160 gallon Tank set up

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

matiashaa

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 24, 2025
6
2
3
Norway
Hello, this is my first post here!
I am currently setting up a 160g SA cichlid tank. This will be my first cichlid tank. I have kept a few cichlids before, but only rams and apistogrammas.
My plan is to have 1 chocolate cichlid and 1 heros efasciatus. I also want to keep geophagus. My LFS have altifrons and surinamensis. So i need your opinions on keeping geos. Would it work to keep one of each species and maybe a threadfin acara as well?
Or would it be better to go with one of them and keep a group of 5? I was thinking the tank might be a bit small for a whole group of 5 altifrons when they grow up?
 
  • Like
Reactions: A201 and tlindsey
matiashaa said:
Hello, this is my first post here!
I am currently setting up a 160g SA cichlid tank. This will be my first cichlid tank. I have kept a few cichlids before, but only rams and apistogrammas.
My plan is to have 1 chocolate cichlid and 1 heros efasciatus. I also want to keep geophagus. My LFS have altifrons and surinamensis. So i need your opinions on keeping geos. Would it work to keep one of each species and maybe a threadfin acara as well?
Or would it be better to go with one of them and keep a group of 5? I was thinking the tank might be a bit small for a whole group of 5 altifrons when they grow up?
Click to expand...
Welcome aboard!

Yes you're right once altifron grew to adults the aquarium will be too small.
 
Thanks!
Yes thats what i thought.
So what would be the best option if im gonna keep geos? Would it be better keeping one of each species? Or only one single altifrons whit the other cichlids?
 
In nature Amazonian (northern S American) Geos are typically a social species, doing best as a group, until breaking off a pairs to spawn.
My altifrons easily hit 12¨, so in time, a social group of Geo (4 or 5 could) could easily max ot that size tank alone.
1766668772688.png
G pyrocephalus might be a better fit for that size tank.
Acarichthys (threadfin) also get quite large, and can become aggressive once mature (8¨+)
1766669432664.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: A201 and tlindsey
Thanks, that helped a lot.
I was also thinking about pyrocephalus but i have never seen it for sale in my lfs. They seem quite limited when it comes to cichlid species.
So in your opinion my best option for geos is a group of pyrocephalus. And if i cant get them i should find some other type of cichlids?
I have also been thinking about yellow firemouth(Thorichthys pasionis) or the common firemouth, and t-bar cichlid.
Im open to any sugestions on other types of cichlids.
 
That sounds good.
So how many of these fish would fit as adults in the tank? I dont want them to be cramped in the tank. Does this look like a good stocking list
1 chocolate cichlid
1 heros efasciatus
1 t-bar cichlid
1 yellow firemouth
Maybe also EBA or Herotilapia multispinosa if there is room. I will probably also add a couple bristlenoses.
I think its hard to know how to stock a tank because its so many different opinions out there. So its great to hear some experiences from you guys
 
The water parameters needed for S American species are quite different that water parameters for Central Americans.
The Heros, EBA and chocolate will prefer softer, low pH conditions 7 or lower.
The sajica, multispinosa, and Thorichthys are hard water, higher pH species. Minimally above pH 7.5.

If your tap water is right in the middle parameter wise, (neutral), you may be fine with a combination.
But if your tap water leans to one extreme or the other, you may want Central, or S American, but not both.

Because my tap water average a pH of 8, and is hard, species like Heros or other S Americans would be an exercise in futuilty for me to keep healthy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
I have kept fish for many years and i know the chemistry behind ph, and how ph and gh effect the fish, depending on the waterparameters they have in the wild.
But what im here for is to hear peoples opinions and experiences on those species, and what they think about the number of fish in a 160g. So i was hoping someone could share some of their knowledge about that with me 😀
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom