Tank advice for geophagus or heckelii

[ChanceD85]

So I have a 65 gallon tall right now looking to upgrade to a 125. Have a opportunity to buy a 60 long 18 wide by 26 tall 125 for $300 and was wondering if that is good for a geophagus tank since it is not 6 feet long but a lot taller. I appreciate it. Currently have a fx4 as well since we had African cichlids for a few years.

 

[fishguy1978]

So I have a 65 gallon tall right now looking to upgrade to a 125. Have a opportunity to buy a 60 long 18 wide by 26 tall 125 for $300 and was wondering if that is good for a geophagus tank since it is not 6 feet long but a lot taller. I appreciate it. Currently have a fx4 as well since we had African cichlids for a few years.

Would work for G pyrosephalus.

 

[ChanceD85]

Would work for G pyrosephalus.

Just because it is taller? It’s only a foot shorter than the normal 125. I’m not sure how big of a difference that is for them. I could buy a 125 long but for almost 3x more money.

 

[fishguy1978]

Just because it is taller? It’s only a foot shorter than the normal 125. I’m not sure how big of a difference that is for them. I could buy a 125 long but for almost 3x more money.

You might be able to house other geo’s. I have kept G brasiliensis and my male was pushing 10in which would be tight in those dimensions. Or Gymnogeo’s.

 

[ChanceD85]

You might be able to house other geo’s. I have kept G brasiliensis and my male was pushing 10in which would be tight in those dimensions. Or Gymnogeo’s.

Think I’d be alright with a couple heckelii as well as other goes in either 125 high or long?

 

[neutrino]

A. heckelli are a bad bet long term in a 5 ft tank, too many people find they reach a certain age and start killing each other, even in a 6 ft tank-- as in the thread below. Besides pryrocephalus are some other smaller species that would work it you can get hold of them. Some of the so called 'medium' species (7-9 inches) would also work, or work until you get a breeding pair, then it would depend on the group or pair and size of the group. For example I raised pyrocephalus for years and could keep two spawning pairs in the same tank with no problem; however, two pairs developed from my sveni group and it was chaos each time the dominant pair spawned, until I separated them out of the group to another tank.

The whole 'geos need to be in a group' thing tends to be overstated, I'm in fb group dedicated to geos and I'm not the only one to say this. Yes they do as juvies, like a lot of cichlids, including species most people don't keep in groups, but as adults a breeding pair is perfectly content not being in a group, sometimes happier-- with some pairs (or some species).

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/heckelii-conspecific-aggression.601115/

 

[duanes]

A. heckelli are a bad bet long term in a 5 ft tank, too many people find they reach a certain age and start killing each other, even in a 6 ft tank-- as in the thread below. Besides pryrocephalus are some other smaller species that would work it you can get hold of them. Some of the so called 'medium' species (7-9 inches) would also work, or work until you get a breeding pair, then it would depend on the group or pair and size of the group. For example I raised pyrocephalus for years and could keep two spawning pairs in the same tank with no problem; however, two pairs developed from my sveni group and it was chaos each time the dominant pair spawned, until I separated them out of the group to another tank.

The whole 'geos need to be in a group' thing tends to be overstated, I'm in fb group dedicated to geos and I'm not the only one to say this. Yes they do as juvies, like a lot of cichlids, including species most people don't keep in groups, but as adults a breeding pair is perfectly content not being in a group, sometimes happier-- with some pairs (or some species).

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/heckelii-conspecific-aggression.601115/

I agree with the above, from neutrino about the heckelli, and most Geophagines.
I tried to keep a group of heckelli in a 6ft 150 gal tank, and was warned I would need a 300 gal after they reached maturity.
At about 3 years of age (@ 8 to 10"), my heckelli started subtly killing each other.
And from my experience keeping another 7 species of Geophagines., depth is fairly unimportant, but floor space is most the important...
The 65 gal mentioned above is really only big enough for the smallest Geophagines, such as Microgeophagus, some Gymnogeophagines, or possibly Guianacara.

Left Guianacara......middle, Gymnogeophagus "yerbalito, ......right Gymno sp Paso Pache, all might work in that small size tank.
Below, a photo from just before the Acarichthys started killing each other

 

[ChanceD85]

I agree with the above, from neutrino about the heckelli, and most Geophagines.
I tried to keep a group of heckelli in a 6ft 150 gal tank, and was warned I would need a 300 gal after they reached maturity.
At about 3 years of age (@ 8 to 10"), my heckelli started subtly killing each other.
And from my experience keeping another 7 species of Geophagines., depth is fairly unimportant, but floor space is most the important...
The 65 gal mentioned above is really only big enough for the smallest Geophagines, such as Microgeophagus, some Gymnogeophagines, or possibly Guianacara.
View attachment 1517376View attachment 1517377View attachment 1517378
Left Guianacara......middle, Gymnogeophagus "yerbalito, ......right Gymno sp Paso Pache, all might work in that small size tank.
Below, a photo from just before the Acarichthys started killing each other
View attachment 1517379

Sounds good I definitely wouldn’t put any of these in the 65 gal I’m just wanting to know what would be the best for some geophagus I can buy a 125 high for $300 and a normal 6 foot 125 for almost 1000 I just wanted to know how big of a difference it was. One foot different and a few inches taller

 

[neutrino]

Sounds good I definitely wouldn’t put any of these in the 65 gal I’m just wanting to know what would be the best for some geophagus I can buy a 125 high for $300 and a normal 6 foot 125 for almost 1000 I just wanted to know how big of a difference it was. One foot different and a few inches taller

I'm guessing the $300 is for used?

As far as length vs height, length is more important to geos,. So a 5ft tank can certainly work (depending on species, size, age, numbers, etc.), but 6 ft would be better in most cases. In other words I wouldn't avoid geos in a 5 ft tank and I wouldn't spend $1000 vs $300, but all things being equal my preference would be a clean, used 6 ft 125 if I could find one for a similar price-- unless I was dealing with a limited space where a 6 ft tank can't fit. That said, depending where you are, such deals may not come around that often.