80 gal. tank in plans - three variants

[Piotr Koba]

I'm planning to setup 80 us.gal. (300Ltr.) tank soon. I'm wondering what to "put into this tank. It's quite a lot of place in comparison to my actual 19 gal. tanks. I have three ideas about settings to this tank. So:
1. Sand-dwellers from Tanganyika, the most interesting species for me is Xenotilapia spiloptera.
2. Geophagus, some of them are quite good for such small tank, but I don;t think about the most popular like Red Head Tapajos, I'd like to get G. dicrozoster or G. winemilleri with tetras or something like that.
3. Central America, I mean one or two species, Cryptoheros/Thorichthys, one pair of each with some tetras.

I'd love to see what do you think about these ideas. Which one would be the most suitable for 300L tank.

[Dean Hougen]

I'd go with Geos but that is just because I like them more, not because the others won't work.

My Red Head Tapajos outgrew a 75 gallon (4 ft long) tank and are now in a 125. My G. dicrozoster are still young, so I don't know if they'll outgrow such as tank as well.

By the way, don't assume that what is popular today will still be popular tomorrow or what is less common today will still be less common tomorrow. Go with what you like.


Dean

[Piotr Koba]

Thanks for answer. I'd like to try with tanganyikan sand-dwellers the most, but other ones are also interesting to me. I was asking which of my ideas are the most sutiable for such tank (120cm in lenght).

By the way, don't assume that what is popular today will still be popular tomorrow or what is less common today will still be less common tomorrow. Go with what you like.

Yea, sure, I've written it in wrong way - Tapajos are very popular nowadays and aren't as interesting to me as winemilleri or dicrozoster. I simply like their colors more than tapajos

Hope that I'll get some more answers, please

[James Shingler]

Can you give the foot print and other dimensions of the tank?
I am pretty sure Xenotilapia spiloptera and the similar Xenotilapia flavipinnis can work well as a species tank with dithers, in some 80 US g/300 liter tanks.
Maybe not like this article suggests with the other more territory grabbing species but not a fish to be scared of trying in a small tank.
http://www.wetpetz.com/xenospilop.htm
I would suggest a better tank would be sticking to three Tang cichlids say.
Xenotilapia spiloptera or Xenotilapia flavipinnis group to get a pair or two and to provide dithers (mid water mainly)
Cyprichromis leptosoma group (mid to top water)
Eretmodus cyanostictus group of 6 to get a pair. (none territory holding bottom dwellers)
No idea about the other species you mention, not in my field.

[Piotr Koba]

Can you give the foot print and other dimensions of the tank?

Here ya go. Thank you for the answer, about Tanganyikan setup it's exactly what I'd like to see.