New 125 Setup / Stocking

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Multitankitus

Multitankitus

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2013
18
10
18
NC
New 125G is setup and cycling! I've seeded it with established media from my 90G nextdoor so am expecting things to establish smoothly/quickly. I somehow managed to do the sand in my 90 without any clouding but completely botched up on the 125 and ended up with a nice smokey tank look. Its settling down but still not 100% as of the other night.
photo5.jpg

I'm resisting the excitment of adding all the fish I want until I can verify its cycled but to start and to give the bacteria some ammonia to munch on I have added a 1.75" male convict today (Correct me if im wrong on M/F). He's great, eats good, explores and eyeballs everything and has even been flaring up at the mbuna in the tank nextdoor which is funny to watch. Loves his new 6ft solo playground.
photo3.jpgphoto2.jpg

Seeing as I have a some time to continue muling things over I thought I'd seek some insights, suggestions and/or feedback on lifelong tankmates.

I'm looking at the following fish (Not all of them on the final stock list but these are the ones I am trying to get a list wrapped around). I am open and looking forward to other suggestions though. Also... planning to add 2 more fish on the next round, any input on who to add first?

-Convict Cichlid - duh
-Jack Dempsey
-Salvini
-Green Terror
-Chocolate
-Red or Rokteil severum
-Some sort of smaller pleco (maybe 8" growth range) as this tank does see some natural light from the door, thoughts? I have two bristlenose in the 90 and they are neat but Im afraid too small for the bigger tank.

Thanks for the "first post" read. Looking forward to some feedback.

photo5.jpg

photo3.jpg

photo2.jpg
 
I have a 125 with as suvrum and a male convict, and some bottom dwellers. If I were you I would do the male con, a male jd, and a male sev or chocolate, with some bottom dwellers. Color and personality


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Bristlenose would good and will grow up with the new fish.your 1st 3 fish are CA.gt, choc, sev are SA.many people mix cichlids, I like to keep them separate. One idea is a SA theme with gt, choc,sev.you can add 2-3 smaller SA-diadema,keyholes, possibly geos

Sent from my SCH-I535 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
tommybhermitage said:
I have a 125 with as suvrum and a male convict, and some bottom dwellers. If I were you I would do the male con, a male jd, and a male sev or chocolate, with some bottom dwellers. Color and personality


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

I agree with Tommy.

IME most sevs and chocolates are fairly passive and I doubt they would fair well with a salvini and a green terror, who are both very aggressive species. Every now and then you will come across an aggressive severum or chocolate, but its pretty rare. JD can be fairly aggressive as well, but it might work out with a sev and choc.

Personally, I too would recommend the above and be prepared to rehome the JD if it gets too rough.

If aggression is your cup of tea, I would skip the sev and choc and stock the con, JD, GT and sal.

As for who to add first, you want to add the least aggressive fish first. That would be the sev and choc or the JD and con depending on which suggestion you go with.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Thanks, great feedback. I had the Salvini on the list as another medium sized fish with a splash of color. At this point though its the first fish I'd cut. Been looking at other medium fish possibilities as well. The GT is the fish that got me wanting a NW cichlid tank so I'm definitely leaning that way too and would cut the JD (in addition to the Salvini) before the terror.... or maybe would a blue acara work better? If my lfs store still has some good looking chocolates and a nice severum in stock I may pick them up in the next few weeks and go from there. Keep em' coming, its definitely helping.
 
Multitankitus said:
Thanks, great feedback. I had the Salvini on the list as another medium sized fish with a splash of color. At this point though its the first fish I'd cut. Been looking at other medium fish possibilities as well. The GT is the fish that got me wanting a NW cichlid tank so I'm definitely leaning that way too and would cut the JD (in addition to the Salvini) before the terror.... or maybe would a blue acara work better? If my lfs store still has some good looking chocolates and a nice severum in stock I may pick them up in the next few weeks and go from there. Keep em' coming, its definitely helping.
Click to expand...

Blue acara would work with convict, severum and chocolate. Be careful with the blue acaras though, they are often hybridized with green terrors and can be just as aggressive. I got what I thought was a blue acara that turned out to be a hybrid. At just 2", it was stalking and killing the 1" neons in the tank with it. And I mean killing.....not eating. I added a 3" green severum shortly after......it lasted two days. After that, I decided I would get rid of the acara. If you do go with blue acaras, check for a good source or ask your LFS where they get theirs from and if they can guarantee the fish are pure blue acara and not hybrids.

Also look into other species of acara. Krobia, Aequidens, Bujurquina, Cleithracara to name a few genus. You can also look at geophagus (make sure to research if it requires groups or not as many geos do require them) and even Satanoperca (10" sand sifters that can be kept solo). Festivum are a fun top dweller that does best solo or in groups of 4+. Oscars. Other severum (genus Heros).


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Thanks for the recomendations. I went to my LFS the other day and picked up a red spotted green severum and a chocolate I've had my eye on. I moved things around a bit in the tank and disturbed the convicts pit he had made to hopefully disrupt his territory and give the new guys a good chance. Unfortunately I either didn't do a good enough job or the convict had just gotten too used to the whol tank as being his. He's currently in 20 gallon jail in my den on trial for murdering the severum in one night and pummeling the chocolate into this state.
9-17-13 125PoorChoco.JPG
I tore the whole tank apart to fish out the convict, also took the chocolate out while I was doing this and he watched from the tea pitcher. This gave me the oppurtunity to re-arrange and add some driftwood I had. I put the chocolate back in solo last night, really hope he can pull through. He hasn't moved much all day and has found one of the hardest spots in the tank for me to see him at. Hard to tell if he is getting better but I see him wiggle to stay in place every so often. Changed 30% of the water, added some aquarium salt and some melafix to hopefully help him out.
9-17-13 125NewSetup.JPG
At this point, for fish Im going to see if I can get the chocolate back in shape. If I can its likely going to be a more peacful community tank. Not sure on the convict but he has plenty of space in the 20 for now. Looking relatively clean slate now, thoughts?

9-17-13 125PoorChoco.JPG

9-17-13 125NewSetup.JPG
 
hopefully the chocolate only has minor wounds and will heal up.your right the con will probably not be able to return to the tank with his bad attitude.if you stick to some other SA fish you can have a more peaceful set-up.my 90 has chocolates,blue acaras,2 small brasiliensis.you can try heckelii,or other geo types.you could also go with some other types of acara
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom