Just looking for opinions

[Joshuakahan]

I’m moving and I’m only gonna be able to have one tank…a 180
So I’m thinking about making it a bada$$ mbuna tank or
Maybe a group of geos, hujeta and catfish of some type and maybe a couple severum
What would you guys do?

 

[Midwater]

Geos and pictus. And a few loaches.

 

[WOLF2013]

I second the geophagus and pictus option.
With mbuna and africans, you'll be watching a bloodbath. fish constantly attacking each other and in order to combat that you'd have to heavily overstock. africans are gorgeous but not worth the headache.
A 180 gallon would be a cool set up for some threadfin acara (hecklii), a chocolate cichlid, 1 severum, and then pictus cats (either pim blochii or common pictus works), and the hujeta or pink tail chalceus.

 

[WOLF2013]

Or you can even do frontosa and synodontis if you want africans

 

[Joshuakahan]

I second the geophagus and pictus option.
With mbuna and africans, you'll be watching a bloodbath. fish constantly attacking each other and in order to combat that you'd have to heavily overstock. africans are gorgeous but not worth the headache.
A 180 gallon would be a cool set up for some threadfin acara (hecklii), a chocolate cichlid, 1 severum, and then pictus cats (either pim blochii or common pictus works), and the hujeta or pink tail chalceus.

Thanks!
I’ve kept Malawis
for decades and few vics and tangs here n there and I don’t find them too difficult…anymore.
I haven’t done a whole lot with new worlds though. I do like some of the more rare pims (pim like) like horse heads. So that setup you mentioned with a few tweaks sounds cool. Im not really a frontosa fan, but love synos I’m also debating about doing a reef or FOWLR since I’ll only have one tank to maintain

 

[duanes]

Since you are moving, do you know will your tap water be different or similar?
Will it be high pH, and mineral rich? or low pH and soft?
I would want to know the water parameters before I decide on what species to keep.
Some fish are sensitive to water parameters, some are not.
Some become more sensitive as they age, and come down with chronic ailments over time, in less than stellar conditions.
Rams are one of those, We often hear anecdotes about less than robust strain, but this may really be due to rams held in adverse water parameters
If the new water is soft, Microgeophagus ramerizi or Amazonian Geophagines might work, great
if it is more neutral, or slightly hardApistogramma altispinosa might be a better choice, or Geo's from west of the Andes instead.
If your new tap water is very hard and mineral rich, Central Americans might be a better choice than their S American soft acidic water cousins.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Since you are moving, do you know will your tap water be different or similar?
Will it be high pH, and mineral rich? or low pH and soft?
I would want to know the water parameters before I decide on what species to keep.
Some fish are sensitive to water parameters, some are not.
Some become more sensitive as they age, and come down with chronic ailments over time, in less than stellar conditions.
Rams are one of those, We often hear anecdotes about less than robust strain, but this may really be due to rams held in adverse water parameters
If the new water is soft, Microgeophagus ramerizi or Amazonian Geophagines might work, great
if it is more neutral, or slightly hardApistogramma altispinosa might be a better choice, or Geo's from west of the Andes instead.
If your new tap water is very hard and mineral rich, Central Americans might be a better choice than their S American soft acidic water cousins.

I’m moving to the greater Albuquerque area, but I have no idea what the water is like there. I’ve been in Phoenix for a while and we have very hard water. I kept a few geos, sveni and stiendachneri, and they did well for the time I had them, but it was only 6 months before I sold them

 

[aussieman57]

Wait to you move, check your water & then decide. I've been through this many times. So many fish, so little time. Take your time & research, research.. that's half the fun.

 

[Joshuakahan]

Wait to you move, check your water & then decide. I've been through this many times. So many fish, so little time. Take your time & research, research.. that's half the fun.

Thanks
Im used to having 7-10 tanks and not really having a tough decision lol. But we’re leasing the new place until we decide if we want to buy in NM, so one tank for the next couple years
Im probably gonna check out the LFSs and see what’s in their display tanks.

 

[Joshuakahan]

I actually went on the website for what my new water source will be, and it’s very hard water, so it’s either gonna be rifties or maybe salt
Thanks for the input!