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

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I wouldn't add any of the fish that you have mentioned above. Since you have already ordered the Tapajos geos, I would say add a small school of tetras (black neons are my go to), a BN pleco, and for another peaceful cichlid, you should look into on of the many mesonauta species. festivum.jpg
 
That's a pleasant looking fellow!

Aye, I'm thinking the first list was optimistic, but that's why I'm here asking the experts! Would the Geos be a risk to tetras or leave them alone for the most part? They're supposed to be peaceful, but they still hit 6 inches after all.

Pic of the home offish below because pictures are nice. Please excuse the photo bombing by Oscar.

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Large bodied tetras would fare well. I like serpae.
Sevs aren’t an option as they destroy plants.
I like the acara idea (I don’t mind the blue guys, one of the few bred-for-color fish I like). The wild type is stunning as well.
 
I have never had a problem with my Tapajos geos picking off tetras. Larger species, like altifrons and brasiliensis will though when they get big enough.
 
I wouldn't add any of the fish that you have mentioned above. Since you have already ordered the Tapajos geos, I would say add a small school of tetras (black neons are my go to), a BN pleco, and for another peaceful cichlid, you should look into on of the many mesonauta species. View attachment 1469201
I have not had good experience with mixing Mesonauta and Geophagus together. When the Mesonauta become sexually mature I have witnessed them “dive bombing” slower more placid species below (such as Geophagus) attacking the top of the fish. They are however beautiful. I am unsure if this is the case with domesticated Mesonauta I have only kept/ spawned wild caught specimens.
From what I’m aware of ryansmith83 ryansmith83 has witnessed similar behaviours.

Pictured are some wild caught Mesonauta Insignis ‘Columbia’
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I have not had good experience with mixing Mesonauta and Geophagus together. When the Mesonauta become sexually mature I have witnessed them “dive bombing” slower more placid species below (such as Geophagus) attacking the top of the fish. They are however beautiful. I am unsure if this is the case with domesticated Mesonauta I have only kept/ spawned wild caught specimens.
From what I’m aware of ryansmith83 ryansmith83 has witnessed similar behaviours.

Pictured are some wild caught Mesonauta Insignis ‘Columbia’
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Beautiful insignis you have there!!
I keep WC m. mirificus, and I have only seen that behavior when they are spawning, and even then it is very mild.
 
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Since you want a GT, why not go for normal Blue Acaras? They look very similar, almost identical but are smaller and much for peaceful. Oh yeah I would recommend a keyhole. They are very personable and cute. I named mine Tiny Tim!
 
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To be honest, I think a group of Red Head Tapajos work well as a centerpiece of a tank that size. As juveniles, their group dynamics are very interesting to watch. As they get older, their color really starts to pop and you get pairs forming. I think those paired with smaller fish (tetras, cories, plecos) is probably your best path for a 90 gallon. If you were to upgrade to a 125 I could see a few centerpiece larger fish (chocolates, severum) working as well.
 
A Hoplarchus psittacus (true parrot cichlid) will outgrow the tank and they can be aggressive, especially in tight quarters. A max size Hypselecara temporalis (chocolate cichlid) would be pushing it in a 90 gal and some, if they don't eat plants, like to uproot plants. If plants aren't a priority, a Heros sp. rotkeil would be a good fit with geos and they're not one of the larger growing Heros, they tend to stay in the 8-9 inch range.

Geo tapajos don't necessarily stay 6 inches. Some might, but I bred them and 6 inches would be a minimum for my males, most were closer to 7 inches, occasionally up to 7.75 inches. A colored up group of Geo tapajos (along with a number of other geo species) can be their own centerpiece. I suppose it's all how you perceive it, but except in a larger tank where you could keep a showy 11 or 12 inch plus fish (like Hoplarchus psittacus), I think of additional fish with geos as more of a complementary piece than a centerpiece.

I've had my share of A. rivulatus (green terrors) over the years. Except for the wilds I had mine weren't especially aggressive. But they can vary. As for size, they occasionally reach 12" but much most are in the 8-10 inch range (males), so not as large as a couple of the other suggestions here. Not recommending them for your tank, but I wouldn't automatically rule them out. I think someone mentioned Andinoacara stalsbergi above, which is the other fish often called green terror. Stalsbergi are actually the hard water cousin to rivulatus, rivulatus in the wild inhabit more neutral waters.

Blue acara are variable in color depending on collection location or breeding strain. I've also had yellow acara (Aequidens species) with geos. I've had wild angelfish as complementary fish to geos at times, which works well, different shape, behavior and levels in the tank, but that might not be what you had in mind.
 
A Hoplarchus psittacus (true parrot cichlid) will outgrow the tank and they can be aggressive, especially in tight quarters. A max size Hypselecara temporalis (chocolate cichlid) would be pushing it in a 90 gal and some, if they don't eat plants, like to uproot plants. If plants aren't a priority, a Heros sp. rotkeil would be a good fit with geos and they're not one of the larger growing Heros, they tend to stay in the 8-9 inch range.

Geo tapajos don't necessarily stay 6 inches. Some might, but I bred them and 6 inches would be a minimum for my males, most were closer to 7 inches, occasionally up to 7.75 inches. A colored up group of Geo tapajos (along with a number of other geo species) can be their own centerpiece. I suppose it's all how you perceive it, but except in a larger tank where you could keep a showy 11 or 12 inch plus fish (like Hoplarchus psittacus), I think of additional fish with geos as more of a complementary piece than a centerpiece.

I've had my share of A. rivulatus (green terrors) over the years. Except for the wilds I had mine weren't especially aggressive. But they can vary. As for size, they occasionally reach 12" but much most are in the 8-10 inch range (males), so not as large as a couple of the other suggestions here. Not recommending them for your tank, but I wouldn't automatically rule them out. I think someone mentioned Andinoacara stalsbergi above, which is the other fish often called green terror. Stalsbergi are actually the hard water cousin to rivulatus, rivulatus in the wild inhabit more neutral waters.

Blue acara are variable in color depending on collection location or breeding strain. I've also had yellow acara (Aequidens species) with geos. I've had wild angelfish as complementary fish to geos at times, which works well, different shape, behavior and levels in the tank, but that might not be what you had in mind.
A pair of large 6 by 6 inch angelfish would be a great center piece fish and would look great in the tank as well.
 
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