looking for a little more challenge ...

[sp00f]

hi guys -

I'll be moving in about six months so I've been slowly selling or giving away my current stock and trying to get rid of the tanks eventually. Of course since I can't get any new fish right now I'm dying to figure out what to do with new tanks once I've moved (it's across the country so I can't bring anything with me, starting from scratch).

I've been keeping easy, beginner-type fish for awhile - mollies, easy corys, tetras, danios - and I think I'm ready for a rather larger tank (in the 30-40g range) and some more interesting fish. I've been looking at kissing gouramis and Tanganyika cichlids (not in the same tank of course! One or the other) and the Tanganyikas look really amazing - I had a few mbuna cichlids and really liked them, but they're so aggressive you can't really put anything else in the tank.

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a good, large-sized (compared to mollies I mean) fish for an "intermediate" level keeper? Or should I just get a big tank and throw five huge schools of little fish in there?

[dbosman]

In my opinion, and I like having a lot of two inch fish in my 70, a large tank looks better with larger fish. There are a lot of new species of African Tetras coming into the country.

There are a lot of rainbow species that would co-exist nicely in a 40.

[Sarkazmo]

Rainbow fish are awesome but you might wanna go with a 55G for them. Also depends on which Rainbow you're stocking. You could go with some more sensitive species like Rummy Nose Tetra... or SA/CA Cichlids. You could do a Tanganyikan tank with Multies and another shelly species. Lots of options there, heh.

Sark

[190MPH]

A Tanganyikan tank with shellies(Multies), a pair of one of the smaller Julie species, and perhaps a pair of Calvus/Compressiceps would be one option. The shellies will amaze you with how they rearrange everything to their liking. There are alot of other interesting Tangs as well, like Gobies and Triglachromis Otostigma(bi-parental mouth brooder). If you can swing it, for 30-40 gallons, try to get a tank with a longer footprint. Like 33 or 40 gallon longs. They are 4' long and give you plenty of options for territorial breaks. I think the 40 is the same as the 33, just a couple of inches taller.

[toddnbecka]

After you move start looking around on craiglist for a good deal on a used 75 gallon setup. If you want to try cichlids that size tank will greatly increase your options, even compared to a 55, and chances are good you'll like them more than schooling fish. You can also mix suitable species of schooling fish with cichlids, at least depending on which species you choose.
Larger, suitably "furnished" tanks also decrease the likelihood of serious aggression issues between cichlids, and allow more space for territories to be established.

[Michael Milligan]

As for "looking for a little more challenge... " I don't think that you will find that cichlids will really provide you much more of a challenge in the long run. Sure, they can't live in squaller like some of the true "beginner" fish, but if you are a person with a number of tanks, wanting more, and have access to the people on this forum you might consider a marine tank. Craigslist always has people selling reef tanks of every size when THEY move. Great deals to be had.

For me, the most "challenge" has been in collecting and growing critters from the local shoreline. Lots of places to go wrong (and have), and lots of things to learn and do.

[FishyPastor]

For me the next challenge was to start breeding fish. So I am working on that with angelfish. Got one brood coming along nicely.

[vegas2k]

definitely Cichlids! Breeding sounds like a nice challenge as well. Maybe a Cichlid breeding pair? haha

[sp00f]

the Julies and shellies sound like a cool option, and yeah I was planning on at least a 33 long.

[Scrup]

You could always try and breed loaches if you are really up for a challenge.

[sp00f]

You could always try and breed loaches if you are really up for a challenge.

LOL you mean if I wanted to go down in history! At least for my Pakistanis I would.