Pre-planning stocking question

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thank you! Yes I added them for the same reason. I stash leaves in the cave decoration and replace them when they start disenagrating. I also like to keep some in a bucket of water for water changes. I had my rams spawn a few times before the male passed and I believe the addition of the tannins helped. I also added them to the fry tank for the infusora to grow on.
 
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55g looks great, and nice stock list. Not overdone, just right.

the 210, I agree you should decide if you want a SA or CA setup. I would personally recommend SA since you want to do a community. 7-7.2 pH is just fine for aSA cichlids.

I would do something along the lines of:
Oscar
Atabapo pike
Severum (or true parrot)
green phantom pleco
pair or 1m 2-3f of guianacara gaeyi or similar smaller species
3 pinktail chalceus or other large characin

That would be stocked a bit on the heavy side but with proper maintenance should be fine. Would be a nice tank
 
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With your almost neutral water you can do just about anything, except wild caught from the extremes of either end of the water parameter spectrum.
Because I'm a bit anal about geographical correctness, below would be my idea of how to go...
A South American biotope from west of the Andes would include your GT, festae, Geophagus steindachneri pellegrini and Mesoheros gephyrum. (below)

East of the Andes the mid country, pikes, most Geophagus, oscars, and the Heros species. Acarichthys below

Southern S America might include Gymnogeophagus, Australoheros, and some pike cichlids from the cooler waters of the south (Gymnogeophagus quilero below)

But....
If you went Central American, attention to aggression becomes the most critical factor.
Firemouths and the other Thorichthys, and Cribroheros are shoaling type earth eaters, and fairly non-aggressive, so other species tank mates (if any) must be chosen carefully.
Cribroheros rostratum below

Amphilophus are generally very aggressive but if grown up together as a cohesive group can work well, but preclude other less aggressive species (like FMs much of the time.)

To me, if looking at Parachromis, a 210 is only large enough for a pair of managuense or other Parachromis species, but no room for any other cichlids.
Of course if you start them small, growing anything together might work. But Starting them together all the same day, and then not adding others piece meal along the way, seems to work (at least for me)
Above is a non-geographically correct tank I had years ago with festae, Amphillophus amarillo, and Chuco intermedia (and a few others).
 
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I'm still weaving between an SA or CA tank. Honestly what ever I do with this tank will just give me another reason to get another so I can do the other type bwahaha. I've loved SA and CA cichlids for years and now I have to choose which is the hard part! However I may be leaning more toward the SA cichlids for this tank.
With your almost neutral water you can do just about anything, except wild caught from the extremes of either end of the water parameter spectrum.
Because I'm a bit anal about geographical correctness, below would be my idea of how to go...
A South American biotope from west of the Andes would include your GT, festae, Geophagus steindachneri pellegrini and Mesoheros gephyrum. (below)

East of the Andes the mid country, pikes, most Geophagus, oscars, and the Heros species. Acarichthys below

Southern S America might include Gymnogeophagus, Australoheros, and some pike cichlids from the cooler waters of the south (Gymnogeophagus quilero below)

But....
If you went Central American, attention to aggression becomes the most critical factor.
Firemouths and the other Thorichthys, and Cribroheros are shoaling type earth eaters, and fairly non-aggressive, so other species tank mates (if any) must be chosen carefully.
Cribroheros rostratum below

Amphilophus are generally very aggressive but if grown up together as a cohesive group can work well, but preclude other less aggressive species (like FMs much of the time.)

To me, if looking at Parachromis, a 210 is only large enough for a pair of managuense or other Parachromis species, but no room for any other cichlids.
Of course if you start them small, growing anything together might work. But Starting them together all the same day, and then not adding others piece meal along the way, seems to work (at least for me)
Above is a non-geographically correct tank I had years ago with festae, Amphillophus amarillo, and Chuco intermedia (and a few others).
Those are some nice looking fish!
Also maintenance would be bi weekly 25% water changes as well as being well filtered, even if I do a sump I'll be adding either a HOB or canister for peace of mind. I have a HOB and a canister on the 55g. I have more to think with these new ideas pitched! Thank you guys. Now would dithers be necessary or could they be skipped?
 
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I'm still weaving between an SA or CA tank. Honestly what ever I do with this tank will just give me another reason to get another so I can do the other type bwahaha. I've loved SA and CA cichlids for years and now I have to choose which is the hard part! However I may be leaning more toward the SA cichlids for this tank.

Those are some nice looking fish!
Also maintenance would be bi weekly 25% water changes as well as being well filtered, even if I do a sump I'll be adding either a HOB or canister for peace of mind. I have a HOB and a canister on the 55g. I have more to think with these new ideas pitched! Thank you guys. Now would dithers be necessary or could they be skipped?

Dithers don't necessarily have to be added most add them if for example you have shy fish dithers help them to feel more secure.
 
I agree with Tom about dithers, they usually do best when housed with shy cichlids like JDs because IMO, JDs seldom do well with other cichlids, even in nature when they are the dominant, or only cichlid in a body of water, they do well, but if other cichlids share the waters, they tend to suffer, and their populations lag.
Compare this Cenote where uropthamus dominates
027 zps4b102ffd
to this one where the JDs dominate
Eden2
same in another called Cristalino, only JDs, a few catfish, and lots of sailfin mollie
 
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Good to know about the dithers. I've heard of using (larger) dithers to help diffuse aggression and for shy fish but wasn't sure if it was a must for say severums as an example. I'd like to steer away from having to use dithers if possible to free up stocking room. Speaking of JD I just came across a discussion of a JD herem tank! That was interesting. I don't trust myself to sex them right to even try it :rolleyes:
 
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Just a suggestion, bi-weekly 25% water changes won't be enough to keep water parameters in check when talking about fish of this size. I'd recommend 30-50% weekly at least. Your goal should be to keep nitrates as low as possible, with 20ppm being considered "high"
 
Oy I've got that wrong, by no weekly I meant twice a week. That's what I do on all my tanks.... i should change that in my profile. Twice a week 25% water changes is better worded. Wednesday and Sundays are my water change days. Thank you for bringing that up.
 
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