What cichlids can breed in 340 ppm for hardness?

[getmethatgeoplease]

As the title says, I’m looking to see if anyone has successfully bred any type of cichlids in really hard water. Our normal GH is 340 ppm so I’m trying to cater to that when choosing breeds of cichlids for breeding.

I read cichlids from Rift Lake can handle it but I’m not sure what all types of cichlids fall in that group.

 

[duanes]

Beside African rift lake species many Central American and Mexican cichlids can and do spawn in hard water.
In general its the South Americans you would have trouble with, but even some southern South Americans such as the Geophagus braziliensus clade, will breed in hard water, and are even found breeding in brackish water areas of Brazil, and Uruguay.
Although my water in the US was not as hard as yours (250-280 ppm), I had no trouble with many Central Americans, and southern S Americans.
Geophagus iporanguensus below

The Central American H nicaruguense below

Mexican Mayaheros beani below

The Uruguayan Australoheros red Ceibal below

Centra American Vieja breidhori below

The Cuban Nandopsis tetracanthus

I could go on and on ad nauesum with probably 50 more different hard water species.

 

[getmethatgeoplease]

Beside African rift lake species many Central American and Mexican cichlids can and do spawn in hard water.
In general its the South Americans you would have trouble with, but even some southern South Americans such as the Geophagus braziliensus clade, will breed in hard water, and are even found breeding in brackish water areas of Brazil, and Uruguay.
Although my water in the US was not as hard as yours (250-280 ppm), I had no trouble with many Central Americans, and southern S Americans.
Geophagus iporanguensus below

The Central American H nicaruguense below

Mexican Mayaheros beani below

The Uruguayan Australoheros red Ceibal below

Centra American Vieja breidhori below

The Cuban Nandopsis tetracanthus

I could go on and on ad nauesum with probably 50 more different hard water species.

Where can I find this list?!?! Thank you so much for all the information!

 

[duanes]

Consider any cichlid that lives in Central America from Panama north thru Mexico as candidates for being able to be bred in hard water.
The list of species is quite long, but includes all the genera below.
Andinoacara 1 species in Central America (coerleopunctatus)
Amatitlania @10 species
Amphilophus @ 20 species
Archocentras 1 species (centrachus)
Astatheros 2 species
Chiapaheros 1 species (grammodes)
Chortiheros 1 species(wesseli)
Chuco 3 species (godmanni, intermedia, and microphthalmus)
Cincelichthys 2 species (bocourti and pearsei)
Cribroheros 8 species
Darienheros 1 species (calobrense)
Geophagus 1 species in Central America (crassilabrus)
Herichthys at least 6 species
Herotilapia 1 species (multispinosa)
Hypsophrys 1 species (nicaraguensis)
Isthmoheros 1 species (tuyrense)
Kihnichthys 1 species (ufermanni)
Maskaheros 2 species (argentea and reganni
Mayaheros 2 Species (beanii and uropthalmus
Nandopsis 3 species
Neetroplus 1 species (nematopus)
Nosferatu at least 5 species
Oscura 1 species (heterospila)
Panamius 1 species (panamense)
Parachromis 5 species
Rheoheros 2 species coerl
Paraneetroplus 4 species
Petenia 1 species (splendida)
Rheoheros 2 species (coerleus and lentiginosus)
Rocio 3 species (ocotal, octofasciatus (the jack dempsey) and spinosisima)
Talamancaheros 1 species (sieboldii)
Theraps 1 species (irregulars)
Thorichthys 9 species (including the Firemouth (meeki))
Trichromis 1 species (salvini)
Vieja 8 species
Wajpamheros 1 species (nourisatdi)
Tomocichla 2 species (asfracci and tuba)

as you can see, the genus list is extensive, and these are just the cichlids
If your tanks are under 100 gallons, the genus Amatitlania, Heterotilapia, or Panamius are some I would choose from, .many of the other genera like Parachromis, Cincelichthys or Vieja need much larger tanks to be successful.
there are hundreds of middle american live bearers, tetras, goby, catfish and other fish that breed in this hard water area
If you tanks are small (60 gallons or less), the live bearers like swordtails or mollieswould be better choices.
I live in Panama now and keep local cichlids (Andinoacara coerleopunctatus )in the local pH 8+ water. They are seasonal spawners and just fished spawning
Flashlight Andinoacara fry

 

[duanes]

Some pics to go along with the list (other than the ones above
1st genus Amatitlania
cutteri w fry

myrnae w fry

Honduran Red Pt w fry

genus Chiapaheros w eggs

genus Chuco (intermedia) w eggs

genus Herichthys
carpintus w fry

genus Nandopsis (haitiensus male w fry

genus Nosferatu (bartoni) w fry

genus Panamius w fry

genus Parachromis (motaguense) female w fry

genus Tomocichla (tuba, female w eggs)

Also a few southern S Americans
Gymnogeophagus
quilero with fry

even some Madagascan cichlids
genus Ptychochromis
sp tarantsy w eggs

fry

genus Paraetroplus
maculatus w eggs

finally..... the genus Etroplus from India and Sri Lanka
E suratensus spawning on a log (eggs semi hidden on the right)