# Any ideas for a non-planted tank?



## The Game (Aug 15, 2010)

Hi, i was just trying to think of a tank setup for a future project but couldnt really come up with any good ideas. I was thinking of a non-planted tank but none of those fancy ornaments, mostly rocks and maybe the odd plant or two. The only fishes I could think of that could go into this kind of setup was cichlids. I don't know how big this tank will be yet but feel free to suggest a tank size, a setup as well as fish stocking ideas. P.S. discus and angels arent really my thing and they dont really do well in this sort of setup anyways right?


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## cornflakegirl (Feb 24, 2011)

If you like goldfish, then they are good in a non planted tank cause they eat all your plants!
My two destroy them .lol
Driftwood looks nice, or lava rock. I use both with no probs. I prefer a natural looking tank too. No, stupid scuba divers in my tank.
As for fish, i love my neon tetras. i find them easy, and they look good on their own in a school. Maybe you could consider those?


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## The Game (Aug 15, 2010)

LMAO NOOOOOOOOOOOO GOLDFISHHHHHHHHHHH
LOL sorry i just dont really like goldfish, i was thinking more of a cichlid setup but theres just so many different ways with the different types of cichlids


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## amberjade (May 28, 2010)

If you get a 40gal, or even better a 55gal, mbuna cichlids would be just what you are looking for. They need hard water, so you could use coral sand as substrate, and lots of rocks to form caves and tunnels. Texas holey rock is perfect. In a 40, you could do 2 species of the more peaceful mbuna like yellow labs and rustys, in a 55 you can do a mixed community. They need to be overstocked, so filtration needs to be massive and water changes need to be 50% a week.

Research, research, research! Look into the dwarf mbuna - there are some stunning fish out there. Even a species tank of dimorphic mbuna can be amazing - pseudotropheus saulosi for instance. The males are blue, females yellow.
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## The Game (Aug 15, 2010)

yup im familiar with the mbuna and the setup for them
how big would a tank ahve to be if i wanted to keep the bigger american cichlids?


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## amberjade (May 28, 2010)

If you wanted say an Oscar, a 55 would be fine for a while, but they need a 75 pretty soon.

Severums are great wet pets - I have 2 in a 55. They get to about 10 inches.

Jaguars, Texas and such really need a 75, because they are big and quite nasty! lol
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## The Game (Aug 15, 2010)

how bout green terrors? what could i keep with them and how big would the tank need to be?


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## amberjade (May 28, 2010)

I would treat them much the same as oscars - 55 for one, 120 for a pair. They will kill anything else in the tank. You would need to provide shelter and break line of sight so the male is less likely to kill the female. They grow to an average of 10 inches, but are REALLY aggressive.
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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

For a South American tank I've always thought a 6 ft Eartheater tank would be cool if you could go that big. Sand substrate, some wood and a few large rocks, a school of about 6 of the Geophagus (such as Tapajos "Orange Head") and a pair of Severum, maybe a Blue Acara too, even a school or two of larger bodied tetra such as Buenos Aires, Lemon or Black Phantoms.


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