Introducing Suki, my new Fahaka baby

[SunnyHouTX]

Is that all? For some reason I've been thinking they need humongous tanks. I might be confusing with mbus

[eklikewhoa]

supposedly all of them need big tanks, Fahakas "require" like 300+, MBU's 600+ but honestly who the hell listens to the dumb "rules"?

[SunnyHouTX]

Definitely not this group here.

That just sounds like a waste of a nice big tank to house just one fish.

[eklikewhoa]

There was a set of "rules" written for Tropheus when I first started getting into them but you read the rules and read the onslaught of disaster stories it kinda makes you wonder.

[LooksLater]

No, Fahakas "min" is typically called 120g. Mbus' is supposedly 1000g. As always, just the generally accepted "rule of thumb", but that's what I've seen over and over in my research.

[LooksLater]

And I know what ya'll are saying, I'm all for breaking the rules when it makes sense...I could continue to keep her in something smaller like I do now, as long as she has room to swim and I keep the water clean it doesn't matter a whole lot, but- but 180g is as big as I can comfortably fit in this house, so I'm fine with that- and I'm not looking forward to the massive W/C 3x week or more for 10+ years that keeping her in a smaller tank would require... their bioload is massive, they get stressed out by W/C and messing around in their tank, etc...sigh. It would be so nice to have her in a big tank, give her room to play and chill...and cut down my work in her tank. She'll be happier and so will I!!

[SunnyHouTX]

That's where I was going with my question. Mainly because I find Fahakas appealing but not the whole upkeep of them.

[LooksLater]

Yeah, they are so awesome, and fun...but the size requirements, and risking massive fish loss unless you do species only tanks, plus that they are so super sensitive to water params...they ARE high-maintenence little buggers!! You have to really love them to put up with it, I guess.
I did really want a mbu at first...until I figured out I couldn't possibly do it properly. I'm not saying keeping them in smaller tanks can't be done, but would I want to do the work needed to keep them alive and healthy squeezed in a smaller tank for their lifespan? H@ll to the no. I'm all for making it as easy as possible on myself, and the puff!

[SunnyHouTX]

I think I could manage a 125 down the line when I have room to spare

[mnemenoi]

I think the reason most of the sources I have read suggest a 120G is due to that being the first standard tank with a 24" depth. With their max size at 18"+/- it would be difficult in other footprints to simply turn around at their max size, even a 150 with a depth of just 18". The next standard 24" depth is the 180 and it would give us far more water volume and less stringent a WC schedule. I have seen some other tanks with a 24" depth, but they are not common and I think that is why those two sizes are uaually bantered about on most sites as minimums, which makes plausible sense to me at least.

[SunnyHouTX]

That makes total sense.

[nightster]

I just over filter the crap out of my 125 and do weekly or biweekly 50% wc. Seems like its healthy and growing, eventually I'd like a 180 or bigger though.

[LooksLater]

What kind of filtration are you running on your 125, nightster? Just curious, looks like we'll be able to upgrade our tank soon and I need to get my game plan together. Have any recommendations?

[nightster]

Im running dual fx5s and a wet/dry for a 300 gallon tank with about 600gph flow through the wet/dry. There isn't any more room for filters under my stand.

[mnemenoi]

Thats awesome filtration!!! I hear when you can't fit any more underneath the stand is when you know your almost there, lol.