New Guy 75 Gal EBA setup questions

[CrazyPhishMan]

Maybe look into keyholes, festivum or laetacara to accompany your EBA. They stay smaller festivum do well in a group
Festivum look great in a school and I’ve always seen them as having the best qualities of both severum and angels.
Tangledupincichlids has a lot of these fish too, ships and Jeff’s likely to offer suggestions for the other stratum of the tank like dithers and cats-

Good luck 75’s are a great size tank that starts to open up more aquascapong possibilities.

Please let us know your experiences with and inline Heater

 

[excaliber]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!!! I gathered some info here that has me thinking.
The Cichlids are tough. I want some different color but it seems hard to find compatible fish.
Thanks for all ideas on compatible fish. I'll have another 55 gal on standby ready for the trouble makers should there be any.
Does anyone have any recommendations for EBA breeders? Great Idea on getting some unrelated stock.

 

[ryansmith83]

Mesonauta (festivum) do not stay smaller than Heros. Adult male Mesonauta grow 8 - 10” and can be really pushy.

 

[darth pike]

Blue acaras would destroy keyholes (despite their size, they get pushed around by dwarf cichlids) and most of the common Laetacara. Maybe the largest, L. thayeri could hold their own but any of the dwarf ones would get obliterated.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Blue acaras would destroy keyholes (despite their size, they get pushed around by dwarf cichlids) and most of the common Laetacara. Maybe the largest, L. thayeri could hold their own but any of the dwarf ones would get obliterated.

I've neve had the standard acara but the EBA are pretty chilled, I think they would be o.k with keyholes but there may be some aggression if they breed which they probably would.

 

[CrazyPhishMan]

Mesonauta (festivum) do not stay smaller than Heros. Adult male Mesonauta grow 8 - 10” and can be really pushy.

Would love to see one photo w/ruler or tape measure of a 8-10” festivum.
I’ve grown out maybe a dozen over the years- never seen one bigger than 4-5” never seen one bigger than my adult male rotkiel who is 4yrs old and about 6”.

Sure it’s possible but seems improbable.

In a densely planted tank keyholes would be just fine. They are peaceful but not total pushovers.

I’ve only kept laetacara fulvipinnis and a pair could hold its own against one of my beefy chocolates. The only issue I see with group is the very similar body confirmation to EBA

 

[neutrino]

Most people don't have 10' Mesonauta, but there are different species and collection points, some can get pretty large, besides the usual variables in a tank or individual fish that affect size.

I had Mesonauta over 25 years ago, mine were 7+ inches (total length), not as beefy as some I've seen, and were simply identified as 'festivum', so who knows which species. Mine weren't a problem in a well planted SA community including discus, scalare, laetacara, and chalceus. One of the discus, an early pigeon blood, was a beast in size and was top dog in the tank, a large angelfish next, the Mesonauta didn't bother anyone. Doesn't discount that some Mesonauta can be pushy. I grew everything out myself; angels and, especially, the discus were all great size, so conditions were good for growth.

As for what will work in a tank-- when it comes to many cichlid types, individuals vary in temperament, tank size and tankmates are factors, what works for one person doesn't work for everyone, and it's not unusual to have to do some tinkering over time to keep things peaceful with a LOT of combinations. There are some scenarios you simply shouldn't do, but many others come under the sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't category. In other words, a matter of opinion, or personal experiences that won't always match up with everyone else.

 

[excaliber]

I've decided to go with EBA's and Red Head Tapajos and some clown loaches. Wood is almost done soaking, rocks are boiled and ready to go. PFS is on hand and fake plants ready to go.
I'll be putting it together this weekend. Finally after weeks of waiting on supplies it's ready to go. I'll post some pictures once it's filled.

I've contacted a few places about fish so once the tank is cycled I'll order them.

I'm still not sure on the exact numbers for the EBA and Redheads but I may go with 5 EBA and 5 Red heads and 5 clown loaches.
I have a couple 40 breeders should I have to remove a pair. They will be 2" fish so hopefully I'll have time for them to weed out any issues and grow up together.

There is someone here called Freak78 and he has a 125 gal tank setup exactly how I want.

thanks for all your help in figuring things out.

 

[neutrino]

Should work for a while and give you time to make refinements later on according to need or preference. I think you'll like the red head geos. I had them and bred them for a while. Nice fish imo, active, nice looking when their color comes in, not super fussy about pH, etc., but they don't take well to stress. I think you'll find the loaches will push them around eventually.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Sounds good, I had the eba and get combo and it worked well, I'd still be tempted to switch the clown loaches for some tetras though, think it would look better and more lively with some action in the mid water level.