90 Gallon Stocking Plan

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aussieman57

aussieman57

Aimara
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Nov 11, 2021
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Have been looking into various stocking plans for this tank which will be a display tank in living room. Fish chosen based on looks (color, fins, etc.) and occupying different levels in water column. Also species which wife will like that will provide color & interesting features. Tank has pool sand substrate with some pebbles mixed in to give it a more natural look, various driftwood pieces & some rocks. Plan is to add plants (red root floaters, anubias and maybe hornwort). Filtration is 2 Eheim 2217 canisters. Lighting Hygger planted 24/7 LED light...
Acarichthys heckelii (one centerpiece fish)
Geophagus sp. Red Head Tapajos (4 fish)
Electric Blue Acara (1 fish)
Swordtails (6 fish) Marigold or brick variety
Per Aqua advisor this stocking plan provides a 94% stocking level for the tank & require 44% weekly water changes when fish are full grown. Pic of tank below. Have some more Manzanita driftwood that will be added to bring wood to top of water column and plants that will be added to tank and wood to break sight lines.
DW.jpg
 
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That looks like it's very effective for breaking up sight lines indeed. Good eye with the aquascaping.

As per the stocking, I don't know what the minimum number of redhead eartheaters is. But if dispersing aggression is a concern of yours, more can be added without overcrowding.
6 redhead eartheaters, for example, is 109% (below the threshold of 130%, which is the 100% for intermediate and up aquarists).

Best of luck setting up a good display.
 
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I would start with a group of just the redhead tapajos geos (6-8). Redhead geos are feisty and I fear they would just harass a lone heckelli into poor health or death. and you'd almost certainly never see the trademark "threadfins" from all the chasing and nipping.

Once the geos are larger you may consider an upgrade to a larger tank.
 
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I would also go with the tapajos, a group of as many as you can fit. Possibly the best looking cichlids. And throw in some loaches as tank mates.
 
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Backfromthedead said:
I would start with a group of just the redhead tapajos geos (6-8). Redhead geos are feisty and I fear they would just harass a lone heckelli into poor health or death. and you'd almost certainly never see the trademark "threadfins" from all the chasing and nipping.

Once the geos are larger you may consider an upgrade to a larger tank.
Click to expand...
Well it looks like the heckelli is out. I was wondering if it would work. Would the same issue arise with the lone EBA? As far as a larger tank is concerned currently have no where to locate it. The 90 will most likely be the large tank.
 
With regards to loaches, the only species that would do well in there are aggressive species that can hold their own against redhead eartheaters.

Skunk loaches would work, but you'd have to forego the swordtails if you went that route because the skunk loaches are too aggressive for them.

On the other hand, even when the overall stocking is below 130%, AqAdvisor warns of territorial aggression. See: https://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php...AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

Some caution is advisable if you choose loaches.
 
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aussieman57 said:
Well it looks like the heckelli is out. I was wondering if it would work. Would the same issue arise with the lone EBA? As far as a larger tank is concerned currently have no where to locate it. The 90 will most likely be the large tank.
Click to expand...

I think a lone EBA would be fine, just not necessarily prosper in that tank. Again, this is only what I would do, but I would go with a group of one type of cichlid. If you're intent on keeping different cichlids, by all means try it. But ime the appeal of the RHT geo has a lot to do with their behavior and coloration when kept in larger groups.
 
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Backfromthedead said:
I think a lone EBA would be fine, just not necessarily prosper in that tank. Again, this is only what I would do, but I would go with a group of one type of cichlid. If you're intent on keeping different cichlids, by all means try it. But ime the appeal of the RHT geo has a lot to do with their behavior and coloration when kept in larger groups.
Click to expand...
MultipleTankSyndrome said:
With regards to loaches, the only species that would do well in there are aggressive species that can hold their own against redhead eartheaters.

Skunk loaches would work, but you'd have to forego the swordtails if you went that route because the skunk loaches are too aggressive for them.

On the other hand, even when the overall stocking is below 130%, AqAdvisor warns of territorial aggression. See: https://aqadvisor.com/AqAdvisor.php?AquTankName=&AquListBoxTank=Choose&AquTankLength=122&AquTankDepth=46&AquTankHeight=61&AquListBoxFilter=Choose&AquTextFilterRate=N/A+&AquListBoxFilter2=Choose&AquTextFilterRate2=N/A+&AquFilterString=skunk+&AquListBoxChooser=Skunk+Loach+(Yasuhikotakia+morleti)&AquTextBoxQuantity=5&FormSubmit=Add+>&AquTextBoxRemoveQuantity=&AlreadySelected=201003241257:6:0:,200912081400:1:0:,200909300213:5:0:&FilterMode=Display+all+species&AqTempUnit=C&AqVolUnit=L&AqLengthUnit=cm&AqSortType=cname&FilterQuantity=2&AqJuvMode=&AqSpeciesWindowSize=short&AqSearchMode=simple

Some caution is advisable if you choose loaches.
Click to expand...
Have no intention of doing loaches. This may end up being a 90 gal Redhead Tapajo & Swordtail tank. My only other thought would be if something like a few dwarf flag cichlids or golden dwarf cichlids (Nannocara anomali) would work with the Tapajos & swords.
 
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That would probably work and later I could rehome some Tapajos. My goal is to get a 1M to 4F tapajo mix that would look like this...
 
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