Best Large Cichlid for 135 gallon

[sevs and sajicas for me]

I'm not a newbie to fish. I've kept them for several years and several different SA/CA cichlids. Right now I'm keeping mostly CA between sajicas and heterospila in other tanks. However, I am new to the "wet pet" selections or the larger aggressive cichlids.

I'll be having a 135 gallon freeing up soon. The only thing that will be in there are 2 UJ bichirs (polli and albino senegal). The polli is about 8 or 9 inches long while the senegal is about 6 inches. However, these guys can be moved if need be.

I'm wondering what is the largest single/pair of CA cichlids I can comfortably fit in the 135 for life. Doing my research i've seen freddies, RTM, and Midas suggested the most. Would appreciate some personality. Would any of the flashy viejas meet that criteria and be comfortable in a 18 inch deep tank? What are your suggestions? And would your suggestions require me to move the bichirs?

 

[duanes]

I believe if you are just going to raise a pair, that is a good size tank for most average size cichlids.
It would be (IMO) too small for dovii, umbi's, P bass or Cincilicthys like pearsei or bocourti, but most of the others, as a compatible pair could work well.
I have kept and had bifas, zonatus, breidhori, and Chuco intermedium spawn and live comfortably in those conditions, but had trouble with more bellicose species like argentea, regani, and Tomocichla tuba in that space .
I believe its all about getting and maintaining a pair bond, and if other tanks with other similar size pairs are in visual range of pair , this also helps.

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

Thank you as always duanes . I figured the bigger guys like dovii and pearsei/bocourti would be too large. I've long admired breidohri but from a personable/owner interactive perspective how are they? My heterospila are quite interactive but also require a lot of patience from me considering how slowly they grow. In your experience are their growth rates more similar to their faster growing vieja brethren or one of the slower types.

Any opinion on the midas or smaller parachromis?

 

[DMD123]

While a pearsei would make a great tankmate for bichir the sheer size of these guys just is not a great combo in an 18" wide tank. Mine was 16" in a 24" wide tank and was just comfortable.

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

Thanks DMD123 . While I would love a pearsei I am not considering one for this tank, nor a bocourti as duanes said. I'm considering some of the smaller parachromis like freddy's/RTM or perhaps a midas or other amphilophus. A vieja like a breidohri or melanura may also be a consideration. Do you have an opinion on any of these?

 

[DMD123]

Im currently raising out a bunch on amphs with my large bichirs. Only issue so far is that the amphs (hoga, midas, Petsmart red devils) have all nipped fins on the polys. A short phase that they have all went through but it still happened. Each time a new groups of amph growouts has went into the 300 they have all had to bite on the poly tails. Thats the only issue Ive had so far. As they get older they completely ignore them.

 

[Jexnell]

The Amphilophus family is know for being exceptional Wet pets.
Keeping a breeding pair of them is a bit of a chore, be ready with a divider or spare tank to separate on occasion. Casper my Sagittae would go all ham on anything including his mate as soon as the fry got to swimmer stage. So had to separate them till the fry was removed.
Not all Amphilophus are know as "glass bangers". Individual personality aside some are more rambunctious than others. My Sagittae definitely is the glass banger people enjoy

 

[duanes]

My breidhori didn't grow as fast as some of their faster growing cousins like bifas or melanura, but they were fine for my space, and because I don't look for overtly anthropomorphic personality traits in fish, I'm not really qualified on that judgement call.

breidhori female above, ale below.

I have found normal zonatus to become quite tame despite my attempts to keep them wild like, and the beautiful blue was striking, same with the reds on fenestratus .
Motaguense also worked for me in that size tank, and bold.

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

Wow. Really nice Jexnell . Thank you for the tips DMD123 . Glad to hear you've had minimal issues with the amph bichir combo. I've had some of my heterospila do similar things to the bichirs but it also passed with time with no real damage done.

duanes those breidohri's are stunners. I would think the parachromis would require me to move the bichirs am I wrong?

 

[sevs and sajicas for me]

So if i were to consider one of the amphilophus, are there any i should stay away from? Any that outgrow the 135 with 18" depth? Any that are absolute no's to keep the bichirs with?I'm not sold on keeping a pair. I'll likely get 4-5 juvies and see how it goes for a while and then keep 1 or 2 if a pair develops.