125 stocking suggestions

[IcK]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to get back into the hobby now that I own my own home and have ample space (i.e. my man cave) to begin collecting fish again. I had originally looked at a 75 gallon, but I figure a 125 would be more appropriate and would give me more options on stocking combinations.

I've had a wet pet (a male Trimac from Jeff Rapps about 5ish years ago) and that was a great experience. It was interactive and looked fantastic. However, I was always wanting more movement and action. I've always been intrigued by having a larger tank with more cichlids, not necessarily larger cichlids.

So here are my ideas which I'd like for you all to provide feedback on (**Please note, I do not want breeding pairs. That's just a grenade waiting to go off and I can't handle all the fry.)

1. Another wet pet (only 1 per 125, male, w/ no tank mates):
   1. Barred Midas
   2. Trimac
   3. Escondido
   4. Beani
   5. Some type of Vieja
2. Colony tank (only males):
   1. Convict (x4), HRP (x4), and maybe something else?
   2. Firemouth (6)
3. Community Tank (all male):
   1. Any variety and number of convict, salvini...and not sure what else that could go with this combo?

This might seem like a generic list but IME, convicts are very fun to watch and have tons of personality. I love salvini's and have always wanted one, but I'd rather not have tank mates suffer. I'm hoping a 125 could fix that. I'm not entirely opposed to having a wet pet again, but it would need to be a real specimen and provide the interaction that my Trimac did years ago.

Thoughts? Likes and dislikes?

 

[Jexnell]

I recently started a "Colony" tank myself in a 125 as well.
Stocking
4 HRPs
8 Firemouth
9 Swordtails
20 Red eye tetras
2 bushynose pleco
6 Porthole catfish

Besides the Swords being a weak strain and drying off, I have had no issues. Even had HRPs pair up and breed.
Now mind you it's only been a month. But i had a very similar setup in a 55 for a year till the seam blew out and I had to rehome those fish.
The tank is always busy. Tetras darting around. Firemouths doing their fancy gill flare non fights. There is no fights between the cichlids, some gill flaring, and a run off ever now and then, but no real fights.

 

[Ogertron3000]

I had a salvii in a 4 x 2 x 2 , I loved it but the tank wasn't big eNough for the other fish to escape its aggression and all the other fish got shredded.
The convict colony looks like fun, I have enjoyed watching Jexnell s tank in his thread, I also like the idea of a mixed cichlids tank but they seem to be too unpredictable in how the fish interact. My own experience went haywire with the salvii but had a nice setup with some electric blue acaras and orange head tapajos that worked well.

 

[decoy50]

You could go with a community tank of thoricthys (firemouth). Lots of great fish in that group. I've kicked around that idea in the past - planted tank with lots of wood. The likelihood of interbreeding & mutt fry would always be present though so I wouldn't sell or distribute any fry.

 

[IcK]

Jexnell, that sounds like a pretty nice setup. I'm not sure if I'd go with anything other than cichlids, though. With that being said, do you think an all male colony of Convicts/HRP's would be interesting? Or is there enough space in that tank for 3-4 pairs? I'd just be concerned with all the fry!

 

[Jexnell]

Jexnell, that sounds like a pretty nice setup. I'm not sure if I'd go with anything other than cichlids, though. With that being said, do you think an all male colony of Convicts/HRP's would be interesting? Or is there enough space in that tank for 3-4 pairs? I'd just be concerned with all the fry!

I like the all Male colony idea. Maybe one or two of three, to four different sp. Of Amatitlania. Would use dithers of some sort tho, so they have something else to chase.
Multiple pairs I would say maybe three. My young HRP pair were keeping a foot each way clear of other cichlids.
All the other fish serve a purpose in the tank. Mostly fry control.
The 55 I had going for nearly a year I only got three fry out of a dozen spawns.

 

[adamsfishes]

First, do you have your 125 yet? If not, I'd suggest trying to step up to a 180. The 24"' width opens up a lot of options compared to an 18" width. Plus it's another 55 gallons of water and doesn't take up any more wall space. A 180 is quite a bit heavier tho....

I personally wouldn't put fish that can hit 14+" inches like most Vieja, Cincelichthys, and some Amphs, in a 125. Vieja heterospilus may be ok.

I'm considering similar options for my new setup. Another genus I'd throw into the mix for a community setup is Archocentrus. I'll get some multispinosa if I end up doing a community. I had centrarchus before, and I think they are slightly cooler, but they are really hard to find.

JDs may be hit or miss, but a lot of people have had success with them in communities. While predatory, they're usually not the stone killers that Parachromis or Amphs can be. EBJD are a safe bet but hard to raise to adulthood as they are more fragile.

 

[IcK]

First, do you have your 125 yet? If not, I'd suggest trying to step up to a 180. The 24"' width opens up a lot of options compared to an 18" width. Plus it's another 55 gallons of water and doesn't take up any more wall space. A 180 is quite a bit heavier tho....

I personally wouldn't put fish that can hit 14+" inches like most Vieja, Cincelichthys, and some Amphs, in a 125. Vieja heterospilus may be ok.

I'm considering similar options for my new setup. Another genus I'd throw into the mix for a community setup is Archocentrus. I'll get some multispinosa if I end up doing a community. I had centrarchus before, and I think they are slightly cooler, but they are really hard to find.

JDs may be hit or miss, but a lot of people have had success with them in communities. While predatory, they're usually not the stone killers that Parachromis or Amphs can be. EBJD are a safe bet but hard to raise to adulthood as they are more fragile.

I haven't picked up the tank yet so I'm still in the planning stages. Weight isn't a concern as it will be on a concrete floor in the basement. Transporting it to the home is another issue though, haha.

If I were to get a 180, I'd probably end up mixing a bit more than just Convicts or HRP's. I'd probably ad something else that could inhabit the same space, but remove the breeding pairs due to aggression. Lots of options!

 

[LDPatton]

I had a friend who had multiple pairs of convicts in a tank smaller then 125. They did good and had allot of personality living in closer quarters. The fry didnt make it to adults due to so many fish to eat them. Every once in awhile a couple fry would make it to 1.5” or so but he fed those tough ones to his jaguar cichlid. I really like convicts especially when theres a few in a tank. They are fun to watch.

 

[PhishMon84]

You could probably keep a dozen firemouth in a 125, with a big group of swords and something for a centerpiece.
Something like a melanura or one of the more passive vieja- maybe one that’s a jerk.

Orange swords, firemouths and a syn, argentae or regani would be my choice.

I’d say Pearsei but most would say they outgrow a 125