160 gallon Tank set up

[matiashaa]

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?

 

[tlindsey]

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?

Welcome aboard!

Yes you're right once altifron grew to adults the aquarium will be too small.

 

[matiashaa]

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?

 

[duanes]

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.

G pyrocephalus might be a better fit for that size tank.
Acarichthys (threadfin) also get quite large, and can become aggressive once mature (8¨+)

 

[matiashaa]

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.

 

[tlindsey]

I have also been thinking about yellow firemouth(Thorichthys pasionis) or the common firemouth, and t-bar cichlid.

I think you should go with that selection.