First real CA tank, need help pairing down stock list!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I would do a group of one of the Cribroheros, with a group of lents, and group of nics, and a group of Thorichthys, but probably no more. And I would add them as youngsters all at the same time, but not piece meal, in that way they set up territories together may grow up copacetically.
 
duanes said:
I would do a group of one of the Cribroheros, with a group of lents, and group of nics, and a group of Thorichthys, but probably no more. And I would add them as youngsters all at the same time, but not piece meal, in that way they set up territories together may grow up copacetically.
Click to expand...

I was planning on buying them all within a short period of time in groups.

When you say "Group" how many would you suggest?
 
4 or 5 is a good group size I believe, a few more could be fine, but not less than 4 or 5 of each.
When I got Cribroheros rostrum I started with 15.
I had always heard they were aggressive, but in my group there was not any overt aggression that I could see.
Not saying you should 15 of each, because with the 4 species you mention even if juvies, your tank would be severely overcrowded in just a few short months with 60 cichlids.

With the lentiginossum I started with 8 juvies.

robertsoni 6

nics 5 or 6

 
  • Like
Reactions: RyanM
I would do either a group of thorichthys and a group of lents or a pair of nics with your sajica.
I personally found regani a very aggressive fish,with its own kind and with other cichlids.

Only males will get to those sizes,females about half.
I would not recommend a lone robertsoni, they do best in groups and would also be a good choice to keep with lents or thorichthys.
Lents are typically a riverine species but they do also occur in lakes.
Lake miramar has breeding colonies of lents.They probably came down a tributary during floods.
They will appreciate a flow, but not essential. Highly oxygenated water is more important.
 
Keep in mind if you do go with Nics as one of your species, the males can get a decent size. That could be your "large" and "peaceful" CA fish right there.
I kept Nics previously and I have to say they did not pair up and spawn. Like, at all.
I have heard that having Nics form a pair can be difficult, certainly when compared to many of the prolific CA cichlids out there.

This is probably a good thing for a community type tank!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stanzzzz7
I actually do think 20 x 6" cichlids would be a bit much for 125, but as stanzzz mentioned, females and subordinates are usually smaller, and with decent water change schedule could work. Some of my tanks were crowded to lessen aggression, but thats why I did minimum 30% water changes every other day.
But also, as a matter of course sh't happens, and fish die (regularly), and others pair off, and if they do, they will need to be removed or even more death will be inevitable.
When a pair of my nics paired up, they were removed from the community and spawned 3 times. One of the reasons I always had a extra empty tank, running off my sumps to keep it cycled and at the ready.
Just a fact of life if you have aquariums.
 
Appreciate all the opinions. Initially my idea was that with only moderately aggressive species that a little "overcrowding" would actually help the situation.

My thought now is that I may try the 3x Sajica's, 8 maculipinnis and a group (4-8) of one of the Nics/Lents/Criboheros. I usually stay on top of maintenance and have plenty of over tanks that I could use to pull out anything that pairs off or gets unusually aggressive. Keep in mind, I am planning on buying these all as 1.5-2" and growing them out, not starting with adults.

Reasonable?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom