75 gallon stocking ideas
- Thread starter SCM_2123
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That's a nice looking tank. I could honestly see going a route similar to this. So are South Americans maybe a better choice since Central Americans almost all hybridize and shoal? What about the various acara species? I see there are quite a few but they appear to be different genera. Would they be likely to hybridize? Or if I really don't want breeding and hybrids would it be better to consider peacocks?
Most acara species can cross breed. I made a mistake once with a female green terror in my 125 community tank and she bred with andinoacara pulcher aka "original" blue acara and she became a feisty little one lol. I had to instantly remove her to another tank.
Best bet is to find out what your tap water readings are as far as pH, KH, GH, and TDS and go from there. You may already know central american cichlids come from harder alkaline water with higher pH whereas a majority of south american cichlids come from neutral to lower pH with soft acidic water. Some south american species reign from moderate hard water on the Pacific side and borders of central america and some come from cooler waters while others thrive warmer.
duanes
can probably chime in with more info on acara species breeding.
Best bet is to find out what your tap water readings are as far as pH, KH, GH, and TDS and go from there. You may already know central american cichlids come from harder alkaline water with higher pH whereas a majority of south american cichlids come from neutral to lower pH with soft acidic water. Some south american species reign from moderate hard water on the Pacific side and borders of central america and some come from cooler waters while others thrive warmer.
duanes
can probably chime in with more info on acara species breeding.
Green terrors and blue acaras can breed because they're in the same genus. Genetically the green terrors (A. rivulatus, stalsbergi, blombergi) are in a separate little clade apart from the "blue" acaras (A. pulcher, latifrons, coeruleopunctatus, etc) but both clades are still genetically right next to eachother. I'm sure they could breed with other acaras if they tried since convicts can breed with green terrors (across entirely different tribes), but as I'm sure you know they are a lot less inclined to. You don't see blue acaras breeding with keyholes or green terrors breeding with ivanacara.Most acara species can cross breed. I made a mistake once with a female green terror in my 125 community tank and she bred with andinoacara pulcher aka "original" blue acara and she became a feisty little one lol. I had to instantly remove her to another tank.
Best bet is to find out what your tap water readings are as far as pH, KH, GH, and TDS and go from there. You may already know central american cichlids come from harder alkaline water with higher pH whereas a majority of south american cichlids come from neutral to lower pH with soft acidic water. Some south american species reign from moderate hard water on the Pacific side and borders of central america and some come from cooler waters while others thrive warmer.
My apologies if I misunderstood, are you looking for a single centerpiece or multiple solo individuals of different species?
A significant amount of central Americans shoal but at this point I wouldn't worry about those. I still stand by my recommendation of either Amatitlania nanolutea, sajica, or myrnae in that case. What is your concern with hybridization if you're only keeping one?
Contrarily most small south americans that can fit in your tank do shoal, aside from my other recommendations of Cichlasoma (collectively known as "black" acaras) or Andinoacara (again excluding green terrors). Both are fine solo.
Hybridization is just as bad (if not worse) in peacocks (turkis, dragon bloods, OBs, red rubins, etc are all hybrids) and a solo male will be territorial.
Either a single centerpiece or multiple solo individuals of different species.
You still have not explained your water parameters?
So talking about hybridization of South American or Centrals is getting way a head of yourself.
Unless you have a grasp on what will be healthy enough to do well or not in your tap water is moot.
If you have hard, high pH water, the bacteria thrive in that water wouldn't let S American hybrid fry survive anyway.
Or of you have low pH, soft water the chance or saving lots of hyrbid Central America fry past the free swimming stage, may also be moot.
So talking about hybridization of South American or Centrals is getting way a head of yourself.
Unless you have a grasp on what will be healthy enough to do well or not in your tap water is moot.
If you have hard, high pH water, the bacteria thrive in that water wouldn't let S American hybrid fry survive anyway.
Or of you have low pH, soft water the chance or saving lots of hyrbid Central America fry past the free swimming stage, may also be moot.
Just curious how the tap is so different from the aquarium.
How long has the water in the tank sat without doing a water change?
The pH 9 would be perfect for Centrals, if it remained stable, by doing enough water changes to have it remain pH stable.
A pH 7 would be more approprate foe S American Acaras from west of the Andes,
but in that size tank, only 1 Acara the size of an adult GT would probably max in out.
.
I my 180 gal tank (with another 125 gallons in sump water volume), my male Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus would only allow himself and 3 females to live.
Any more than that, he killed, and my tank is over double the territorial space.
How long has the water in the tank sat without doing a water change?
The pH 9 would be perfect for Centrals, if it remained stable, by doing enough water changes to have it remain pH stable.
A pH 7 would be more approprate foe S American Acaras from west of the Andes,
but in that size tank, only 1 Acara the size of an adult GT would probably max in out.
.
I my 180 gal tank (with another 125 gallons in sump water volume), my male Andinoacara coeruleopunctatus would only allow himself and 3 females to live.
Any more than that, he killed, and my tank is over double the territorial space.
I have no clue why there is such a discrepancy. I added some crushed oyster shells and PH up at the pet store after having a bacterial bloom. My last water change was on Thursday last week and I plan on doing another tomorrow. It was +/-30%. I currently have tetras in the tank as well as cories. All of the tetras survived the bacterial bloom except the bleeding heart tetras. I also have Congo tetras in this tank with the South American ones and everyone is doing fine. None of the smaller acaras like threadfins or blues/electric blues would survive in this type of water? By GT I assume you mean a green terror?
Do you have city or well water? Can you ask the water company if they did any maintenance lately to the city water?
What are your ammonia and nitrate readings from the tap?
Only asking because that's a big difference.
