How many american cichlids can go into a 125g?

Zathamos

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2014
39
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Minnesota
I will try my very best to keep this simple, as I could easily write a paper on the subject. I have a 125 gallon tank (76x18x24). I currently have:(Cichlids) 1 EBJD, 1 Green Terror, 1 Red Spotted Severum, 1 Electric Blue Acara, 1 Firemouth. I also have 2 Pictus Catfish, 1 Senegal Bichir, and 6 Rainbowfish (Boesmani, Red Irian, Marci, Goyder, turquoise, yellow).

I will be doing rainbows instead of silver dollars or something larger so that I can have more tank space for the Cichlids. I was hoping to add at least 2 or 3 more cichlids, but possibly as many as 6 more. I am trying to keep everything under 12", but here is my list of what I am hoping to still be able to add to this community: 1 Red Ceibal cichlid, 1 Chocolate cichlid, 1 Orange Shoulder Severum/ or 1 Green Severum, 1 Nicaraguan cichlid, 1 Synspilum cichlid, 1 Geophagus Altifrons. It would also be nice to possibly add 2-4 more rainbow fish if possible. I really like the look of the Emerald and Trifasciata and the Parkinsons rainbowfish.

So what do you guys/gals think? Too much as is? Go ahead and add everything. Just add the smaller guys? Decide on what I like and pick half? I would really appreciate any and all feedback and opinions given.
 

vinod_uthaiah

Plecostomus
MFK Member
May 17, 2013
891
196
61
India , Bangalore
Cichlids and a Frown face , not to your liking or forced by somebody into Cichlids.......I dont get it.
Some questions before I try answering yours...... what are the current sizes of fish you have and the filteration you use...
 

MarineMike

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 31, 2014
243
1
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Southern California
That tank is overstocked as it is, at least it will be one they grow a bit more. SA/CA cichlids are aggressive or semi aggressive and sooner or later will decide they want the tank to themselves or at least a large part of it. Once that happens it will attempt to kill off the others. My guess would be the green terror being the final victor. The birchir should be fine with them. The pictus cats with a max size of 5'- 6" might one day be seen as food by the remaining cichlid once it gets to be 10-12", and because of their defensive barbs will probably result in the death of the fish trying to eat it as well as is own.

If you're wanting a large population community tank African cichlids might be a better choice.
 

SePPii

Dovii
MFK Member
May 21, 2011
3,373
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Chesapeake, OH
I had. 7 Severums and a Chocolate in a 120 bow front, 59x20x24 or something along those lines and never had an issue. Had sizes from 5"-10" and everyone had enough room and it didn't look crowded


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

bbortko

Polypterus
MFK Member
Mar 3, 2010
3,163
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Northwest, Indiana
I'd skip the syn due to size. More sevs should be fine if you have enough filtration.
 

Zathamos

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2014
39
0
0
Minnesota
Cichlids and a Frown face , not to your liking or forced by somebody into Cichlids.......I dont get it.
Some questions before I try answering yours...... what are the current sizes of fish you have and the filteration you use...
Currently the largest fish is the bichir at around 5 inches. Next is the severum at about 3 1/2. The GT is a little bit bigger than the acara but Id say they're about 3 inches. The Fire mouth is probably around 2 3/4 while the EBJD is about 2 1/2. Pictus are about 2 1/2 to 3. The rainbow fish vary from 2 1/2-3 (the boesmani is 3ish and the biggest).

As far as filtration goes, I currently have 3 HOB filters all rated for 70 gallons, but I will be adding one more 50 HOB bringing the total rating to 260 and GPH to 1250 GPH. This is with small river gravel and a 72x18x24 125g tank.
 

INTHECOWBOYSWETRUST

Candiru
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2013
517
27
46
TOLEDO OHIO
That depends on if it has water in it or not!! no water you can fit more in there!! LOL.. Just messing with you.. Get some EBJD.. I have about 30 different kind of fish right now and have had 100's of them over the years, Next to my red line snakeheads the EBJD are my favorite fish by far!!!
 

Zathamos

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2014
39
0
0
Minnesota
I had. 7 Severums and a Chocolate in a 120 bow front, 59x20x24 or something along those lines and never had an issue. Had sizes from 5"-10" and everyone had enough room and it didn't look crowded


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Thanks for the response. I always see comments like this one above you and get nervous, but he doesn't sound like he is speaking from experience but rather theory or what he read so he just keeps Africans. If you had 8 10 inch cichlids in a 120, I am at 5 cichlds in a 125 long, which has more floor space.

I understand these are severums and a chocolate but a lone terror doesn't just go around the tank killing fish like a dovii or red devil might. Especially when he isn't being challenged.
 

Zathamos

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2014
39
0
0
Minnesota
That depends on if it has water in it or not!! no water you can fit more in there!! LOL.. Just messing with you.. Get some EBJD.. I have about 30 different kind of fish right now and have had 100's of them over the years, Next to my red line snakeheads the EBJD are my favorite fish by far!!!
LOL thanks but Im still unsure of your answer. Ill take it as 'dont add any more.' I gotta say, I agree with you completely on the EBJD. I was just talking with my GF today about wanting to add one more, he is definitely in my top 2 or 3 favorites in the tank. He comes right up to greet me and even tho he is probably the smallest fish in the tank, he seems to follow everyone and get along fine.

PS: EBJDs are a natural occurrence of the JD family
 

Zathamos

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2014
39
0
0
Minnesota
Originally Posted by vinod_uthaiah
Cichlids and a Frown face , not to your liking or forced by somebody into Cichlids.......I dont get it.
Some questions before I try answering yours...... what are the current sizes of fish you have and the filteration you use...



Currently the largest fish is the bichir at around 5 inches. Next is the severum at about 3 1/2. The GT is a little bit bigger than the acara but Id say they're about 3 inches. The Fire mouth is probably around 2 3/4 while the EBJD is about 2 1/2. Pictus are about 2 1/2 to 3. The rainbow fish vary from 2 1/2-3 (the boesmani is 3ish and the biggest).

As far as filtration goes, I currently have 3 HOB filters all rated for 70 gallons, but I will be adding one more 50 HOB bringing the total rating to 260 and GPH to 1250 GPH. This is with small river gravel and a 72x18x24 125g tank.
BTW the bichir is 5 inches long but theres no way he could manage to bite a cichlid. My cichlids are small right now but not thin fish, neither are the rainbows not to mention their speed. The Pictus' seem to be in their own world their entire time. No interactions with the other fish what so ever.
 
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