# My 100g CA/SA community is growing



## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

By growing, I'm not only talking about the fish size, but I'm also talking about the tank size. I'm about to acquire an 8' 240g. Either from a local doctor (4 yr old tank, professionally maintained with stand and hood) or a new tank from Glasscages but I'll be building the stand in this case. I've been back and forth with the doctor for months now on what a fair price would be, and he's slowly gotten closer to what I want to pay  If he hadn't already sold the 125g sump and pump before I contacted him, we'd probably already have a deal.

Anyway, all that aside here's my original stock: 
5 A. multispinosa
5 A. centrarchus
8 Heros notatus
1 Red Dragon flowerhorn
2 T. meeki
1 female R. octofasciatum
5 corydoras julii
10 colombian tetras
2 bn plecos

Here's the update on the stock. The multispinosa are now in their own 20Long with the cory cats and some green swordtails. Just going to see how that goes, may upgrade tank size or put them back in the main tank. The centrarchus are looking good and possibly getting ready to sexy-time with each other. The notatus are growing nicely (but slowly.) The flowerhorn was an accidental acquisition that I was going to let grow up some, then rehome. Well, I tried adding 10 zebra danios for top water movement, and despite them being really too big for the flowerhorn to eat...eat them he did, in just 2 days. So he now lives at the LFS. One of the firemouths died of bloat-like symptoms shortly after going in the tank and the second is getting along just fine and dandy with everyone. The female JD was traded in for a grown 7"-8" female JD from the LFS that is pretty mellow. She got to live in a 20g with about 16 young convicts and some leopard danios as a trial run on her temperament. She only ate the danios, didn't bother the cons, and loves 1mm NLS more than the appropriate pellet size. She's now in the 100g and hasn't bothered a soul so far. There's also a large dojo loach and tiny rubberlip pleco now in that tank. There were 2 dojo loaches, but the full grown 8"+ one managed to jump out and die.

When I move to the 8' tank, if I can sex the notatus at that time, I may thin their numbers a bit. I'd also like to try adding a large stunner fish or pair. Not sure what, yet, but I'm leaning towards P. melanurus (synspilum belize creek) or maybe exC. pearsei. Any thoughts?

I'll get some pictures tonight when I get home.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

In an 8ft 240 I'd say you have the option of adding quite a bit more stock. I wouldn't hesitate to add both the P. melanurus and exC. pearsei. I would however be cautious with pairs of either. I don't have any first hand experience with keeping them paired in a community but after watching my little Cryptoheros claim over half a 6ft tank, I'd bet they'd cause some drama.


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

Can't wait to see the results. I too am thinking about a 135 from glass cages


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Here's some pictures. Ignore all the poop and dirty glass, as I need to clean my tank, but I have the flu and minimal energy. Also, any eggs you see are just nerite snail eggs.

Full tank shot








Centrarchus








The frisky centrarchus (least blurry shot I got of the one that's got it's genitals hangin out for everyone to see)








Notatus








Firemouth








Jack Dempsey








Dojo Loach








Tetras and such









And finally, a link to the gallery with more of the rejected shots and such. There's no multispinosa pictures because I haven't changed the black sound out in their tank yet and they all look like charcoal blobs over that stuff.


http://imgur.com/a


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Wow nice tank man! Pumped to see what you can do with the 8 footer.

Love the pic of that Severum.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

You've been holding out on us too! What are the dimensions of this tank, I haven't seen too many 100gal as they are all either 90's or 110's?

Either way, great looking setup. I really dig those A. centrarchus; I wish I had more room to keep more species! I'm also a sucker for driftwood and you have some great pieces. Is this the tank with the Sat+ fixture? The lighting looks very "white" compared to how I feel mine looks.


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Iggy, thanks! I'm pretty pumped about the 8' too! Actually, not long after I made this post, the guy called me and accepted my offer. So I'll be getting the local used tank soon.

CJ, thank you! The tank is an old Oceanic 100 gallon. It's 5'x20"x20" which makes it technically 103.89 gallons using outside dimensions. It's been an excellent tank, all around. And yes, those are the Sat+ lights. I have a custom setting that starts with the blue preset, then I turn the blue and white down a bit. I don't remember if I was using the preset or the custom for these pictures, but both appear fairly cool white in person. The camera tends to white balance to the sand, so it makes everything a bit more white than in person. On the fixture, the "white" setting is much yellower than this setting, you should try it out.


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Here's a growth approximation of the centrarchus. 2 months of NLS 2-3 times a day. The top juvie is actually the known female, which is the largest of them and the bottom fish is the male she is now trying to swoon, and he's the smallest. There are 2 others that are just now about the size of the top fish.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Yeah I've messed with all the different settings and know what your talking about; guessing it's the camera that makes it look even whiter.

Great news about the 240 as well. Is it glass or acrylic?


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

It's a glass 8' x 24" x 25" with drilled overflows and Starphire glass in the front panel. I'll be looking it over in person Friday, but I know the person that took care of it, so it should be close to immaculate.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Sounds sweet! What are your plans with the 100gal then after you get the 240 up and running? The purist in me wants to suggest that you make the 100 a SA "themed" biotope and the 240 a CA "themed" biotope. :fish:


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

My friend has been wanting to upgrade his 55 for a long time, so I'm selling it to him if he doesn't find the deal he's looking for between now and then. Otherwise, I don't know what I'm going to do. I may convert it to a large sump with a divided up fry/growout area. If I had a fishroom, it'd be another tank, but all I have is my dining room :roll:


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Hah, heard that.. my tanks in my bedroom.


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

Something has stolen my parking spot!








Talk about drilled...there's 13 holes in this thing! And they've all been siliconed! I've got a lot of scraping to do, it seems. Also not sure what I'm going to do with all the holes, other than cap them off with bulkheads.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

13 holes! And this thing is suppose to hold water?! :wink:

I'd definitely go with a sump since you have built in overflows.. wish I could be of more help in that department but I've always been a bit foggy about the whole sump thing. Definitely something I'd like to learn more about.


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

I've never done a sump, either. I think I'm going to model it after fmueller's setup. I've got two 40breeders for sumps. I just have to figure out what to do with all the extra holes. I could make one a drain if I plumb it all into the house. And maybe use some others for extra returns. Lots of holes to work with :roll: Over here in freshwater land, we say, "Hey, you could lay some pipes for a UGJ system." Apparently over in saltwater land, they say, "Hey, you can drill 4 holes in the bottom of your tank for a jet system."


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

FedEXguy said:


> Over here in freshwater land, we say, "Hey, you could lay some pipes for a UGJ system." Apparently over in saltwater land, they say, "Hey, you can drill 4 holes in the bottom of your tank for a jet system."


 :lol: Dam saltwater guys always have to go and get complicated..

Having one of the holes a drain is a fantastic idea. That would be a pretty sweet way to do water changes. Just plumb it up with a ball valve and you can drain your tank with the flick of your wrist!

When you begin the sump build be sure to post up the process!


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## FedEXguy (Feb 24, 2005)

I will, for sure. I may run all 4 of the bottom holes to one pipe as a drain...I'd just have to figure out how to keep sand out without impeding the water flow too much.


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