New tank: new to me.125g what would you put in it.

[rockfisher]

I just got a 125 gallon aquarium. Now what to do with it. It’s almost new, holds water and ready to go except a stand and everything else. I think I’m going with a maten filter or UGF. IM thinking discus. Semi Amazon style but am open to ideas. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by rockfisher

[Paul Rutigliano]

First put it where you really want so u don’t have to move it again. Set up the decor how ever u like for the type of fish u plan on keeping.  After installing the filters allow them to run for a few days maybe 5-7 days.  Then put in turbo start and give it a day or so to setup.  After you can put some food in ever other day or so.  Just to keep the Bacteria alive.   After a few weeks start putting fish in only two or three at a time.   Water may cloud up no worries it will clear.  After another month you should be all set.  Always add fish in small numbers not to overwhelm the system.   Really shouldn’t matter because all of the fish should be in a QT tank.   Hope this helps.     I don’t use this method I do a fish in cycle but this way is much easier.   

[Atitagain]

I tried to do a large group of rummynose tetra in my 125G but I think I would need another 75-100 I have 40-ish 100=$450-$500 around here even spreading it out that’s to much. Because I’ve got too many more tanks and fishroom budget watched closely by the boss (wife) as well she should 😳I’m so impulsive. But if I only had one tank that is exactly what I’d do. So I’ve been kinda forced into the structure of big tank big fish 75G Oscar 125G Oscar, Texas cichlid, 6 electric blue acara this is a fresh setup almost went with discus as well but wife wanted her Oscar she saw at the LFS. I happily obliged.

discus are amazing there are plenty of journals on here highlighting them.

[rockfisher]

I have lots of tanks mostly for breeding so this one is going to go in the living room.  I still have to build a stand. I put an ad on Craigslist and in 24 hours I got a message about this tank. I paid $50 and he brought it over. I could not pass it up. I have a 150 out by the pool. That one is custom made by the previous owner it holds water and looks ok, but this looks nicer so it will be the show piece tank. 

[nabokovfan87]

I would have....

Green Tiger barbs
Probably a very similar size school of Odessa Barbs
white clouds
Slate Corydoras
Zebra Loaches
1 BNP
10+ Otos
tons and tons and tons of amanos
And something to add some color! (nano fish)

Plants.... I would have a ton of anubias, especially the taller ones. I would have a good amount of stems, and this might be a tank that PSO can go nuts in and be contained.  I would have val across the middle, Buces in front of that, S. Repens on the sides of that.  It's an awesome canvas for sure!  Choosing the right place for things is a great little task / challenge in terms of the scape!

Edited August 28, 2022 by nabokovfan87
added plant picks

[_Eric_]

Hard to beat a discus tank.  I say stick with that!

[lefty o]

1000 chili rasboras, and a nerite snail!

[anitstuk]

Some sort of community tank could be fantastic in a 125gal 

[Cleveland M]

On 8/27/2022 at 10:54 PM, lefty o said:

1000 chili rasboras, and a nerite snail!

That would be a great tank!

[anewbie]

200 pygmy cory  with heavy planting. A dozen eques cory and 30 or 40 rummy or cardinals (depending on if you want beauty or motion).

[rockfisher]

On 8/27/2022 at 11:54 PM, lefty o said:

1000 chili rasboras, and a nerite snail!

I think your wrong its needs 1001 chili rasboras😂 

On 8/28/2022 at 9:19 AM, anewbie said:

200 pygmy cory  with heavy planting. A dozen eques cory and 30 or 40 rummy or cardinals (depending on if you want beauty or motion).

I would love the a dozen eques corys. One of my favorites.

Edited August 28, 2022 by rockfisher

[lefty o]

On 8/28/2022 at 1:04 PM, rockfisher said:

I think your wrong its needs 1001 chili rasboras😂 

I would love the a dozen eques corys. One of my favorites.

well, you really dont want to over stock it!🤪

[rockfisher]

I’ll have to cut back on the snail.

[eddie462]

That would be an amazing rainbowfish aquarium! Here are my rainbowfish in order of the pictures. 
1. Sahul Rainbowfish “Skull Creek”

2. Spotted Blue-Eyes ”Aru II”

3. Ornate Rainbowfish “Seary’s Creek”

4. Kali Tawa Rainbowfish 

There are many other rainbowfish in any color you would want. They’re hardy, not picky eaters, peaceful and have amazing displays. The only limiting factors are the size. The Blue-Eyes are 1.5” so you could do a massive school of them. That’s how they are found in the wild. 1 & 4 are dwarf species that have a maximum size of 3” and you could put in a large school of them. The Ornate Rainbowfish have an average max size of 4” so they can also be put into a large school. There’s also all of the “standard” rainbowfish like Turquoise and Boseman’s Rainbowfish which grow to 6” long. 
Rainbowfish are great with other active schooling and community fish like others have listed. You can even put a school rainbowfish in with African cichlids. The rainbowfish will need to be acclimated to the hard water, but after that they won’t bother the cichlids. The fish need to be about 3” minimum size or they’ll be eaten.

[Friller]

On 8/29/2022 at 12:03 PM, eddie462 said:

That would be an amazing rainbowfish aquarium! Here are my rainbowfish in order of the pictures. 
1. Sahul Rainbowfish “Skull Creek”

2. Spotted Blue-Eyes ”Aru II”

3. Ornate Rainbowfish “Seary’s Creek”

4. Kali Tawa Rainbowfish 

There are many other rainbowfish in any color you would want. They’re hardy, not picky eaters, peaceful and have amazing displays. The only limiting factors are the size. The Blue-Eyes are 1.5” so you could do a massive school of them. That’s how they are found in the wild. 1 & 4 are dwarf species that have a maximum size of 3” and you could put in a large school of them. The Ornate Rainbowfish have an average max size of 4” so they can also be put into a large school. There’s also all of the “standard” rainbowfish like Turquoise and Boseman’s Rainbowfish which grow to 6” long. 
Rainbowfish are great with other active schooling and community fish like others have listed. You can even put a school rainbowfish in with African cichlids. The rainbowfish will need to be acclimated to the hard water, but after that they won’t bother the cichlids. The fish need to be about 3” minimum size or they’ll be eaten.

Are you sure that sahulensis is a skull creek? Looks quite red, skull creeks are more of a light orange to yellow.

Spotted blue eyes and the Maccullochi group go well. I've kept them with Wilsoni, Maccullochi, Papuae and Sexlineata, with only sexlineata not working out well. 

 

Is that Rhad one of Leo O'Reillys 'morphs' of rhads? And even so it looks more like a Teewah Creek 'Ultra red" compared to Searys Crk which tend to be more blue. 

 

The rhads will fight with the Gertrudae, Any of the long finned blue eyes will be pecked at. Only really Mellis and Signifer pair well. 

Make sure that you don't put aggressive rainbows with peaceful ones. G. Pseudoincisus will rip anything to shreds, and M.Sexlneata can be nasty as well.

I've lost a large (~10cm) P.Furcatus to a Male M.Kamaka fighting for dominance. 

Some of the larger species like Regals (trifasciata) and Boesmani can be a-holes so be careful with them.

 

[KittenFishMom]

I vote for water !

I would put gallons and gallons of water in that tank before putting fish in it, but that's just me.

Looks like a lot of folks with a lot more experience than me would skip the water step and put the fish in before the water, but that never works well for me.

 

[Jawjagrrl]

On 8/27/2022 at 6:23 PM, rockfisher said:

I just got a 125 gallon aquarium. Now what to do with it. It’s almost new, holds water and ready to go except a stand and everything else. I think I’m going with a maten filter or UGF. IM thinking discus. Semi Amazon style but am open to ideas. 

Quite a score for $50? Wow!

Take a look on YT at MD FIsh Tanks - specifically the 8' tank he scaped for his pal Matt at Maidenhead Aquatics. It's an African River setup and I love the way it turned out. Congo Tetras are large and gorgeous, and you could have a large school in that tank (I have 10 in a 75). But the scaping is great and the fish combo of fish is always fun to watch. Turkana Jewel cichlids, Kribensis, checkered barbs, etc. 

I've got two 75s set up end to end, and the 8' total length really makes for an impressive display. I flooded part of our house last week doing a water change in a top floor tank 😞 so servpro have been here every day since - and they love the fish, hah!

[Patrick_G]

I think @nabokovfan87’s idea sounds great. 
 

On 8/27/2022 at 8:07 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Green Tiger barbs
Probably a very similar size school of Odessa Barbs
white clouds
Slate Corydoras
Zebra Loaches
1 BNP
10+ Otos
tons and tons and tons of amanos

I’d probably swap out the white clouds for Cherry barbs, but the White clouds would be cool.  If budget allows you even could try Mascara barbs.

 

 

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 8/28/2022 at 8:49 PM, Patrick_G said:

 If budget allows you even could try Mascara barbs.

oh yes.  Melon barbs I love as well!

[Patrick_G]

On 8/29/2022 at 2:42 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

oh yes.  Melon barbs I love as well!

I agree, I've been thinking about doing a tank with all fish from Kerala and western India. There are so many cool barbs from that area. 

[rockfisher]

On 8/28/2022 at 10:03 PM, eddie462 said:

That would be an amazing rainbowfish aquarium! Here are my rainbowfish in order of the pictures. 
1. Sahul Rainbowfish “Skull Creek”

2. Spotted Blue-Eyes ”Aru II”

3. Ornate Rainbowfish “Seary’s Creek”

4. Kali Tawa Rainbowfish 

There are many other rainbowfish in any color you would want. They’re hardy, not picky eaters, peaceful and have amazing displays. The only limiting factors are the size. The Blue-Eyes are 1.5” so you could do a massive school of them. That’s how they are found in the wild. 1 & 4 are dwarf species that have a maximum size of 3” and you could put in a large school of them. The Ornate Rainbowfish have an average max size of 4” so they can also be put into a large school. There’s also all of the “standard” rainbowfish like Turquoise and Boseman’s Rainbowfish which grow to 6” long. 
Rainbowfish are great with other active schooling and community fish like others have listed. You can even put a school rainbowfish in with African cichlids. The rainbowfish will need to be acclimated to the hard water, but after that they won’t bother the cichlids. The fish need to be about 3” minimum size or they’ll be eaten.

I have really never had rainbows. A few in a community tank in the late 90’s. Great idea. Is that your tank?

[rockfisher]

On 8/28/2022 at 10:50 PM, KittenFishMom said:

I vote for water !

I would put gallons and gallons of water in that tank before putting fish in it, but that's just me.

Looks like a lot of folks with a lot more experience than me would skip the water step and put the fish in before the water, but that never works well for me.

 

I had a freshmen paper on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The first paper said put the peanut butter on the bread. The Professor slammed the jar of peanut butter on the loaf of unopened bread. Are you sure you did take that course.

[rockfisher]

On 8/28/2022 at 11:11 PM, Jawjagrrl said:

Quite a score for $50? Wow!

Take a look on YT at MD FIsh Tanks - specifically the 8' tank he scaped for his pal Matt at Maidenhead Aquatics. It's an African River setup and I love the way it turned out. Congo Tetras are large and gorgeous, and you could have a large school in that tank (I have 10 in a 75). But the scaping is great and the fish combo of fish is always fun to watch. Turkana Jewel cichlids, Kribensis, checkered barbs, etc. 

I've got two 75s set up end to end, and the 8' total length really makes for an impressive display. I flooded part of our house last week doing a water change in a top floor tank 😞 so servpro have been here every day since - and they love the fish, hah!

A back flow valve failed running from the sump to the tank on a 200 once. My ex-wife got up and her socks got wet two rooms away. Insurance paid for the walls to be repaired and new carpet. That tank was moved outside she never trusted it again.

Thank you I’ll take a look.

I put an 2 adds on Craigslist of for a 6 foot tank and 2nd for 55g. Less in 24 hours I had a tank.  

[CJs Aquatics]

Ok, maybe it’s my random sense of humor but for some reason when u said display tank I thought everybody does beautiful planted aquascapes for displays but I feel like I’m personally at a place in my fishkeeping where if I got an awesome huge tank like that I would break the norm… 3 words….blind cave tetra lol or something odd or an odd community in general, and weird things to make it a theme, maybe a ton of those back breeding frogs Cory talks about lol something to get people talking but also something different 

[rockfisher]

I can’t handle the back breeding frogs plus I have a Cuban tree frog that makes his home on and in the sump for one of my tanks.. I think is a great idea to set up a cave tank with be an light it more in a a black/purple light. May in a a smaller tank a 40 breeder or 55. I think it’s a cool idea. 

 

I think lighting more like a cave would be even better 

Edited August 30, 2022 by rockfisher