Large Cichlid for a 180 gallon.

[Eläköön]

I would never assume someone is upgrading unless it is explicitly stated.

To the OP: Your tank really isn't big enough for a full grown 24" fish. Something in the 15"-16" range would be fine, and that is the large majority of the CA/SA available in the hobby (pretty much most, other than Dovii and Umbee). Festae are amazing looking fish when full grown, but it takes awhile for the males to get to the size you're talking about (3 years or more).

I said earlier that he could have Dovii pair IF he was upgrading, it's up to him to tell us whether he will or not. I can't imagine someone specifically saying they want huge cichlids not being willing to upgrade for his fish if he has to.

and Buddha those Bocourti are the best I've ever seen, maybe you will inspire him to get some? I know If i see any now I'll be picking them up!

 

[virgil2090]

boucorti get big,red tiger motas would look great,some big fast dithers for extra movement,cubans,many amphilophous species get big and are active.2 stores in NJ you could go visit are aquascape and absolutely fish,not far from the city.

 

[Water]

try some of the vieja species. Zonatum comes to mind. They get some cool color paterns going.

+1, skip the Flowerhorns. The bond between male and female FH's are never permanent.

 

[brich999]

< big angry fish would love to be in a 180. I also like huge Midas, a very impressive fish IMO.

 

[AcsFoolMike]

I can't imagine someone specifically saying they want huge cichlids not being willing to upgrade for his fish if he has to.

"Huge" is a relative term. Huge, to some people, might be a 10"-12" fish. So I'm not sure why you "can't imagine someone specifically saying they want huge cichlids not being willing to upgrade for his fish if he has to", because there are plenty of "huge" cichlids that are fine in a 180 for life.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Buddha, are those from conkel? Is it a particular strain? What size did you buy them at?

 

[buddha1200]

they are from conkel(they came in a shipment of wild caught ones)i bought them both the week they came in.
i had been looking for bocourti for two years,when i first contacted him he did not have any lost his breeding colony(not sure how)
about a year later meet ira and told him i was looking for some,i was informed that don had new ones coming in to start another
breeding colony so i asked to get some from the same group he was bring in(cost me a pretty penny but was worth it)
male was 4 inches the female 3 inches.
really impressed how they turned out,they were really plain when i first got them(almost change my mind about them)but after researching
and alot of work they turned out pretty good.
i do now one thing if you keep bocourti they require very large water changes(helps their colors dramatically)with out the large water changes they never seem to hold great colors.
my male when he first arrived

 

[buddha1200]

correction(looking at the date on the file)this picture was 1 month after i got them,sorry

 

[buddha1200]

the female around the same time.
they were both kinda banged up when they came in,but healed up nice and quick(very hardy fish)
never had a problem since except getting the female to except pellets(but since she started there is no stopping both of them when it comes to food(most sggressive eaters i have.)

 

[fishguts]

i think dovii pair is fine for 180. females get nowhere near as large as males and yes males can get huge in the wild they rarely get over 17-18 inches in the hobby. ive seen adult dovii pairs that were 6 yrs old and the males were in that 17-18 range. that was in a 300 gallon. i also seen grown dovii pair in a 180 gallon when i was down by altoona and they looked perfect in there. your not going to see a 24 inch dovii unless you catch a monster in the wild.