Hello all, new here and looking for a little advice on some fish I just picked up. Anyone have experience with red tiger motas and black throat macrocanthus? I have them with a Pantano, t bar, topaz, Dempsey, Tamasopo, fire mouth, and Monte Cristo. All are juveniles right now, 1.5-2.5”, except the Pantano who is pushing 6. In a 75 for time being but intend to upgrade to 150 or more when they grow out. Excited to be here, thanks for the help!
Central American advice
- Thread starter CAsicklids
- Start date
Yea I knew any parachromis would be a gamble, suppose I just couldn’t help myself. I’m not opposed to pruning a few out as time passes. Right now the firemouth is one of the tough guys in the tank, but he’ll get outgunned pretty quickly as the rtm grows so fast. Thanks for the insight!
I have kept all of the above, and they will work for a while as juvies in your tank, but you are going to need at least a couple 6 ft tanks, as they mature.
I usually keep only 1 pair to a 6 ft tank with many of those, although the FM and nicaraguans will probably be able to be kept together as adults.
Above Left, a 12' male P. motaguense, middle a dinner plate see A. sajica, right an adult pair of H. tamasopoensus @ 8"
Below left an 8" male H. nicaraguans, middle A. myrnae, right close cousin to your C. pearsei, a not fully grown 12" Cincelichthys bocourti
The pearsei will eventually need a 300 gallon tank. They easily exceed 15"
I usually keep only 1 pair to a 6 ft tank with many of those, although the FM and nicaraguans will probably be able to be kept together as adults.
Above Left, a 12' male P. motaguense, middle a dinner plate see A. sajica, right an adult pair of H. tamasopoensus @ 8"
Below left an 8" male H. nicaraguans, middle A. myrnae, right close cousin to your C. pearsei, a not fully grown 12" Cincelichthys bocourti
The pearsei will eventually need a 300 gallon tank. They easily exceed 15"
Many years ago when I was a young dude, not experienced in this hobby, I took a bunch of different juvenile 1-2 inch Central Americans and tried to raise them in a 125 to move them into a 180 as they grew. ( I know now that the 180 wasn’t large enough and my plan really needed a 500 gallon to be successful) The 125 was doing ok with aggression until we hit the 3-4 inch mark. My Vieja Maculiada and Carpintis were battling for alpha. I rehomed a few and that helped but didn’t “solve the problem”. Just made it less of a constant aquatic horror show. I also thought I had an all male tank. Well, many centrals are hard to tell gender with to a young untrained eye especially when they are 1-2 inch fish. My Carpintis had formed a pair and made life even worse for the few remaining fish. Point of the story is you seem to be headed down the same road as me. I would not add any more fish to your 75 gallon. Especially the RTM which are very territorial and aggressive. Watch for aggressive terrorizing behavior and rehome fish as needed.
Many Central Americans don't share habitat with other cichlids, so trying to put them together in one tank, can be problematic.
While cichlids will often tolerate non-cichlids (too large to eat) as tank mates, most other cichlids are perceived as competators and a threat.
While FMs can be an exception, because they prefer to live in shoals, they often don't do well with more aggressive types.
While cichlids will often tolerate non-cichlids (too large to eat) as tank mates, most other cichlids are perceived as competators and a threat.
While FMs can be an exception, because they prefer to live in shoals, they often don't do well with more aggressive types.