Stocking Ideas

[Morcs]

Im small on size on my CA tank and looking for some combo ideas.

Its a 36x18x18 with a large sump so bioload isnt as much a concern as territory space.

Currently got 3 FMs (2 nice males and 1 female nudging 3'') and a newly added 3'' salvini female.
The sal is way more vicious than ones ive had in the past, in the space of a week she has decimated my liverbearer population bar 1, and constantly harasses the FMs so she might have to go.

Options i can see:
Wait for a FM pair to form, maybe add dithers
Keep the 2 male FMs and maybe add another male (either FM, Con or something)
Keep the female FM, female sal and add a female con.
Would love to have maybe 4 FMs but would likely have issues once a pair forms, though they arent too viscious and grow soooooo slowly


Any other ideas? theres only a few CAs in the size range that will work in this tank which is a PITA.
Its a loose ca biotope so would like to stay CA.

 

[PhishMon84]

I may be wrong but I would think pair would be the best option. I have a 40b (which I think is what you described) with a beastly pair of siquia. I think it looks great, they raise up some of their fry. There’s space and it’s a small bioload that requires very little work. I’m sure you could add swords as well.

I think you could 2 males as well, say con and FM? 3 might be pushing it- unless you’re looking for crowd control.

Just my opinion.

 

[Gourami Swami]

From your options, the pair of FM's or community of females are the most likely to work out in my opinion. Too small of a tank to have multiple males or to have a pair and other cichlids. You could probly do the 4 FM's if you got females. With any of these options I would add some swordtails or other CA dithers. Sounds like a cool tank to me.

 

[Morcs]

From your options, the pair of FM's or community of females are the most likely to work out in my opinion. Too small of a tank to have multiple males or to have a pair and other cichlids. You could probly do the 4 FM's if you got females. With any of these options I would add some swordtails or other CA dithers. Sounds like a cool tank to me.

Yeah pair might be good. Wouldnt do 4 females as all the ones ive seen just dont seem to look as good as my males.
My trio will be fine until a pair forms, ill add swords later - means i can power feed the FMs in the meantime to induce a few growth spurts - growth rate is what has always steered me away from them.

How many swords do you think? i did 2 males to 4 females before the sal started killing them off. Or could do platies - they are a whole lot cheaper here than swords.