big fish?

[Nadine]

can anyone tell me what type of fish i can put in my 77 gallon fresh water tank? I want big beautiful fish!!!!! help......:HP :HP

[vjvl51]

That is quite the open ended question. Your profile doesn't give any info as to expertise and type of water, etc. What is beautiful to one person is not to another. I think that you can see, we won't be much help.

I suggest you get a good book and check out the requirements of any fish that you are interested in. A good book will tell you the minimum tank length, type of water (soft, hard), maximum length that the fish will grow to, what to feed and how to care for the fish. I use Baensch's Aquarium Atlas Vol 1, now for most questions. I started with Aquarium Fish by Ulrich Schliewen. This web site (written by vets) has good info http://www.peteducation.com/.

If you don't have much experience with aquariums, then I suggest browsing through the articles that Aquarium Pros have written http://www.aquariumpros.com/articles/

Now to answer you question - I prefer a community tank, so I keep various African cichlids that grow only 4 to 5 inches long. Most African cichlids require a tank with hard water. Now for soft water, I prefer the South American cichlids - discus. These beautiful fish can grow to be the size of a dinner plate but they are extremely sensitive to water quality. I don't recommend them for a tank that has been set up and running without problems for at least a year.

Welcome to the board

Vickie

[Jack1]

In a 77 gal, you should be able to put about anything in the tank sizewise, but you obviously have to pay attention to bioload. As Vicky suggested, look @ some books. Not just to see what conditions certain fish need, but to see what type of fish you really want to keep. Fish look and act differently so look for fish having those traits that interest you. Once you determine, research those fish. Read books and magazines, do web searches, post questions to msg. boards, etc. Learning about particular fish and doing your best to meet and even exceed that fish's requirements is the most fun part of the hobby IMHO.

[CrazieEddie]

Nadine, what other's might like to see in their fish tank might not interest you, so you should check out some stock at your local fish store. See what interests you, asks questions about them (like compatibility with other fish, care, etc.).

I like going to small pet stores and not the big major ones. Make friends with the owner or manager. They won't steer you wrong since they want more customers.

[res1bxh3]

OSCAR :D Yah if you have good filteration and maybe you can put a plecostomus in with it that would be a nice show tank but of corse with all big fish require care but i have oscars and i love them :LY for a good show tank put a red tiger oscar and a sailfin plecostomus

[LawDog101]

I love my Red Bellied Pacu. They have a blood red underside with a silver body, much like a piranah(sic), but they are vegetarians.

I know that many people don't like them b/c they get so big but I have mine (2) in a 30g tank with 6 tiger barbs and three large gouramis. No problems. (Other fish there first)

They started out about the size of a fifty cent piece and now three months later, they are about 6" across. I have regulated their feeding so that they are not growing as fast.

You won't find much on them in the books, but they are great. They are fairly docile, don't tear up gravel like Oscars, but they do eat plants so plastic plants are required.

They are fairly skiddish like silver dollars and tinfoil barbs but mine have gotten used to people walking by without any problems. They will get big, mine will be in a 125g very soon.

I have heard that they just will not die, regardless of the water conditions. Take a look at them. They get big and they are definately make people stop and look. They really have neat feeding habits. I feed them cichlid sinking food and they eat it and then suck in the gravel with their mouths and spit it out, essentially a poor-man's gravel filter. Cool.

James