What would you get for a 60 Gallon?

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Kayzee

Kayzee

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 30, 2015
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i know this has been done before but any insight would be appreciated. I basically did Discus, i couldnt do it because of the water changes. Then i did Geos with Bolivian Rams. Then i did African Peacock Males.

None of these setups really worked out, a pair always tried to breed and took over the tank. Trying to avoid that. I do like colorful though. Any suggestions appreciated. It's just a standard 60 gallon Acrylic 4 foot wide i think.
 
Smaller Serra piranhas kept solo (ruby red spilo/mac), red wolf fish, angel fish, or a planted tank with a large school of tetras or other schooling fish.
 
for a 48"X12" I would go w/ a harem (or pair) of Salvini, Firemouths or Blue Acaras - 1M, and 3 female w/ some bottomfeeders (let the hating commence) and if it was 36"X18" I would do groups of smaller Cichlasoma and/or Geophagus and/or any of the Acaras except Blues.

Portalgrensis would work well for you and if you're lucky you can get a few female Convicts to live in harmony if you have enough rock-work, and hide-spaces to break up visual barriers. Also Gymnogeophagus balzanii or other Gymnos.

I would try and keep it under fish that max. out at 6", but the cardinal rule says you'd be ok at 9" - using 4X-Fish's-length-for-tank-length and 2X-Fish's-length-for-tank-width Formula.....but a pair of 9" fish would not be very happy in either of those dimensions, TBH.

Stick to 6"-7" adult size, or do an All-female Cichlid tank w/ smaller catfish and bottom feeders.....

Spotted Pims, Raphaels, Asian Bumblebee, Hoplo, and Plecos - Bushy/Bristlenose, Chocolates, Clowns, Rubberlip/Bulldog and Redtail & Rainbow Sharks. Also Chinese Algae-eaters.

What is your tapwater like?
 
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A group of some kind of thorichthys (4) and a female salvini. Would also add livebarers like swordtails. I had a similar set up which was firemouths and a salvini in a 55g.
I would suggest some other CA cichlids that stay 10" or smaller, like a. robertsoni but a lot aren't available now. Of course JDs, n. Bartoni, h. Deppii, rainbows, HRP, etc....a lot of possibilities. Grammodes would be cool, but they are shy so may not be interesting.
 
Green terror pair, African bullfrog, neets , 5 star generals, blue lobsters, trophius bemba, African leaf fish few ideas...
 
I would not put anything over 6 inches in that tank kayzee, you have already found from previous experience 60 gallons is a very small space for most cichlids, unless they are small and a more social species.
I have found (as Frank Castle said) the a group of some smaller Gymnos (1 male with 3 or 4 females) would work, with some dither types (live bearers or tetras)
or if you are more Central American inclined, the smallest Crptoheros/Amatitlania, such as nanoluteus, of HRPs.
The Cribroheros species (formerly Astatherines) may work temporarily if they were young, but that tank is a bit small for the size group you would need to maintain peace.

Gymnogeophagus above, a cool water species (no heater required)
nanoluteus
Cribroheros rostratus below
 
Herotilapia multispinosa are a peaceful c/a cichlid.
They do well in a small group of 5or 6 individuals. They will breed and not cause much trouble in the process. A group of livebearers would be a good addition as tankmates.
 

agree with Stanzzzz about the multispinossa, I kept a group in a 65 gal with live bearers without problems.

or if you don't min switching continents either of the 2 smaller chromides do well with rasboras and danios as dithers (to be geographically correct)
below Etroplus canarensus

personally I would not do salvini or some other more territorial cichlids suggested, in such a small tank, I have found them to be much too aggressive, and you'd probably end up with the same situation you were trying to avoid.
 
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