Newbie Question, re: 60 Gallon Hex

[Ersatz Anarchist]

I just picked up a used 60 gallon hex tank for a price too low to
resist. I would like to use it to house cichlids, but I am a little
concerned about the shape of the tank. It is quite tall. The tank came
with an under gravel filter plate (which I may or may not use), stand,
and a hood with three lights.

My thoughts are:

1) Put a single Oscar or Jaguar Cichlid in the tank. My LFS thinks
this is a bad idea based upon the shape of the tank.

2) Put Firemouths and/or Convicts in the tank, perhaps with a catfish
and maybe some tiger barbs as target/dither fish. I was going to use
my 29 gallon tank for this, but maybe I should use the bigger Hex
Tank.

3) Set up an African Cichlid tank, with a mixture of cichlids, and
perhaps a catfish or two.

4) Finally, dwarf pike cichlids (Crenicichla regani) have really
caught my interest, but perhaps the shape of my 29 gallon tank would
be a better choice for this one. I have always had a soft spot for
long, toothy predators.

The tank will probably be in my living room, but may wind up in my
basement office (Concrete floor :) ).

I would greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts on these options, as well
as any other thoughts on using this tank.

Thanks in Advance!!!!!

Mark

[Bob]

Angels or discus or smaller fish will work in a shape like that.

You would be better off with a longer tank for most of the fish you mention.



"Ersatz Anarchist" > wrote in message
...
> I just picked up a used 60 gallon hex tank for a price too low to
> resist. I would like to use it to house cichlids, but I am a little
> concerned about the shape of the tank. It is quite tall. The tank came
> with an under gravel filter plate (which I may or may not use), stand,
> and a hood with three lights.
>
> My thoughts are:
>
> 1) Put a single Oscar or Jaguar Cichlid in the tank. My LFS thinks
> this is a bad idea based upon the shape of the tank.
>
> 2) Put Firemouths and/or Convicts in the tank, perhaps with a catfish
> and maybe some tiger barbs as target/dither fish. I was going to use
> my 29 gallon tank for this, but maybe I should use the bigger Hex
> Tank.
>
> 3) Set up an African Cichlid tank, with a mixture of cichlids, and
> perhaps a catfish or two.
>
> 4) Finally, dwarf pike cichlids (Crenicichla regani) have really
> caught my interest, but perhaps the shape of my 29 gallon tank would
> be a better choice for this one. I have always had a soft spot for
> long, toothy predators.
>
> The tank will probably be in my living room, but may wind up in my
> basement office (Concrete floor :) ).
>
> I would greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts on these options, as well
> as any other thoughts on using this tank.
>
> Thanks in Advance!!!!!
>
> Mark

[Mephistopheles]

If you could figure out some way to pile rocks up the full height
of the tank (perhaps use various lightweight rocks together with
silicon to affix them together -- perhaps use some well-bleached
driftwood as well), then the tank would be well-suited for rock
dwelling cichlids, such as Tanganyikan or the smaller Malawi mbuna.
If the tank were set up in this way, the rock dwelling cichlids
could then take full advantage of the full height of the tank. I
cannot really think of any other way this could be done.

Meph

Ersatz Anarchist > wrote in
:

> I just picked up a used 60 gallon hex tank for a price too low
> to resist. I would like to use it to house cichlids, but I am a
> little concerned about the shape of the tank. It is quite tall.
> The tank came with an under gravel filter plate (which I may or
> may not use), stand, and a hood with three lights.
>
> My thoughts are:
>
> 1) Put a single Oscar or Jaguar Cichlid in the tank. My LFS
> thinks this is a bad idea based upon the shape of the tank.
>
> 2) Put Firemouths and/or Convicts in the tank, perhaps with a
> catfish and maybe some tiger barbs as target/dither fish. I was
> going to use my 29 gallon tank for this, but maybe I should use
> the bigger Hex Tank.
>
> 3) Set up an African Cichlid tank, with a mixture of cichlids,
> and perhaps a catfish or two.
>
> 4) Finally, dwarf pike cichlids (Crenicichla regani) have really
> caught my interest, but perhaps the shape of my 29 gallon tank
> would be a better choice for this one. I have always had a soft
> spot for long, toothy predators.
>
> The tank will probably be in my living room, but may wind up in
> my basement office (Concrete floor :) ).
>
> I would greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts on these options,
> as well as any other thoughts on using this tank.
>
> Thanks in Advance!!!!!
>
> Mark

[Rich Conley]

Look up concrete backgrounds for tanks. Build with Concrete and
styrofoam. Make yourself a tower up the middle of the tank that looks
like a big peice of holy rock. All holes through it. Africans should do
fine in it, just stay with the smaller/more peacefull types.

Labs, rusties, etc.

Mephistopheles wrote:

> If you could figure out some way to pile rocks up the full height
> of the tank (perhaps use various lightweight rocks together with
> silicon to affix them together -- perhaps use some well-bleached
> driftwood as well), then the tank would be well-suited for rock
> dwelling cichlids, such as Tanganyikan or the smaller Malawi mbuna.
> If the tank were set up in this way, the rock dwelling cichlids
> could then take full advantage of the full height of the tank. I
> cannot really think of any other way this could be done.
>
> Meph
>
> Ersatz Anarchist > wrote in
> :
>
> > I just picked up a used 60 gallon hex tank for a price too low
> > to resist. I would like to use it to house cichlids, but I am a
> > little concerned about the shape of the tank. It is quite tall.
> > The tank came with an under gravel filter plate (which I may or
> > may not use), stand, and a hood with three lights.
> >
> > My thoughts are:
> >
> > 1) Put a single Oscar or Jaguar Cichlid in the tank. My LFS
> > thinks this is a bad idea based upon the shape of the tank.
> >
> > 2) Put Firemouths and/or Convicts in the tank, perhaps with a
> > catfish and maybe some tiger barbs as target/dither fish. I was
> > going to use my 29 gallon tank for this, but maybe I should use
> > the bigger Hex Tank.
> >
> > 3) Set up an African Cichlid tank, with a mixture of cichlids,
> > and perhaps a catfish or two.
> >
> > 4) Finally, dwarf pike cichlids (Crenicichla regani) have really
> > caught my interest, but perhaps the shape of my 29 gallon tank
> > would be a better choice for this one. I have always had a soft
> > spot for long, toothy predators.
> >
> > The tank will probably be in my living room, but may wind up in
> > my basement office (Concrete floor :) ).
> >
> > I would greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts on these options,
> > as well as any other thoughts on using this tank.
> >
> > Thanks in Advance!!!!!
> >
> > Mark