Stocking suggestions for 150-180 gallon

[Wharf]

Hi new to the forum nice to meet you guys. Seemingly, I sold my reef system and I am going to set up a clear-for-life Uniquarium 180gallon FW. I already have a T Kasanga RR colony in another room and want to try something different. I have already done Mbuna, Peacock/small Hap, and Tang community. The back 4inches of the tank is the built in wet-to-dry in which the two overflows are on the ends and the two returns in the middle. I believe that leaves around 150 gallons of real-estate for live stock. I am getting this setup brand new with over a 1000$ discount off retail so I am jumping on this. I have never tried my hand at a large SA or CA cichlid, but I also wouldn't mind to have a colony of Mobas or Mpimbwe Fronts as well. I am open for suggestions.

stocking
1-GT
2-3 - Severum
1 - Prochilodus....or some Clown Loaches or school of Silver Dollars (any thoughts)

stocking
A pair of RT...seems like alot of real-estate just to keep two fish( I know it is necessary d/t aggression and probably one of the nicest FW fish I have seen in the hobby)

Stocking
A colony of 8-10 Mpimbwe or Moba Fronts

Please add suggestions or other nice SA/CA stocking for this size the system seems really adequate...Has 2 Large Rio pumps and a fairly nice wet-to-dry system. (Might trade out the Rio's for Sicce though).

PS removed all the blue words so hopefully it makes sense...my guess is they are spam identifiers

 

[Rossy]

maybe a peacock bass or a couple geophagus?

 

[Deadliestviper7]

A planted tank with orange spotted sunfish,chili rasboras and rainbowfish etc?

 

[elting44]

1x Vieja Synspila
1x C. Sajica
1x H.Multispinosa
5-8 Pineapple Swordtails

Aquascape it with river rock and driftwood, copy nutty 's setup as closely as possible

 

[Gourami Swami]

Hello,
Sounds like a nice setup. Your stock lists are reasonable. The pair of RT (I assume you mean festae) may seem like a waste for only two fish, but they will need that space themselves and would probably kill any other fish.
Personally, I like your first option, would just and add a school of large tetras. Tall-bodied species will be too big to eat most likely, and the schooling will add a lot to the tank

 

[Backfromthedead]

im a sucker for the south american community. love the gt, severum, silver dollar combo. i would add a shoal of appropriately sized pim cats like ornatus or blochii and maybe a chalceus to lurk the topwater. if you really want to be nifty replace one of your severums with a chocolate cichlid. then you won't have to deal with the potential aggression of breeding severums and you'll have a chocolate cichlid too

 

[Wharf]

im a sucker for the south american community. love the gt, severum, silver dollar combo. i would add a shoal of appropriately sized pim cats like ornatus or blochii and maybe a chalceus to lurk the topwater. if you really want to be nifty replace one of your severums with a chocolate cichlid. then you won't have to deal with the potential aggression of breeding severums and you'll have a chocolate cichlid too

How many silver dollar and how many Pim's? So GT, 2 Severum, Chocolate, and a chalceus for upper part of the tank. Then silvers and pims.

I like all the ideas so far plz keep them coming

 

[Backfromthedead]

How many silver dollar and how many Pim's? So GT, 2 Severum, Chocolate, and a chalceus for upper part of the tank. Then silvers and pims.

I like all the ideas so far plz keep them coming

if it was me it would be something like:

1 gt
1 severum, a redspot gold would look great
1 chocolate
6-8 tiger silver dollars
3-5 pimelodus ornatus

and maybe a pink tail chalceus depending how crowded you want your tank.

unless you can guarantee you'll get two female severums i would just stick to one. they can get unpredictable and nasty when guarding their fry. if you do want a pair of fish you could try one of each and then later decide whether to find a mate for the gt, severum, or choco. this is just how i would do things. good luck with your tank. im excited for you.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I think your stock sounds OK.
When mixing different cichlid species,the more you add the higher the chances of aggression.
I have found Severums can be more aggressive than is often expected.
If it were me,I would just have one cichlid species, especially if going down the south American Road. There is so much diversity with south Americans that a very varied display of fish can still be kept together.
If your focus was on more peaceful s/a's like geophagus, biotadoma, or satanoperca for example. Mixing species is less problematic. If you like fish like green terrors,then I prefer to keep same species harems. Other stocking may work but I have found,for me at least. Same species harems more visually pleasing and less problematic.
There are lots of characins, catfish and oddballs that can fit in with the cichlids to create diversity and add interest to the tank.
Keeping harems is also a good way to see your cichlids breed and observe their parental behaviour. There is always a choice of females for the male to choose from. This means that not just one female is being harassed.
You could use this approach with chocolate cichlids or green terrors.
I had a harem of green terrors a few years back.1 male and 5 females. Other tank mates were a group of Brochis splendens a group of hoplosternum and a group of Pimelodus blochii, I also had some ancistrus in there. The tank was very peaceful despite lots of spawning by the green terrors.
Here is a video of that tank.

 

[KellyElizabeth]

I think your stock sounds OK.
When mixing different cichlid species,the more you add the higher the chances of aggression.
I have found Severums can be more aggressive than is often expected.
If it were me,I would just have one cichlid species, especially if going down the south American Road. There is so much diversity with south Americans that a very varied display of fish can still be kept together.
If your focus was on more peaceful s/a's like geophagus, biotadoma, or satanoperca for example. Mixing species is less problematic. If you like fish like green terrors,then I prefer to keep same species harems. Other stocking may work but I have found,for me at least. Same species harems more visually pleasing and less problematic.
There are lots of characins, catfish and oddballs that can fit in with the cichlids to create diversity and add interest to the tank.
Keeping harems is also a good way to see your cichlids breed and observe their parental behaviour. There is always a choice of females for the male to choose from. This means that not just one female is being harassed.
You could use this approach with chocolate cichlids or green terrors.
I had a harem of green terrors a few years back.1 male and 5 females. Other tank mates were a group of Brochis splendens a group of hoplosternum and a group of Pimelodus blochii, I also had some ancistrus in there. The tank was very peaceful despite lots of spawning by the green terrors.
Here is a video of that tank.

Beautiful tank and i don't even like green terrors.