75 Gallon American Cichlid tank stocking help

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Yeah, moving from a 10 to 75 is quite a jump for a newbie like me, lol. I will probably go with something along those lines, Swami Gourami. I might replace the Severum though so I could do 3 5-8 inch cichlids instead.

This hobby just makes you want to go bigger and bigger hahahaha
 
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The red hump Geophagus group (steindachneri, crassilabrus, pellegrini) are not quite as social as some of the other Geophagines, so putting one of those in with your other cichlids might work. The red humps are very aggressive with each other, I had males that would assasenate any none compliant females in 6 ft 100plus gallon tanks, even when small.
I believe as Gourami swami said, you are over estimating the size of your tank, and how many territorial cichlids it is capable of housing safely.
The Acarichthys (thread fins) also get quite large, and at matururity will assassinate each other in 100 plus gallon tanks. I was warned I needed more than 200 gallon tanks with plenty of floor space, to keep a copasetic group, but thought (erroneously) I could handle them. After three years of compatibility, they killed each other off in my 150 gal almost overnight.

The Acarichthys above were about 10" L when the photo was taken.
All cichlids are complex animals, and most new world cichlids do not react well to crowding because of their territorial nature.
Also realize as your cichlids grow, you will need to up your water changes and other maintenance practices to keep water quality good enough for proper health.
Large mature cichlids in an undersize tank, often mean every other day, or even daily large water changes.
 
The American cichlid God has spoken!-)

How would you stock it considering he wants at least 1 personable larger cichlid dude?
 
Are there any other small geophagus you would recommend that aren’t as aggressive? Also should I keep all of one gender?
 
If I had just that 75, depending on the composition of the OPs water
if the water is soft,
maybe 4 red head tapajos Geos and no more than 2 small severum, some geographically tetras (or hatchetfish) as dithers and a few cores.
If the tap water is hard
some examples (just nothing too big)
4 Thorichthys and some live bearers as dithers
or some Amatitlania such as nanoluteus or HRPs and live bearing dithers.
nanoluteus

HRP

or a pair of A myrnae and some swordtails as dithers

or a southern South American biotope in neutral water, of
4 or 5 Gymnogeophagines, and a couple of the smaller Australoheros (no heater) maybe with cool water live bearers as dither

a Gymno above , Australoheros below

breeding color above, normal below

There are endless combinations all within size range that doesn't crowd and treat a fish like its a prison cell
 
Okay... how about the following stock:

1x Gold Severum
1x Threadfin Acara
1x Blue acara
2x Red Head Tapajos
7x Congo Tetras
 
Okay... how about the following stock:

1x Gold Severum
1x Threadfin Acara
1x Blue acara
2x Red Head Tapajos
7x Congo Tetras

That looks better, though you might have issues with threadfin and geophagus. I have had a pretty aggressive threadfin and they look similar enough. I would do that same stock without the heckelii.
 
That looks better, though you might have issues with threadfin and geophagus. I have had a pretty aggressive threadfin and they look similar enough. I would do that same stock without the heckelii.
What would you suggest replacing it with?
 
Maybe a bristlenose pleco, I think you'd be better off not adding more cichlids in the long run. If you really wanted to, maybe a guianacara or cupido cichlid. Something on the smaller side.
 
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Maybe a bristlenose pleco, I think you'd be better off not adding more cichlids in the long run. If you really wanted to, maybe a guianacara or cupido cichlid. Something on the smaller side.
Great, thank you so much for all your help. What order should I add the fish to the tank?
 
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