New to Cichlid keeping.. stocking help please

[-Steph-]

Hi,

I have recently bought a 200l tank, 100cm long. Water is 155TDS, GH - 179ppm PH - 7.5.

Originally i wanted to keep an Oscar, but this tank is far too small to house one fully grown so Im looking at some smaller south American Cichlids or some apistogrammas.

I have been looking at:
Andinoacara pulcher - blue acara
Apistogramma hongsloi
Apistogramma cacatuoides
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus - bolivian ram
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi

Tank mates would be:
6 Corydoras
6 - 12 Rummy nose tetras
1- 2 Plecs (Peckoltia Compta, L134, Blue Phantom Plec, L128, Hypancistrus sp. L136)

I do not want to breed any of these. Are any of these suitable for my tank size and if so how many of each would my tank house?

Thank you in advance : D

 

[freak78]

You could do a pair of blue acara. I have 5 of them in my south american tank.

 

[-Steph-]

You could do a pair of blue acara. I have 5 of them in my south american tank.

Thank you Do you have mixed sex?
Do you know how 2 males would get on? as im not really wanting to breed.

 

[Skalper666]

I don't really think you will really have a problem with blue acaras breeding, they aren't really known for being hornballs. I found cacatuoides and hongsloi to be a bit sensitive to higher ph's in my experience than the other species that you have listed.

 

[vinod_uthaiah]

Having 2 males is less of a problem when compared to a female added in the equation.
There can be small squabbles of who owns what and some flaring.
If you can provide quick get aways and some decor to break the line of vision, you should be good

 

[-Steph-]

Thank you Skalper666 & Vinod_uthaiah.

Would the following tank mates be suitable for 2 BA once they are fully grown? would the tank still be ok to house them all together?
6 Corydoras
6 - 12 Rummy nose tetras
1- 2 Plecs (Peckoltia Compta, L134, Blue Phantom Plec, L128, Hypancistrus sp. L136)

 

[freak78]

I have 3 males and 2 females without any issues. The males are quite a bit larger than the females.

 

[Chillz23]

Looks fine as long as you're prepared for the tetras to be feeders... lol

 

[vinod_uthaiah]

Thank you Skalper666 & Vinod_uthaiah.

Would the following tank mates be suitable for 2 BA once they are fully grown? would the tank still be ok to house them all together?
6 Corydoras
6 - 12 Rummy nose tetras
1- 2 Plecs (Peckoltia Compta, L134, Blue Phantom Plec, L128, Hypancistrus sp. L136)

The only thing that worries me is the numbers in a 200lt tank and the associated bio load.
You need to have a good filtration and a 30 -40% weekly water changes to counter the load.

 

[-Steph-]

I have 3 males and 2 females without any issues. The males are quite a bit larger than the females.


I love your tank! they all seem to get on really well.

Looks fine as long as you're prepared for the tetras to be feeders... lol

Yes i thought about that last night, i quite like the rummy nose so am thinking some cacatuoides & maybe a couple of rainbow cichlid now LOL

The only thing that worries me is the numbers in a 200lt tank and the associated bio load.
You need to have a good filtration and a 30 -40% weekly water changes to counter the load.

I am running 2 Fluval U4's.
Regular water changes will be fine, i was planning on 30% weekly but will adjust that to suit what is needed. i have the API Master test kit, so will test every couple of days / every day for the first few weeks to make sure everything is going ok, then swap to a couple of times a week.