Finally ready to start keeping 'real' cichlids...

[Victorhadin]

Hi guys!

Long time fish keeper here but a newbie with the big cichlid boys, asking for advice and ideas!

Long story short, after a year of deliberating I finally got my first 'big' tank, a 350L (90G) fish home shown cycling below.



It's filtered with one Bioflow L and one Fluval 307 canister, has plenty of black sand and bogwood, and I'm looking for fishy ideas. My water runs slightly acid (6.5) and slightly soft. So far I've ordered a group of Geophagus Tapajos, but I'm looking for an algae eater and a single big centrepiece fish after that.

Fire eel: Too big.
Oscar: Too... Hungry? But nice.
Texas cichlid?
Jack Dempsey?
Green Terror?
Something else?

I'm taken by the look of a GT, but not completely sold yet and can be flexible. Any ideas? ?

 

[ryansmith83]

All of those fish are too aggressive and large to be kept with Geophagus sp. Tapajos in a tank that size. Also, Texas cichlids as the name implies are North American and Jack Dempsey are Central American. Their aggression level is very different from most South American species so I would rule them out for that reason alone.

The other problem is that some of the stuff that could be recommended, like Heros, will eat plants. I’d look at getting a medium to medium-large growing centerpiece fish, something like a chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara), a blue acara (Andinoacara pulcher, the smaller relative of green terrors), or one of the acaras of the Aequidens group. These are all 6 - 10” options that would fair well in soft, acidic water, likely ignore your geos, hopefully avoid your plants (though no guarantees), and not outgrow the tank as a single specimen.

There is a massive debate about the species that we call the green terror. In the American hobby it refers to Andinoacara rivulatus, and thousands of stores sell A. rivulatus as “green terror,” while in Europe the name green terror is often used to refer to Andinoacara stalsbergi. I’ve read countless threads of arguing about what the “true” green terror is, and how we should call rivulatus either gold saum or silver saum depending on the seam color on their tails, blah blah blah… but at the end of the day, this is the trouble with common names and to clear up confusion they should be referred to by their Latin names.

A. rivulatus may or may not work, though they are large and boisterous fish and it’s a gamble. A. stalsbergi IMO is the more aggressive of the two and I wouldn’t even attempt that one probably.

 

[stiker]

Welcome to the world of new world cichlids.

I wouldn’t add any of the fish you listed with Geophagus in that tank size. I would avoid the Andinoacara Rivulatus. It will most likely become too aggressive for the Geophagus. I would avoid other cichlid species as when the Geophagus want to spawn it will most likely be too cramped in that size of aquarium.

Personally I would do a group of Geophagus sp. Tapajos, a school of corydoras and a school of tetras above. My favourite tetra species to mix with Geophagus sp. Tapajos are Hyphessobrycon Pulchripinnis (the lemon tetra)

In regards to algae eaters, most produce more waste than what they clean. You could choose one of the various Bristlenose plecostomas or various whiptail catfish.

Pictured are some Geophagus sp. Tapajos. In the second image a female G. Steindachneri (holding female), a group of Pseudohemiodon (Lamina and Apithanos) and a Corydoras (formally Brochis) Splendens can also be seen.

 

[Victorhadin]

Thanks guys!

Beautiful pictures there, very very nice. ? And thanks for the candid advice: I've been on the fence with the GT idea as I didn't know the risk factor. Beautiful creatures, but I like tanks to go the long haul, so maybe a ticking time bomb isn't the best mix!

Tetras... maybe. Pretty but not too characterful. I have other tanks with small fish in though in the same room, so I feel they'd be lost in the room.

A chocolate cichlid is a very interesting left field idea if it's not going to feel cramped. Corydoras are darlings but I want to avoid putting too much in the lower half of a pretty tall tank. Is there anything that would suit that would be a bit more free roaming?

 

[Victorhadin]

As to the Acara idea: Definitely a good alternative and I'm pondering it. Annoyingly the local shops all seem to stock the electric blue variety, and while gorgeous they all seem a little... Stunted? Inbred? Something looks off in their stock anyway.

 

[stiker]

Thanks guys!

Beautiful pictures there, very very nice. ? And thanks for the candid advice: I've been on the fence with the GT idea as I didn't know the risk factor. Beautiful creatures, but I like tanks to go the long haul, so maybe a ticking time bomb isn't the best mix!

Tetras... maybe. Pretty but not too characterful. I have other tanks with small fish in though in the same room, so I feel they'd be lost in the room.

A chocolate cichlid is a very interesting left field idea if it's not going to feel cramped. Corydoras are darlings but I want to avoid putting too much in the lower half of a pretty tall tank. Is there anything that would suit that would be a bit more free roaming?

You could substitute the tetras for something else such as a Hemiodus species (H. Gracilis being one of the most popular in the genus).They can be a bit sensitive especially when first introduced / after shipping.

Instead of Corydoras if you want something more mid water swimming, that is a catfish you could go with a group of Dianema Urostriatum. I kept a group with the species in the images above. While a catfish, majority of their time was spent mid water/ resting on driftwood compared to other catfish that stick to the bottom of the aquarium.

A chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara Temporalis) would be an option. They get to around 12 inches and in my experience are quite boisterous. Pictured is a wild caught pair from the Rio Ucayali in Peru. Image 1 is the female and image 2 is the male (both images fry were present)




I am not a fan of electric blue acaras or any electric blue fish for that matter. You could go with a regular A. Pulcher or A. Latifrons if you can source them

 

[duanes]

All of those fish are too aggressive and large to be kept with Geophagus sp. Tapajos in a tank that size. Also, Texas cichlids as the name implies are North American and Jack Dempsey are Central American. Their aggression level is very different from most South American species so I would rule them out for that reason alone.

The other problem is that some of the stuff that could be recommended, like Heros, will eat plants. I’d look at getting a medium to medium-large growing centerpiece fish, something like a chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara), a blue acara (Andinoacara pulcher, the smaller relative of green terrors), or one of the acaras of the Aequidens group. These are all 6 - 10” options that would fair well in soft, acidic water, likely ignore your geos, hopefully avoid your plants (though no guarantees), and not outgrow the tank as a single specimen.

I agree with the above.
And consider a 90 gal too small for the potential fish you mention, not just because of their body size, but because of their territorial requirements.
Central and north American cichlids likeJDs, Texas, etc require much more floor space than their S American cousins when living as a community.
In fact I consider a 90 as minimal for just the Geo's as adults and some non-cichlid dithers, like tetras.
If you want a North or Central community, a tank in or around the 200 gallon (or larger) size is more reasonable.
I have watched a single pair of 10" JDs in nature defend a territory of at least 250 gallons from all other cichlids, allowing only dithers to enter.

 

[Victorhadin]

Cheers guys!

Alas a 200G tank would probably lead to marital strife, so I must make do. ? A lot might ultimately come down to my observation of the Geo Tapajos once they arrive and as they grow, and I either go big with a single big boy, or go small with dithers accordingly. Best to play it slow, as I have other tanks going in next to it anyway so there's plenty of fun to be had. The missus prefers the rift lake cichlids of course... ?

I love those chocolate cichlids above, beautiful fish. Very good idea with the Dianema Urostriatum as well. Much to think about...

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

I don't know if anybody mentioned this yet but you could keep Severums

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

or True Parrot Cichlids can work as well