My Fish Crew

[cmsbthebest]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been really enjoying all the tank/fish journal threads, so I figured I’d make one of my own!

My 125 Cichlid community:


stock:
3x Severum
6x Red Head Tapajos Geophagus
1x Electric Blue Acara
1x Rainbow Shark
1x Bristlenose Pleco
7x Red Blue Columbia’s Tetra
7x Serpae Tetra
7x Denison Barbs


Here is Tyke, my one year old Green Severum. He’s about 8 inches long and has some of the best coloration I’ve ever seen on a green Severum (this pic doesn’t do him full justice). Dude is a total glutton, attention whore and gentle giant.


Sam (green) and Red (red), breeding pair of Severum. 9/10 times the eggs don’t make it to fry because these two are terrible parents. 3-4 years old and only 6.5 inches. I think tyke is so much bigger because he gulfs down as much food as possible, and these two slowly/barely eat.


Eli the electric blue acara. 4 inches and the same personality traits as Tyke. The two of them are always together


4 of my 6 Red Head Tapajos. These guys are my pride and joy and will one day be the stars of a planted 180. Currently ~3.5 inches each.

 

[cmsbthebest]

75 gallon planted community:



Current stock:

1x Juvenile Blue Angel
2x Bolivian Ram
1x Apistogramma Aggasizzi male
20x Rummynose Tetra
6x Cardinal Tetra
7x Otocinclus.

this tank is the newest setup and a current work in progress. I’ve been battling brown algae due to a combo of too many root tabs and over feeding. Next step for this is adding more hardscape (driftwood and rocks).


Only fish I am going to highlight here is the juvenile Blue Angelfish. We’ve had it a few months and it’s grown from about the size of a quarter to the size of a 50 cent piece. Again, this photo does not do its color justice. It has some amazing blue on it.

 

[FJB]

Beautiful tanks and fish. Congrats!

 

[cmsbthebest]

Beautiful tanks and fish. Congrats!

Thank You!

 

[cmsbthebest]

One thing I have to add is that while I've been planning on having the 75 continue to be a SA community tank, I've been really struggling with a desire to turn it into a CA cichlid tank, with a group of T. ellioti, HRP pair and some green swordtail.

Right now I am going to finish the scape first before I decide if I want to change up the stock or not.

 

[Gourami Swami]

One thing I have to add is that while I've been planning on having the 75 continue to be a SA community tank, I've been really struggling with a desire to turn it into a CA cichlid tank, with a group of T. ellioti, HRP pair and some green swordtail.

Right now I am going to finish the scape first before I decide if I want to change up the stock or not.

All looking great!
Not sure if you've kept CA cichlids before, they tend to be much less tolerant of each other than the SA species. I think the list you've got will be a bit much for a 75, would be better off with group of ellioti (now maculipinnis technically) or HRPs, than trying to do both. Would be a very nice setup for sure, CAs are my favorite group of cichlids.

 

[cmsbthebest]

All looking great!
Not sure if you've kept CA cichlids before, they tend to be much less tolerant of each other than the SA species. I think the list you've got will be a bit much for a 75, would be better off with group of ellioti (now maculipinnis technically) or HRPs, than trying to do both. Would be a very nice setup for sure, CAs are my favorite group of cichlids.

Thanks!

I have not kept CA's before, but I really feel the temptation to try both them and livebearers (which I've also never kept) out. If I were to go down that route, I assume there wouldn't be any third species you would recommend to go with the T.maculipinnis and Green swordtail?

 

[Deadeye]

Great looking tanks and fish!
With a maculipinnis and swordtail setup you could probably get a pleco or cat in there.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Thanks!

I have not kept CA's before, but I really feel the temptation to try both them and livebearers (which I've also never kept) out. If I were to go down that route, I assume there wouldn't be any third species you would recommend to go with the T.maculipinnis and Green swordtail?

The problem will be the breeding territories, if you get two breeding pairs (likely will) they will each probably stake out half the tank and fight each other, and the remaining un-paired fish will have nowhere to go. That would be my worry. And the maculipinnis get pretty big after a few years, a group will more than fill a 75.
If you are going to try it, might be better off with a slightly smaller species of thoricthys, maculipinnis is pretty much the rowdiest one in my experience. Maybe Pasionis or aureus would be a little better. For the third species, any of the slightly less crazy convict relatives like HRP, myrnae, septemfasciatus, etc would be a good bet.
You could just give it a shot if you really want to, these fish are less vicious than some other CA's and hopefully you would be able to spot problems forming and adjust to fix them. Just be aware it is a bit risky and probably will need adjustment.
Here are some thoricthys pasionis I kept. Groups of thoricthys are lots of fun to watch I think you will enjoy any species you try.

 

[Toiletcar]

IMO for a 75g CA community you should stick w/ smaller species like the dwarf SA. HRP are a great choice, but so are other Amatitlania species like nanolutea. Both species get 3-4”. Could have a small group and even breeding pairs that won’t kill everything. It is doable w/ 1 pair of a thorichthys species because they will get too big and aggressive for a 4’ tank. I had a firemouth pair kill a salvini before. I would avoid larger thorichthys like pasionis unless a pair because they get 7”. They are very sensitive to water conditions so will have to do constant water changes to keep them from getting sick. HRP on the other hand are not as fussy. I’ll only keep a group of any thorichthys in a 6’ tank.