank in the link, it's aquascaping is perfect for the 3 dwarf pikes I recommended.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

toph017 said:


> asides from a pleco, what kind of catfish could i keep with them? i realise that cories and otos would become food after awhile...


4-line pictus cats are great catfish! normal pictus would work to, but i like 4 lines beter


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

How big is your 4-line *Gage*? Cuase the ones I remember ( usually a couple two inches bigger than the standard pictus) would be able to eat the dwarf pikes and tetras. :lol:


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