Well i love the ideas, but i only have a 90g tank, i should probably stick to 1 fish 10 to 12 inch and a few smaller ones.
My female is very food driven. My male is a little more passive but both pay attention when I walk in. The female starts glass surfing.esoxlucius . Does your chocolate react when you're near the tank or indifferent to your presence?
esoxlucius . Does your chocolate react when you're near the tank or indifferent to your presence?
I agree about the Mesonauta, they are among my favourites. I have a group of of 6 with a severum and two Uarus. They are all pretty peaceful and could be kept also with the Geophagus mentioned originally, especially as the Mesonauta use the mid and higher parts of the tank. I also have a blue acara and agree it is definitely more aggressive than the others.I find fish in the genus Mesonauta (insignis, festivus) very attractive, and they are fairly mellow. They don't get as large as what you want (certainly not 10", more like 5-6", and they can be kept in small groups, depending on tank size. In terms of water characteristics they are compatible with the fish you mentioned.
However, although severum cichlids (s.l.) are also not too aggressive, I have never had Mesonauta in a tank with severum or blue acara. The latter are not too large but can be feisty. Others may have experience on that possible combination.