Large Cichlid for a 180 gallon.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Keep things in perspective a 180 gallon is a nice tank but not a large one. The shape and dimensions are also important. many of the 180's are only about 18 inches wide making it uncomfortable for any of the larger chiclids to swim and turn comfortably. I would humbly suggest you aim for the mid range sized fish they will be happier and less stressed- Hey bonus you would now have more options.

Festae are great boisterous and aggresive mine loved to dig and fought with everything.
 
kosta said:
Keep things in perspective a 180 gallon is a nice tank but not a large one. The shape and dimensions are also important. many of the 180's are only about 18 inches wide making it uncomfortable for any of the larger chiclids to swim and turn comfortably. I would humbly suggest you aim for the mid range sized fish they will be happier and less stressed- Hey bonus you would now have more options.

Festae are great boisterous and aggresive mine loved to dig and fought with everything.
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Standard 180s are 24" wide, but I wouldn't keep a Dovii pair in one regardless.
 
I personally love the amphilo species. I have found that they all have great personalities, and you can get lucky and get one that plays well with others.

I have a rather large midas (10" I would guess- maybe bigger) and he's a puppy dog. I can put my hand in the tank, and he will rub all over it, and he loves to be pet.

The same can be said for my male Jaguar that's also in the same tank. He's friendly as well.

I would recommend against the FH. I have a 6" FH, and he's meaner than my Dovii! NOTHING enters his tank.. not even my hand. That said, No Dovii either.

A pair of Festae would give you your color, but pairs are hard to get. You can find a male no problem.. but female may take a bit.

You could look into Carpintis.. they get large, but man are they beautiful when in breeding dress!

I think you should go with a few fish of male gender, and it will at least give you a variety.
 
The carpintis are beautiful too. Are those known as texas cichlids? I would like to do either a species tank breed and sell some fish. Or do two pairs. Are two pairs in a 180 possible? What if I do a pair of midas and a pair of carpintis? A pair of festae or flowerhorn would be ideal.
 
swervo513 said:
The carpintis are beautiful too. Are those known as texas cichlids? I would like to do either a species tank breed and sell some fish. Or do two pairs. Are two pairs in a 180 possible? What if I do a pair of midas and a pair of carpintis? A pair of festae or flowerhorn would be ideal.
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Flowerhorns do not really pair like most CAs. The males are usually hyper aggressive. You will need a divider 24/7 and will not be able to have tank mates.
Festae are hard to pair (males kill the females a LOT) and usually will not tolerate cichlid tank mates long term IMO.
Midas pairs will also probably not tolerate tank mates in a 180 long term.

Carpintis ARE able to be kept in community tanks as a breeding pair generally.
 
can i keep carpintis with geophagus? Right now I have geo's, severums, red tail cat, and an arowana that seems to be stunted in growth.
 
Bocourti for color, festea for personality... I always hear people talking about dovii not getting big unless wild caught, or not in smaller tanks, or in the hobby they don't get as big.... I would like to refer anyone who thinks they can keep a dovii for any longer then a year or so in anything smaller then 3 maybe 400 gallons to mel. He has been keeping dovii since the early 70s and has one of the best I have ever seen. Sorry just thought I would add and I know the op said he wsent even intrested in dovii, but this topic comes up a lot.
 
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