First 125 gallon tank, Need some help please.

[Aladyne]

Hello,

I'm currently in the process of shopping for a new tank and was thinking of getting a 72 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 23 3/8 (125 gal) tank. I've kept cichlids in the past, but was wondering if or what I would be able to put into the tank. Currently I have only 2 cichlids (a 4" Jack Dempsey and a 6" Red Devil). So far in my 55 gallon tank I have them in they have been getting along well, but I know this can quickly change. Right now the Red Devil spends most of it's time hanging out within the plants and is really docile. I "rescued" it from a local petsmart as it looked miserable and felt with my knowledge I could give it a good home and better life.

My question is this. Would 125 gal be big enough to house both the Jack Dempsey and Red Devil together, and could I add other cichlids to the mix? If so, which ones? I always overfilter my tanks (I'm still debating over what filtration I want to use in this tank) and do regular water changes so bio load isn't an issue. It's my first dive into some bigger tanks and want to get advice from more experienced fishkeepers when it comes to keeping larger tanks.

Thank you.

 

[ehh]

I think space wise, you could house both of them in there. Now, in time, will the red devil want a roommate? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[Athletic_Amph]

technically speaking a 125g would be large enough for both of those fish at adult size. you're just going to need to worry about territories and hiding spots. your RD/Midevil may be docile now (I'm going to refer to it as a Midevil bc it more than likely is not a pure RD since it was purchased at Petsmart and not a reputable importer or vendor). It's not long before the Amphilophus complex takes over and he becomes a monster. The JD is going to need places to hide as the Midevil will quickly outgrow the JD in size and temperament. If you've had them for a while, and both were purchased close to juvenile size, there's a high chance they will get along for life. *BUT* keep in mind that at any point in time, they can snap and turn on one another. Just because someone has kept fish together in the same tank for years, does not mean they are good to go for life. Adding more fish is going to get tricky, as each individual has its own personality. It will depend greatly on the specific fish you consider, but it's definitely possible

 

[Aladyne]

I would agree with the Midevil statement. The JD wa purchased as a juvenile, the Midevil was a little while later and was slightly bigger than the JD. I'm aware that RDs along with other cichlids can change at a flip of a coin in temperament and I've heard RDs can be brutal. That's why I was concerned. As for stocking I was thinking of maybe a Green Terror or Jaguar or something along those lines (both?). I'm assuming anything that doesn't get to around 10-12" or more will have a hard time holding their own.

I plan on having a lot of driftwood and rock caves (possibly clay pots) for hiding and territory. One thing I know from my personal experience with keeping cichlids in the past is if you buy them all fairly young and they grow together, it increases the chances of them maintaining their hierarchy and get along. Again, I'm aware of the ability to "flip" as they mature.

An added question is that if anyone is familiar with the St. Louis area in Missouri do they know of a good reputable fish store? Currently all I've seen are some small (mostly community fish) stores and Petco/Petsmart.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

I would agree with the Midevil statement. The JD wa purchased as a juvenile, the Midevil was a little while later and was slightly bigger than the JD. I'm aware that RDs along with other cichlids can change at a flip of a coin in temperament and I've heard RDs can be brutal. That's why I was concerned. As for stocking I was thinking of maybe a Green Terror or Jaguar or something along those lines (both?). I'm assuming anything that doesn't get to around 10-12" or more will have a hard time holding their own.

I plan on having a lot of driftwood and rock caves (possibly clay pots) for hiding and territory. One thing I know from my personal experience with keeping cichlids in the past is if you buy them all fairly young and they grow together, it increases the chances of them maintaining their hierarchy and get along. Again, I'm aware of the ability to "flip" as they mature.

An added question is that if anyone is familiar with the St. Louis area in Missouri do they know of a good reputable fish store? Currently all I've seen are some small (mostly community fish) stores and Petco/Petsmart.

U should keep the jd in the 55 gallon and move the red devil into the bigger tank,as far as tankmates I would go with a Cuban cichlid and a couple eclipse catfish,all the good fish store that I know are in or near the KFC area because that's the area I frequent,I recommend ordering online.

 

[Athletic_Amph]

As stated above, Keeping the JD in a 55 (if you can afford the floor space) is definitely a great recommendation as well, you could even find him a female in the 55g and it would be perfect for them.
As far as other tankmates, you're definitely going to want a fish in similar size/aggression. GTs (Rivs I would assume) would be able to hold their own for the most part, have you considered other Amphs? Citrinellus, Chancho, Flavelous, Istlanum (newly reclassified), etc would all certainly be able to hold their own... but you see where we are going with this lol I have always wanted a pure Amph tank, so my recommendation may be slightly bias

And I agree, ordering online from someone like Jeff Rapps @ TUIC or Dan @ COTA (CichlidsoftheAmericas) would be your best bet for pure strains and great quality fish... Rapps doesn't have a minimum order like COTA does, but both have great stock

 

[Aladyne]

I've thought about ordering online so I'll take a look at those recommendations. I may have to rehome the JD then. I already promised the Mrs. that the 55 gal would become a planted community tank (It was the trade off for getting a bigger tank). One option I was thinking about (due to space) was to see about a 125 gal double stack stand and getting 2 125 gal tanks. If I do that I would then put the Midevil in one and then go around the JD for the other. I really don't want to get into breeding as I wouldn't have anywhere to sell/give the fry away.

I could go with some more Amphs. They definitely would hold their own. If so I'm guessing probably only 1 more fish then in that size tank.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Cool,if u would like some cool fish for the 55 planted I would suggest:threadfin rainbowfish,red millennium rainbow fish,discus,mascara barbs,pondsnails,celestial danios and once the tank has been running a few weeks u can add a pair of Sumatran blue neon gobies, I highly recommend u google these awesome fish which are great for planted community tanks.

 

[Aladyne]

I'll definitely look into them. Wife wanted lots of colorful more peaceful fish for it.

 

[Aladyne]

I was doing some thinking with all of these suggestions. Would the Midevil be ok in a 75 gal tank? Would it be big enough? Since tank mates are going to be hit or miss anyways I was thinking of just getting 2 75 gallon tanks instead of 1 125. The Midevil would have 1 75 gal to himself and then the JD and other tank mates could share the other 75 gal.

I was hoping that they all would get along, but I underestimated the aggression that the Midevil may show as it gets older. Thank you all for the replies. It saved me a lot of heartache in the future.