Stocking advice needed for Central American 125 gallon

[heatherbeehappy]

Hi guys! This is long but I wanted to give you a good idea of the situation so I can get the best advice possible.
I got a new 125 gallon tank and am setting it up now. Trying to figure out what I want to stock it with once I get it cycled. I was going to go with South American (I love those geophagus!) but after careful consideration I think I’m going to switch gears and go with Central American fish due to my water parameters. I want the fish to thrive, but not interested in breeding.
I would love to get some advice from some seasoned Central American cichlid keepers.
What I have:
* six foot 125 gallon tank
* sand substrate
* driftwood and rocks (no my pH has not been affected by the wood- still 8.2)
* some hardy, lowlight plants that attach to rock/wood (none buried in substrate)
* 16 Buenos Aires tetras
What I want:
* Central American cichlids that stay under 10 inches and are known to be less aggressive than most
* a variety of fish I can keep singles of together
* Lots of color (even if it takes a while) and good personali

What I don’t want:
* Big bruisers like JD, Oscars, Green Terror, etc
* Plant eaters (yes, I know my BA tetras may be a problem and my plants may get bumped around some- that’s why I stuck with hardier plants I can attach to things)
*Groups of species- ie I don’t want five Firemouths and five Rainbows. I’m not interested in breeding or the increased aggression that comes with spawning.

Throw me some suggestions! So far liking firemouth, macaw/Nicaraguan, Honduran red points, rainbow cichlids, and polar blue parrot. I would also like a suggestion for a single catfish or pleco for the tank.
Thanks in advance! ?

 

[Hybridfish7]

I personally would go - myrnae or septemfasciata, rainbow cichlids, hypsophrys, possibly cribroheros
And then get more Buenos aires

 

[heatherbeehappy]

I personally would go - myrnae or septemfasciata, rainbow cichlids, hypsophrys, possibly cribroheros
And then get more Buenos aires

Thank you so much! I had to look up a couple of those. I really like the cribheros! I kind of forgot about myrnae. This is why I wanted to ask questions here- I knew I’d get some good ideas. How many tetras in total do you think? I’m still trying to decide if I want to keep them- they are still in quarantine and def in probationary period. My LFS guy (who is pretty knowledgeable and usually gives me good advice) didn’t think BA tetras ate plants but I’m reading that a lot of people have trouble with them, even with tough plants. Plus they seem very nervous- VERY. They’ll be in a living room with activity, television noise, etc. I don’t want fish that are completely stressed all the time.

 

[bkfamus]

I have a Costa Rican 125 stocked with a harem of Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, a group of Cribroheros longimanus and Cribroheros altifrons and some Chiapas Swordtails “Xiphophorous alvarezi”. It's peaceful and active and my daughter's favorite tank.. The C. longimanus look similar to SA Geophagus tapajos..

 

[heatherbeehappy]

I have a Costa Rican 125 stocked with a harem of Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, a group of Cribroheros longimanus and Cribroheros altifrons and some Chiapas Swordtails “Xiphophorous alvarezi”. It's peaceful and active and my daughter's favorite tank.. The C. longimanus look similar to SA Geophagus tapajos..

Thank you! I will look into those. They sound right up my alley.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Thank you so much! I had to look up a couple of those. I really like the cribheros! I kind of forgot about myrnae. This is why I wanted to ask questions here- I knew I’d get some good ideas. How many tetras in total do you think? I’m still trying to decide if I want to keep them- they are still in quarantine and def in probationary period. My LFS guy (who is pretty knowledgeable and usually gives me good advice) didn’t think BA tetras ate plants but I’m reading that a lot of people have trouble with them, even with tough plants. Plus they seem very nervous- VERY. They’ll be in a living room with activity, television noise, etc. I don’t want fish that are completely stressed all the time.

In my experience I say they're just cheap exodons, in large enough groups they get very ravenous, but aren't as cannibalistic. I use them as food dumpsters when my other animals/larger fish get full off their feeder insects or anything else. I say if you can, 30 would look nice in a 125.

 

[Friller2009]

Hi guys! This is long but I wanted to give you a good idea of the situation so I can get the best advice possible.
I got a new 125 gallon tank and am setting it up now. Trying to figure out what I want to stock it with once I get it cycled. I was going to go with South American (I love those geophagus!) but after careful consideration I think I’m going to switch gears and go with Central American fish due to my water parameters. I want the fish to thrive, but not interested in breeding.
I would love to get some advice from some seasoned Central American cichlid keepers.
What I have:
* six foot 125 gallon tank
* sand substrate
* driftwood and rocks (no my pH has not been affected by the wood- still 8.2)
* some hardy, lowlight plants that attach to rock/wood (none buried in substrate)
* 16 Buenos Aires tetras
What I want:
* Central American cichlids that stay under 10 inches and are known to be less aggressive than most
* a variety of fish I can keep singles of together
* Lots of color (even if it takes a while) and good personali

What I don’t want:
* Big bruisers like JD, Oscars, Green Terror, etc
* Plant eaters (yes, I know my BA tetras may be a problem and my plants may get bumped around some- that’s why I stuck with hardier plants I can attach to things)
*Groups of species- ie I don’t want five Firemouths and five Rainbows. I’m not interested in breeding or the increased aggression that comes with spawning.

Throw me some suggestions! So far liking firemouth, macaw/Nicaraguan, Honduran red points, rainbow cichlids, and polar blue parrot. I would also like a suggestion for a single catfish or pleco for the tank.
Thanks in advance! ?

A large school of rummy nose tetras would look good.

 

[Hybridfish7]

A large school of rummy nose tetras would look good.

A large school of rummy nose tetras would not do good in central american parameters and get eaten by any central american fish in there. Only reason I'm not opposed to buenos aires is because they're a good and accessible alternative to astyanax, the actual common tetra you'd find in the waters the cichlids come from.

 

[Friller2009]

A large school of rummy nose tetras would not do good in central american parameters and get eaten by any central american fish in there. Only reason I'm not opposed to buenos aires is because they're a good and accessible alternative to astyanax, the actual common tetra you'd find in the waters the cichlids come from.

oh sorry, for some reason i read South American! Sorry!

 

[Hybridfish7]

oh sorry, for some reason i read South American! Sorry!

no worries