135g Stocking help

[Netengo]

Hi me again, I'm looking at re-stocking my tank after a number of my fish have died of old age over the past 2-3 years.

The tank is a 135g, 6 foot x 2 foot x 18 inch wide and Ive got 2 FX6 filters running on it.

I've narrowed it down to 2 ideas.

First is a South American like this

1 x Severum - one of the smaller species?
6 x Angels - potentially Leopoldi or Peruvian (or are they the same thing?)
Big school of Emporer Tetras
Big school of a larger Cory cat, one of the black and white species
2-3 Whiptail Catfish, probably some kind of Sturisoma

Second is a Centrals tank that I would like to keep Nicaraguans and Cryptoheros Nanoluteus. I was thinking a female Nic with maybe 2 pairs of Nanoluteus? But them I dont know what else to put in as dithers or catfish to build a community? Obviously livebearers would be a good place to start? But not sure what I would go with, maybe some wild type Swordtails?

Let me know what you think to either list and if you have any other suggestions please say

thanks Andy

 

[duanes]

To me the choice would be influenced by what sort of water comes from the tap (maybe not strictly), but because those wild type (as compared to aquarium strain) angels can be sensitive to a waters mineral composition.
I would have loved to have leopoldi, housed with Uaru fernadenzepizzi, or similar species where I lived, but my water was alkaline, and had a high conductivity so it would have been more trouble than it was worth, trying to keep them healthy.
I do have experience with the two Central Americans you mention (because my water was compatible)with their needs. In the size tank(135 gal) you could probably do a group of both. I find the nics do well in groups as long as their is enough space, a male and 3 or 4 females would work, I had a group 6 in a similar size tank, with a group of 8 nanoluteus.
For dithers I used both wild type swordtails, and sail fin mollies, and prefer the wild type because their colors do not distract, or compete with the look of th cichlids.

 

[Netengo]

Hi Duanes thanks for your help again and thanks for the fantastic pictures!

I never knew that Nics were a hareem fish, I kept a lone female a number of years ago and she was fantastic one of my favourite fish that Ive ever kept. I tried a younger female in a community a while later but she was very fiesty and taking on 10 inch fish when she was 2-3 inches... I had to rehome in the end. Do they behave better in a group?

Do you think that 12 cichlids like that would be ok in a tank like this? I have one large piece of driftwood in there, its quite branch like with lots of hiding areas and I am hoping to add some plants like Java Fern - the pre grown large type - which would add some breaks in the tank.

Totally agree on the natural coloured live bearers, I might start with a trio of swords and see if the numbers increase from there. Are there any types of schooling fish that would be appropriate?

Are there any catfish you think could work in this set up? I do not know which cats are classed as Central American. I supose Synodontis could be an option and I do like them but I like to try and keep my tank regional, so I would need to convince myself...

thanks again, Andy

 

[duanes]

Beyond the many live bearers, there are the many tetra species from the area ranging in size from the tiny Pterobrycon, to mid sized Hyphessobrycon and Roeboides, up to the tigerish group (although these larger type might put strain the bioloads and compatibility of the tank.
Plenty of geographically correct catfish too, my choice would be some of the Rineloricaria for their size, although the Hypostomus groups are common here, as are Bagrus and Pimeloids.
William Bussings book the Freshwater Fish of Costa Rica is a great resource, and although the genus names are often outdated, it covers most fish of the entire region from Panama in the south up into Mexico,

 

[Netengo]

I found the Roeboides on my searches and some of them look awesome not a lot of info on them though and not sure they come into the UK very often...

Are the Nics best kept as a group with 1 male and multiple females?

I'll make sure to look up that book!

 

[Netengo]

Does anyone know about the different type locals of Nics? I've come across people mentioning different types but cant find any images?

When I have seen them in shops as well, some are what I would call clean with just the black line down the middle and the others have had black markings all over as well as the line, is this different localities or is it a 'quality' thing?

Also interested to hear from people that have kept them in groups vs pairs or singles? How did it work?

 

[Netengo]

duanes would a group of just females work for the Nics in a tank like this? Or would having a male around keep them in check? I would prefer not to end up in breeding situations as it is my only tank.

 

[duanes]

Because I don't keep fish unless they are in breeding groups, my experience with single sex groups would be limited.
I always kept Nics in a group of 3 or more females to 1 or 2 males. Pairs would split off during spawning times, but eventually after the fry were self sufficent, the females would rejoin the group.

 

[Netengo]

Thanks I think I have tracked down some nice nics hopefully going to see them next weekend. I am debating if I should add the other fish first though...