Hey, so, I'm needing to re-do my 75 and I'm thinking about what fish I want to stock the tank with. Its kind of a tough decision tbh. Normally, when keeping cichlids, I try and purposely plan a balance of power so that there's not some overcetralization of aggression between any two fish. Because of this, I'm always trying to be smart with my cichlid choices.
Beforehand, I was running an EBJD, 2 rainbow cichlids, an electric blue acara and 2 hecklii (thread fin acara) and they balanced each other out in terms of aggression and the tank had no issues. Currently though, I'm left with the electric blue acara and the rainbow cichlid. The rainbow is perhaps twice the size of the electric blue acara and is clearly more dominant a fish, although sadly it has chosen to be a dark colored and drabber fish instead of the bright yellows it used to display. Kinda stopped showing those when I got my EBJD, I guess because it was no longer top dog? Now the fish is definitely top dog but probably stressed from how drastically the tank changed (its pretty bare now, less hiding spots....that's going to be changing very soon).
Anyways, the rainbow is king atm but I don't quite like/trust the mix of just the two cichlids. I'm thinking of adding angelfish to the mix (once I get nice healthy ones to a good size) since I know temperament wise they will mix as well, but I'm debating if that's enough. In the past, I've noticed that my cichlids only really care about the other cichlids and ignore other fish, and it wouldn't surprise me if they ignored angelfish being that angels are relatively different in appearance and a little more different in behavior. What are some other cichlids I should consider that are in the same vein as a rainbow cichlid?
Currently, ideas that come to my mind are things like misc. cryptoheros species (not convicts, I mean I guess one would work but its not my thing anyways), thoricthyes species, things like that. I'm also possibly into the idea of a blood parrot (gasp) because I know how they work pretty well and I kinda have a special place in my heart for them but idk if that's what I want. Possibly considering doing an EBJD again as well (shrug). Ideally, I'd only want another normal bodied cichlid or two (unless angelfish would accomplish what I'm talking about, sorry if this is getting long winded and confusing). I was also thinking abut kribs but I have no idea if they'd be ignored or not, or bolivian rams but the size difference might be a concern.
Beforehand, I was running an EBJD, 2 rainbow cichlids, an electric blue acara and 2 hecklii (thread fin acara) and they balanced each other out in terms of aggression and the tank had no issues. Currently though, I'm left with the electric blue acara and the rainbow cichlid. The rainbow is perhaps twice the size of the electric blue acara and is clearly more dominant a fish, although sadly it has chosen to be a dark colored and drabber fish instead of the bright yellows it used to display. Kinda stopped showing those when I got my EBJD, I guess because it was no longer top dog? Now the fish is definitely top dog but probably stressed from how drastically the tank changed (its pretty bare now, less hiding spots....that's going to be changing very soon).
Anyways, the rainbow is king atm but I don't quite like/trust the mix of just the two cichlids. I'm thinking of adding angelfish to the mix (once I get nice healthy ones to a good size) since I know temperament wise they will mix as well, but I'm debating if that's enough. In the past, I've noticed that my cichlids only really care about the other cichlids and ignore other fish, and it wouldn't surprise me if they ignored angelfish being that angels are relatively different in appearance and a little more different in behavior. What are some other cichlids I should consider that are in the same vein as a rainbow cichlid?
Currently, ideas that come to my mind are things like misc. cryptoheros species (not convicts, I mean I guess one would work but its not my thing anyways), thoricthyes species, things like that. I'm also possibly into the idea of a blood parrot (gasp) because I know how they work pretty well and I kinda have a special place in my heart for them but idk if that's what I want. Possibly considering doing an EBJD again as well (shrug). Ideally, I'd only want another normal bodied cichlid or two (unless angelfish would accomplish what I'm talking about, sorry if this is getting long winded and confusing). I was also thinking abut kribs but I have no idea if they'd be ignored or not, or bolivian rams but the size difference might be a concern.
