75 Gallon Stock

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whats.my.hair.colour

Feeder Fish
Aug 29, 2025
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Hello! This is my first post here and I’m very excited. I have a tank that I was housing Oscar’s for my local animal shelter until they got adopted. They are definitely not for me(a bit messy), but I have previously had a variety of different cichlids and I’m looking to get some more. However, I’m having a hard time deciding!!!
My current stock is 1 blue gourami, 1 Siamese algae eater, 1 Bristlenose pleco, and 1 clown pleco. It has black galaxy sand with a few live plants (with the intention for more) and a mixture of real and fake driftwood. The temperature is 77F. Ammonia and nitrites are zero, nitrates at 20. PH is 6.8. Id have to double check hardness (I’m at work currently).

I’m open to most anything that isn’t too terribly messing with their eating. I know some are more fond of rearranging than others, so maybe those that aren’t so keen. I love fire mouths, keyhole cichlids, and kribs. Very open to suggestions. Thank you so much!
 
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whats.my.hair.colour said:
Hello! This is my first post here and I’m very excited. I have a tank that I was housing Oscar’s for my local animal shelter until they got adopted. They are definitely not for me(a bit messy), but I have previously had a variety of different cichlids and I’m looking to get some more. However, I’m having a hard time deciding!!!
My current stock is 1 blue gourami, 1 Siamese algae eater, 1 Bristlenose pleco, and 1 clown pleco. It has black galaxy sand with a few live plants (with the intention for more) and a mixture of real and fake driftwood. The temperature is 77F. Ammonia and nitrites are zero, nitrates at 20. PH is 6.8. Id have to double check hardness (I’m at work currently).

I’m open to most anything that isn’t too terribly messing with their eating. I know some are more fond of rearranging than others, so maybe those that aren’t so keen. I love fire mouths, keyhole cichlids, and kribs. Very open to suggestions. Thank you so much!
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Welcome aboard 😃
 
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duanes said:
With your 6.8 pH and other tank inhabitants, the keyhole, and krib, (if you mean by krib P pulcher) will probably work fine
FMs are hardly ever found in pH waters less than 7.5, and may get ay bit large for the others, and get territorially belligerent.
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Thank you so much. Yeah I meant p pulcher.
Keyholes like to be in groups right? I presume not enough space for both types?
There’s been a mixed bag of info regarding keeping a pair of kribs in a tank with other fish. Has anyone had success with that?
I’m also trying to really take advantage of the sand. How do we feel about Eartheaters?
 
Welcome to the forum!
I have a krib pair in my 125 ca/sa tank. They largely keep to themselves and will breed from time to time (they eat the fry before they develop). They get feisty when they do breed, but the rest of the fish aren’t threatened.
I also have a bachelor colony in a 75. It started with my first pair and several generations of their fry (where my 125 pair is from). All of the females have disappeared over time and I frankly have no idea how or why. Back when the first pair was breeding they were very aggressive - basically a mini convict cichlid in personality. The two claimed half of the tank and killed a rainbow shark for getting too close.
Overall they are pretty good with other fish though. As long as you pick tankmates that won’t mess with them too much, it would be fine. They have been pretty good sand sifters for me.
If you don’t care for biotopes too much, smaller spiny eels (peacock or half banded) love a good sandbed.
 
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Have had kribs breed in community before and raise young successfully. One cichlid which will breed in community and always raise young successfully are jewel cichlids. A little misunderstood and often thought to be aggressive but I have never found them to be. Have raised hundreds, kept multiple fish in all types of communities and of course raised and bred different types. If you want a fish that will give hours of pleasure, are excellent parents, reasonably sized and beautiful to look at, get a pair of Turkana Jewel cichlid.
 
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Deadeye said:
Welcome to the forum!
I have a krib pair in my 125 ca/sa tank. They largely keep to themselves and will breed from time to time (they eat the fry before they develop). They get feisty when they do breed, but the rest of the fish aren’t threatened.
I also have a bachelor colony in a 75. It started with my first pair and several generations of their fry (where my 125 pair is from). All of the females have disappeared over time and I frankly have no idea how or why. Back when the first pair was breeding they were very aggressive - basically a mini convict cichlid in personality. The two claimed half of the tank and killed a rainbow shark for getting too close.
Overall they are pretty good with other fish though. As long as you pick tankmates that won’t mess with them too much, it would be fine. They have been pretty good sand sifters for me.
If you don’t care for biotopes too much, smaller spiny eels (peacock or half banded) love a good sandbed.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info! I may just err on the side of caution and do one. I just love the way they look so much.
I had not even considered anything like that! I'm not super set on biotopes. love the way the half-banded spiny eels look. I had been eyeballing kuhli loaches, but I don't know how they would do together?
 
Fishman Dave said:
Have had kribs breed in community before and raise young successfully. One cichlid which will breed in community and always raise young successfully are jewel cichlids. A little misunderstood and often thought to be aggressive but I have never found them to be. Have raised hundreds, kept multiple fish in all types of communities and of course raised and bred different types. If you want a fish that will give hours of pleasure, are excellent parents, reasonably sized and beautiful to look at, get a pair of Turkana Jewel cichlid.
Click to expand...
I am not familiar with the Turkana jewel cichlid. The ones I see at my LFS look different, but are just labeled jewel cichlid. Those Turkana's are awesome!
 
Just a comment on Lake Turkana and its fish
Some reseach on Lake Turkana below.

Lake Turkana has a high, alkaline pH ranging from approximately 9.2 to 9.4 on the pH scale, reflecting its status as the world's largest alkaline lake. The water is characterized by moderate salinity and contains high concentrations of principal ions like sodium, bicarbonate, and chloride.
 
whats.my.hair.colour said:
Thank you for the info! I may just err on the side of caution and do one. I just love the way they look so much.
I had not even considered anything like that! I'm not super set on biotopes. love the way the half-banded spiny eels look. I had been eyeballing kuhli loaches, but I don't know how they would do together?
Click to expand...
Tbh I’m not sure. Neither are particularly aggressive so I wouldn’t be worried there. The biggest problem I’ve had with spinies is that they are very shy eaters - you’d have to target feed it and keep the loaches distracted while you do.
 
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