90G Silver dollars & Blue acaras

[skinnyfish]

Hi, I'm new so hopefully this is the right spot for this post.
I am stocking up a 90G SA mixed tank with Blue Acara and others. Tank dimensions are 48"L x 18"W x 24"H with lots of good cover and visual barriers. I need some feedback on stocking and how to get a pair. Right now theres 3 Silver Dollars (2"), a 3" Pleco, and a few swordtails. The swords would be dithers that provide snacks. I would like to have a pair of Blue Acara that would hopefully spawn, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Years ago I had a spawning pair in a 55G with other small fish, but it was random luck that things turned out that way. So what is the best way to achieve this? If I found some big enough to sex would I just get one of each and hope for the best? If they do not form a pair will they get along? I know that cichlids have individual personalities, but in general what are your experiences? Chances are any I find will be too young to sex, so how many would I get to hopefully form a pair naturally? And if I end up with a pair what happens with the rest?
On a side note, if I had only 2 BA's would I be able to add maybe a Firemouth (or 2 if the same sex), or maybe a just 1 young Red Shoulder Severum. I know sevs get big, not sure how fast they grow. I'm not sure my tank is large enough to add a sev to the mix.
Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

Acara's aren't dependent on live food. Your sword tails will breed faster than they get eaten in a 90 gallon. If you want to have 3 SD's and 2 cichlids in your swordtail tank go for it. Doubt you do though. I would also advise against live food in a "community tank". Either fish are friends not food or they're fish food. The acaras will get better nutrition from pellets than fish basically the swordtails would just be there so you can watch them get hunted and munched. If you want to promote that kind of aggression I'd lose the silver dollars and get a more aggressive predatory fish.

 

[barley pop]

The best way to get a pair is to start with 6-7 acara once a pair forms you will want to rehome the rest. I think in a 90 you would have room for another chiclid either a fire mouth or severum should work fine IMO.

 

[jaws7777]

Acara's aren't dependent on live food. Your sword tails will breed faster than they get eaten in a 90 gallon. If you want to have 3 SD's and 2 cichlids in your swordtail tank go for it. Doubt you do though. I would also advise against live food in a "community tank". Either fish are friends not food or they're fish food. The acaras will get better nutrition from pellets than fish basically the swordtails would just be there so you can watch them get hunted and munched. If you want to promote that kind of aggression I'd lose the silver dollars and get a more aggressive predatory fish.

+1

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[skinnyfish]

Oh I don't intend to feed live food, I'm just hoping some bigger fish will clear out some of the fry. They'll be eating pellets. There's only 4 adult swords in there, they were what I cycled the tank with. They're not really part of the plan but they're here so... My Plan was just dollars and a few SA cichlids, mainly BA's. Don't really want to promote aggression, thats part of why I like BA's they dont aggro as bad as some cichlids. In regards to forming a pair that seems like a good plan, I'll try that method, re-home the extras, and if the swords continue to breed to fast they will go too. Should I add the sev with the BA's or wait until a pair is formed?