SA/CA community cichlid tank recommendations for a 600

[aclockworkorange]

So we are suggesting everything from uaru to fronts but have no clue what the OP's hardness/pH etc are? Am I the only one who thinks this is an important thing to ask before recommending a stocklist?

Coming from the guy that kept every SA cichlid known to man in liquid rock Vancouver tap water? Yeah, I don't think it's a huge issue with most fish, especially if you're not buying wild fish and trying to breed them. Ph/kh is very easily raised if it happens to be low, as you've seen in my tanks.

 

[aclockworkorange]

I have a Jag, and a Midas together in the same tank, and the trouble maker is actually a 3" male convict! It can work out in some cases. The midas/jags are way more hyped up than they need to be.

How many jags and Midas have you kept long term though? Like a couple years? Young fish can often get along and then one day something snaps and your whole tank is gone. There's a reason the old timers don't recommend it, those are two of the most popular fish in the hobby and have been for years and they've TRIED it while you and I were still in diapers.

 

[clekchau]

thats what scares me, back in the day i had a red devil, oscars, a jack dempsey,. was fine for 3 years or so, then red devil beat everyone up , similar to clown triggers never know when they will just 'snap'

call me boring but i don't think i'm adventurous to go thru that again, i'd rather go the safer route

 

[mshill90]

How many jags and Midas have you kept long term though? Like a couple years? Young fish can often get along and then one day something snaps and your whole tank is gone. There's a reason the old timers don't recommend it, those are two of the most popular fish in the hobby and have been for years and they've TRIED it while you and I were still in diapers.

The midas, jag, and festae were all full grown and a few years old when I added them. I know that the Jag and Festae were kept solitary, and the midas was kept with 3 midevils for a few years.

I have a female midas that will try to take your finger off, and I know that they can be aggressive.. as can any fish. I just think that not all of them are as blood thirsty as people make them out to be.

I have other amphilos that exhibit aggression, and some that are puppies.. same goes for a few of the jags I have. I think it all boils down to that individual fish.

And like I said: It can work in SOME cases.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

should do some severums and a couple geophagus brasiliensis would love to see a green terror in there but would probably nip all day

 

[JK47]

PH can be altered. It's not recommended, but its possible.

I USED to raise the PH for my Frontosa, and Calvus as my water is only 7.2 out of tap, but they are thriving in the taps PH. I wouldn't mess with making it lower though.

Altering pH in a 600 gallon tank sounds like lots of fun.

Coming from the guy that kept every SA cichlid known to man in liquid rock Vancouver tap water? Yeah, I don't think it's a huge issue with most fish, especially if you're not buying wild fish and trying to breed them. Ph/kh is very easily raised if it happens to be low, as you've seen in my tanks.

Altering water to suit your stock sucks, from personal experience. I switched out my entire collection for this very reason and it was very frustrating after a ton of wasted effort mixing RO etc.. hence my question geared at saving the OP a little expense/headache possibly. Buffering up may be easy like you said, but buffering down a 600 galllon tank the OP stocks full of urau and altums per our recommendations and may have hard water......... n/m my point is obvisously lost.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Like I said, we are unlikely talking about sensitive wild caught SA cichlid species, no one mentioned altums. I know you've kept all those fish I mentioned in your tap water so I don't see what the fuss is about? These are likely just going to be nice aquarium strain fish anyway. Just didn't think it was much of an issue...

 

[clekchau]

Altering pH in a 600 gallon tank sounds like lots of fun.



Altering water to suit your stock sucks, from personal experience. I switched out my entire collection for this very reason and it was very frustrating after a ton of wasted effort mixing RO etc.. hence my question geared at saving the OP a little expense/headache possibly. Buffering up may be easy like you said, but buffering down a 600 galllon tank the OP stocks full of urau and altums per our recommendations and may have hard water......... n/m my point is obvisously lost.

true, i never had to alter the water because i use an ro/di on my 550 salt. good point, my water leans towards the hard side.

 

[JK47]

Like I said, we are unlikely talking about sensitive wild caught SA cichlid species, no one mentioned altums. I know you've kept all those fish I mentioned in your tap water so I don't see what the fuss is about? These are likely just going to be nice aquarium strain fish anyway. Just didn't think it was much of an issue...

I didn't ask how well WC fish would do or not, nor did I make the assumption the OP was getting WC fish or not. There was a wide array of species being suggested so I asked to help give better advice. It's not an issue, I'll stay out I just though I would try and help.

Geos, uarus, altum angelfish, festivums, discus, and some tetras would look awesome!

 

[mshill90]

^^ while yes, it was great that you asked, as now we know what NOT to suggest..

however, without him saying anything, we just were giving broad spectrum suggestions.

No harm, no foul.