Long time lurker looking for inspiration 260G tank 72" L x 24" W x 36" H

[kyleallen22]

I would stock with fish from West of the Andes mts, think Peru, Ecuador or Central America's.
You could go with Andinoacara Rivilatus-Green terror or Andinoacara Pulcher-Blue Acara as the main cichlids. The Terrors are bigger and as the name implies more aggressive. The Acara are much smaller and know to do well in a community tank. Tho the males are known to bite into a plant and shake it as part of the breeding/bonding process so may get some plant damage.
Get a nice group of tetras twenty or more Columbian, Bleeding Hearts etc to occupie the mid lvl of the tank.
A group of 6 or more Cory cats if going with Acara or Hoplo cats or a Pimelodus Ornatus if going with Terrors.
Could get some Pink tailed Chalceus for the surface area of the tank.

Love both of these ideas and am leaning towards you suggestion on the green Terror. Ideally what would the numbers on this kind of stock look like in your opinion if you chose them yourself?

I’m assuming the green terror would be the last fish introduced to the tank as well.

White sand a couple large pieces of driftwood and some plants specific to their habitat?

 

[Jexnell]

Love both of these ideas and am leaning towards you suggestion on the green Terror. Ideally what would the numbers on this kind of stock look like in your opinion if you chose them yourself?

I’m assuming the green terror would be the last fish introduced to the tank as well.

White sand a couple large pieces of driftwood and some plants specific to their habitat?

Really depends. The Ornatus being a slower growing than your average cichlid, but if you can get a 5in one to start with, then you can stock all at the same time.

I tried this setup but with wild GT and he was to aggressive but a much smaller tank. I would try with some captive breed GTs.

 

[kyleallen22]

Great picture! That tank is a beauty! I Especially like your use of driftwood here.

I've been obsessing over what to do with this tank over the last couple of days and have pivoted again lol.

Currently thinking of doing a geophagous and severum tank. What I'm thinking of currently:

8 Geophagus sp. Tapajos
2 Rotkeil Severum
2 Gold Severum
2 Green Severum
2 Electric Blue Acara
20 Bleeding Heart Tetras

Thoughts? Inclusions? Exclusions?
Really appreciate the input so far, this is by far the biggest tank I've had so I want to do it right ...

Fake plants on slate, white sand and driftwood. I think I've found my driftwood, I'm negotiating to buy it now I'll post some pictures when I move along in this process.

 

[Jexnell]

Great picture! That tank is a beauty! I Especially like your use of driftwood here.

I've been obsessing over what to do with this tank over the last couple of days and have pivoted again lol.

Currently thinking of doing a geophagous and severum tank. What I'm thinking of currently:

8 Geophagus sp. Tapajos
2 Rotkeil Severum
2 Gold Severum
2 Green Severum
2 Electric Blue Acara
20 Bleeding Heart Tetras

Thoughts? Inclusions? Exclusions?
Really appreciate the input so far, this is by far the biggest tank I've had so I want to do it right ...

Fake plants on slate, white sand and driftwood. I think I've found my driftwood, I'm negotiating to buy it now I'll post some pictures when I move along in this process.

Only problem I see is the geo's and Severum are soft water fish. When kept in hard water they tend to be sickly and more than not get HLLE or hole in the head disease. This is why I only keep Centrals or west of the Andes South Americans.
I grew out this Oscar when I first got back in the hobby and didn't know about the difference in water peramaters. I gave her to a fellow MFKer due to my water being the exact opposite of her needs.

 

[kyleallen22]

Only problem I see is the geo's and Severum are soft water fish. When kept in hard water they tend to be sickly and more than not get HLLE or hole in the head disease. This is why I only keep Centrals or west of the Andes South Americans.
I grew out this Oscar when I first got back in the hobby and didn't know about the difference in water peramaters. I gave her to a fellow MFKer due to my water being the exact opposite of her needs.
View attachment 1453822

I see that makes sense, I knew HIIT was an issue with some cichlids and is the main reason I'm not doing a tank based around an oscar...

I had heard of it happening with severums but wasn't aware it could be an issue with the Geos as well. I'm still learning about geos and I see there is a lot for me to learn.

I guess I need to either get a RO system or rethink my stock. I definitely don't want to put the fish at a disadvantage from the start.

 

[Jexnell]

Look at Mesoheros Festae. That tank of yours would be great for a pair. The color changes these fish go between breeding and non breeding is like have 4 different fish not 2.breeding colors female

Non breeding colors female
A male I had

A pair in full breeding dress
Male in non breeding colors

 

[kyleallen22]

That is an awesome fish, would I aim to have a male and a female?

 

[Jexnell]

That is an awesome fish, would I aim to have a male and a female?

What you do is buy 6 to 8 little 1 to 2 inch fry. Let them grow out and naturally pick a pair on their own. Then rehome the extras.

You can use a tall bodied Tetra as a dither when they are young. But as adults don't expect them to survive, move to another tank when the fry hit three to four inches. Males can get to the 18 in mark, females grow to 12 inch. At three to four inches they hit adulthood and can breeding, will start fighting for territory.

 

[kyleallen22]

What you do is buy 6 to 8 little 1 to 2 inch fry. Let them grow out and naturally pick a pair on their own. Then rehome the extras.

You can use a tall bodied Tetra as a dither when they are young. But as adults don't expect them to survive, move to another tank when the fry hit three to four inches. Males can get to the 18 in mark, females grow to 12 inch. At three to four inches they hit adulthood and can breeding, will start fighting for territory.

Ok cool, I'm going to do some due dilligence and more research on this festae, but I think you have convinced me!

 

[Rocksor]

Ok cool, I'm going to do some due dilligence and more research on this festae, but I think you have convinced me!

There fish from South America that do better in neutral to mild hard water. They come from clear water areas like Tapajos (ph7.5 certain times of the year), Xingu, Tocantins.

So Red Head Tapajos Geos are not entirely out of your stocking possibility just yet. They'll be easier to keep in a community tank than a festae with dithers. Blue acara and electric blue acaras will do fine in your water as well. There's also a lot of tank bred angelfish (scalare) that have been hybridize with clearwater species of its own, so they would do well in a community tank with Red Head Tapajos Geos.