Stocking my 125?

[rrcoolj]

Hello, I hope everyone is having a very merry christmas!

So I have a dilema. I have a new 125 gallon tank that came with a red devil as well as some other tankmates I plan to get rid of(unsure of the devil tho). I want to put a single pair in this tank. But they must follow some requirements. I am big on understocking for CA cichlids so I would like to to keep the maximum size around 8-10"(I know that number is variable for many fish). I also am not looking for a hyper aggressive fish. I want to add some target fish like silver dollars to add movement to the tank as well as maybe a smallish catfish. I am not looking to divider breed anything so something that aren't known for mauling their partners(Again I realize this is variable.). Also I do not want something SUPER common to where it is impossible to give/sell fish(convicts, jacks, etc.). Any suggestions? I don't have a LFS so I am planning to order through Jeff Rapps so using what he already has in stock would be great but I am flexible. On a bit of a side note I also want to purchase larger fish as opposed to "fry" but again I am flexible on that.

so far I have looked at...

cubans(nandopsis tetracanthus)

Herichthys carpintis

aphilophus xiloaensis

any suggestions?

 

[FishingOut]

A pair of Paratheraps. Breidohri or Fenestratus variations or Coatzacoalcos are cool. Maculicauda or Argentea would be awesome too. You really have alot of options.

 

[rrcoolj]

A pair of Paratheraps. Breidohri or Fenestratus variations or Coatzacoalcos are cool. Maculicauda or Argentea would be awesome too. You really have alot of options.

Don't those fish get to like 14"? would love a pair of argentea and i think ira has one for sale. But i think they are a bit too big for my tank but i will definatly look them up. Thank you for the suggestions.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

you dont want either super aggressive or common, so I would suggest some smaller cichlids like Thorichtys, or even South Americans, like a pair of chocolate cichlids

 

[JML1997]

what about paratilapia bleekeri

 

[VRWC]

I have a new 125 gallon tank that came with a red devil as well as some other tankmates I plan to get rid of(unsure of the devil tho).

so far I have looked at...

cubans(nandopsis tetracanthus)

Herichthys carpintis

aphilophus xiloaensis

any suggestions?

If you want to keep the RD, you dont have many options at all. They arent community fish. Sure some on here have kept them in a community, but 99% of the time it doesnt work...so keep that in mind.

As far as your other choices...they are all, at some point and size, everything you said you dont want.

Cubans are hit or miss but once they hit around 8 or so inches, dont like many tankmates.

Carpintis, while relatively easy going at smaller sizes, arent usually too friendly once they hit about 9 or 10 inches.

Xilos are midas on a somewhat less aggressive scale, but still not what Id call community fish.

The only way Ive been to successfully acclimate these kind of species to a community is getting them all at 2 or so inches, having dither/target fish bigger than them and grow them all up together, then getting rid of problem fish as they arise.

So that being said, ditch the RD and get 2 or 3 of each youve suggested to yourself, some good size silver dollars (or clown loaches would be my preference) and grow them out together and see what happens.

It has about the best chance of working you could hope for...

Good Luck!

 

[rrcoolj]

Im not looking for a community tank and the red devil probably won't stay very long. Im more just looking for one pair I can keep fast moving targets to add movement to the tank and to divert the aggression of the male. I guese when I say "super aggressive" I mean won't tolerate any tank mates at all like jaguars or dovi. Chocolates get too big IMO. Thanks for the advice tho I realize this is very much hit or miss.