Central cichlids with nitrate

[Tj203]

Hi, first post here and new to cichlids. I'm a experienced fish keeper but I've only ever kept small community fish. I currently have a heavily planted high tech 30gallon tank which I'm about to shut down, my time with plants and small fish has come to an end and I would like to move on to larger fish and a simple hardscape dominated tank with minimal plants I was thinking tiger lotus would look good.

My plan is to upgrade to a larger 48" tank 65-80 US gallons (250-300litre, ) and have it lightly stocked with a couple 4-8" central cichlids and a few other small fish. My water is very hard 20dgh, 10dkh and pH 8, I'm hoping central American cichlids would appreciate this?

I've done a lot of googling and I love the look of male sajica cichlids so I was thinking of having this as the centre piece, then maybe a thorichthys aureus and a rainbow cichlid with something like a school of tetra, barbs or rainbowfish and a small pleco. Does this sound like a good stocking idea? I'm open to other suggestions

Another thing to note is my tap water is fairly high in nitrates 20-40ppm using API master kit, with my current high tech tank this isn't an issue as my plants eat these up no trouble but would these levels be an issue for my suggested stock? I want minimal plants probably just some red tiger lotus (if possible with cichlids) and pothos coming out the top

Sulfur denitateors, algae scrubber, continues water drip and pothos are al ways you can keep the fish you want. My tank is heavy stocked and I do not do normal water changes I have a drip system that I put about 100 gallons in a day two algae scrubbers and pothos my nitrates never go above 20. You can definitely reduce them very easily.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Thanks for the reply, what about the sajica fry, I guess they'd be constantly breeding, would the majority be eaten? I assume they'd be quite easy to sell or give away if a lot survived. I have read a few posts where male sajica get very aggressive when breeding and have killed larger cichlids so I'd assumed that it was a no go but I suppose it's usually the horror stories and not success stories people post. I read thorichthys and rainbows are supposed to be pretty good for keeping in groups so this could still be an option for me, how many do you think I could house if I went with one of these over the sajica. I think if I went with rainbows it would open up another option for me of not having to upgrade and keeping them in my current tank 100x30x40(LxWxHcm) 120litres would this be ok for a pair or a trio 1m2f, I guess this tank would be too small for sajica or thorichthys? I'm definitely not gonna be put by a little aggression and territory wars, I'm looking forward to having some more aggressive fish, even if I am looking at some of the most peaceful central American cichlids

Just a point regarding keeping harems. Don't keep 1 male 2 females. Normally a male will pick a female to spawn with and the only threat to them is the spare female. When keeping harems always try to keep 3 or more females so any aggression gets diluted down the numbers.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Just a point regarding keeping harems. Don't keep 1 male 2 females. Normally a male will pick a female to spawn with and the only threat to them is the spare female. When keeping harems always try to keep 3 or more females so any aggression gets diluted down the numbers.
Your better off with just a pair if you can't house more than 2 females.

 

[Tripping Willow 91]

Sulfur denitateors, algae scrubber, continues water drip and pothos are al ways you can keep the fish you want. My tank is heavy stocked and I do not do normal water changes I have a drip system that I put about 100 gallons in a day two algae scrubbers and pothos my nitrates never go above 20. You can definitely reduce them very easily.

Thanks for this, I've now got a tonne of different options so I don't think nitrate will be an issue for me any longer ?

 

[Tripping Willow 91]

Yer that makes sense, similar sort of thing as livebeares then, apart from in this case it's to spread the pairs aggression to many females instead of 1or2. I'm guessing this harem situation would probably be better in a bigger tank, I think I could convince the missus on a 5ft tank if it's a 60"x16x16 or perhaps a 60x18x18

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Yer that makes sense, similar sort of thing as livebeares then, apart from in this case it's to spread the pairs aggression to many females instead of 1or2. I'm guessing this harem situation would probably be better in a bigger tank, I think I could convince the missus on a 5ft tank if it's a 60"x16x16 or perhaps a 60x18x18

That tank would be a nice size for a group of 12 thorichthys. Even if you had more than 1 male you would be fine.

Below is an old pic of one of my set ups. It was a 48 inch tank and housed 11 thorichthys helleri and a group of otapa swordtails. I had these in this tank for a good 3 years and had no aggressive issues.


Although helleri are one of my favourites the other members of the group are nice. Meeki, passionis and maculipinnis should prove hardier when taking account your nitrate concerns.

 

[Tripping Willow 91]

That tank would be a nice size for a group of 12 thorichthys. Even if you had more than 1 male you would be fine.

Below is an old pic of one of my set ups. It was a 48 inch tank and housed 11 thorichthys helleri and a group of otapa swordtails. I had these in this tank for a good 3 years and had no aggressive issues.
View attachment 1477422

Although helleri are one of my favourites the other members of the group are nice. Meeki, passionis and maculipinnis should prove hardier when taking account your nitrate concerns.

As much as 12! Do these guys not get a similar size to sajica? Would 12 of them be fine for life? That's a nice scape, is that BBA in there? As a plant guy BBA and staghorn was the bane of my life but that's actually rather attractive

 

[Stanzzzz7]

As much as 12! Do these guys not get a similar size to sajica? Would 12 of them be fine for life? That's a nice scape, is that BBA in there? As a plant guy BBA and staghorn was the bane of my life but that's actually rather attractive

Yeah is was bba. I love it in the right places. Yes these cichlids normally behave well as a group, especially if raised together from small juveniles. Remember only males get to quoted sizes. Most thorichtjys females reach little more than 3.5 inches.

 

[Tripping Willow 91]

Yeah is was bba. I love it in the right places. Yes these cichlids normally behave well as a group, especially if raised together from small juveniles. Remember only males get to quoted sizes. Most thorichtjys females reach little more than 3.5 inches.

That's interesting to know I'd be able to have so many, is the big group thing to disperse aggression amongst numerous fish like with mbuna or is it that they're just calmer and feel safer in big groups as it is natural for them to be in large groups?

 

[Deadeye]

That's interesting to know I'd be able to have so many, is the big group thing to disperse aggression amongst numerous fish like with mbuna or is it that they're just calmer and feel safer in big groups as it is natural for them to be in large groups?

Thorichthyis, like geos, tend to prefer the company of others and live like that in nature.