200 gallon stocking

[Mightymouse1111]

Hello, I'm almost finished plumbing my 200 gallon to its 75 gallon sump. Sump will have 2 7" sock filters, sponges in the baffles, and 1/4 to 1/3 of the sump will hold bio balls. I'll have an fx6 on the 200g as well.
For stocking I'm definitely going with 2 oscars.
For tankmates I was initiallly I was thinking:
1 blood parrot
8 tiger silver dollars
1 firemouth cichlid (but maybe I'm overstocked with the firemouth?)

Now I'm thinking:
2 red shoulder severum (am I fully or overstocked with these and the oscars?)
And if not overstocked then maybe either 1 blood parrot or 6-8 silver dollars.

I'd like to get everything young and within a few weeks of each other. Not currently planning on a pleco. Any recommended combinations of the above fish? Any other ideas for oscar tankmates like the ones listed above?

Thanks!

 

[Deadeye]

Your first stocking would be better, severums tend to do better solo or in larger groups to avoid bullying. Only thing is severums come from softer, lower ph water and would get along better with the Oscars.
You can try:
2 oscars
1 severum
Maybe a chocolate?
6 silver dollars

Oscars are the problem for water, they produce a lot of waste. May have to drop the chocolate.

 

[Mightymouse1111]

Cool, I like that combination. Honestly the main reason I even said 2 red shoulder severums is because there is someone selling them in pairs on aquabid. I could grow them out and rehome one of them. Ive looked into chocolate a bit but they just seem a little... boring lol.
I like keeping the silver dollars as dither fish.
Any reason you cut out the blood parrot? Would you call it overstocked to go with 2 oscars, 1 red shoulder severum, 1 blood parrot, and the dollars?

 

[Mightymouse1111]

Also, I'm in Indiana and have hard water. I dont plan on changing pH or hardness, are severums pretty adaptable or would it be a constant struggle for the fish?

 

[Deadeye]

If the severums are a pair, they would be compatible long term.
Only problem with the parrot was that it is bred from cichlids that require hard, high ph water. Realistically, most of them can be adapted to similar water, so they would be fine. All of the above mentioned cichlids are compatible aggression wise.
If you want to throw some driftwood In the tank, it may help to bring the water to a more neutral level, then all the fish can be happier.
If you are very diligent on water changes, keeping the 2 oscars, parrot, and a severum is possible. Or you could also swap the parrot for the other severum.
Silvers would be fine.
Severums are pretty adaptable, though they would prefer softer, low ph water. Oscars are a bit more forgiving, though I’ve heard prolonged exposure to hard, basic water can lead to HITH.
Just a thought: would you want to change the oscars to dempseys, they are more adapted to the water type you have?

 

[Mightymouse1111]

I have a very large driftwood piece that will go in the middle of the tank. Maybe a few smaller ones too if they match well. However, im planning on using eco complete substrate which ive read can increase the pH a little. Not planning on planting the tank, just like the look of it and I have it left over from a tank few years ago.
Oscars aren't really negotiable at this point, I'd take the oscars alone if I had to. I have fond memories with a couple of them as a child and my children are set on getting oscars for this tank.
I was avoiding severums at first because I didn't want the blood parrot and severum to breed, and saw very few reports of bloods parrots breeding with a firemouth. Then I discovered the red shoulders and that all changed... but im not really wanting a red shoulder pair either because I'm trying to keep the oscars as top dogs and don't want other fish getting aggressive with them during spawning.
Right now variety sounds more like what im looking for. So, final plan (i think!):
2 oscars
1 red shoulder severum
1 blood parrot
6 silver dollars (or 8?)

I'll take the risk of the blood parrot pairing with the red shoulder. Maybe i should try to pick out a male blood parrot? Ive read the males are usually infertile. Im thinking by doing it wont matter what the red shoulder is to prevent successful spawning even if they do pair.
I finish plumbing tonight and am filling with water tomorrow. So excited!

 

[Deadeye]

From what I know, parrots and severums cannot breed. For the most part Central Americans and South Americans cannot hybridize, bps included.
The stocking sounds fine, oscars may get mean if they pair off and breed. Even the meaner severums aren’t too bad when they breed.
A male blood parrot would be a good idea, but it’s really hard to tell the gender on them, or you may be like me and wind up with the only fertile male in 100 miles...
I would stick with 6 silvers just to do what you can to cut down on bioload.