Yup, another stock my 125 with some cool sa and ca cichs thread

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Oscarum monstruoso

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 3, 2010
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Alright, its a 6 ft 125 gallon, I have a 7 inch bgk going in, a 3 inch ebjd coming soon and probably a 3 inch chocolate and parrot cichlid (real parrot cichlid, not the hybrid parrot).

Heres the thing, Id like to get a red oscar and some nice color severums - super red or black.

Theres also 4 tinfoil barbs going in too. Im at my limit, aren't I?

My filtration is a 125 gallon rated sponge and 2 emperor 400 hobs. The barbs are going in first, then the ebjd and then the bgk. Not committed to anything else yet.

Where would you go from there? I like the chocolates, parrots, sevs and oscars but all cant go in for life, can they?

Lie to me if you have to, how do I stock this tank and be happy?
 
The tinfoils will get almost as big as those cichlids. You sure you want 4 minnows the size of Oscars in there? I think from what I have read too that in that size tank you may have issues between the Parrot and Chocolate, since they are very similar.
 
The tinfoils will get almost as big as those cichlids. You sure you want 4 minnows the size of Oscars in there? I think from what I have read too that in that size tank you may have issues between the Parrot and Chocolate, since they are very similar.

I hear you on the barbs. Thats an issue, not sure what to do as I really like them.

Worst thing about finally getting a "big" tank is realizing thats its still relatively small.
 
Thanks for the help guys. Dont know what I'd do without your sage advice. Maybe just trial and error as I go, just like before the internet days. Ot maybe some useless or bad advice from chronically clueless lfs staff.
 
you can have all of them in there for a long time or till adulthood after they set the pecking order and form a community in that size tank. the farther apart in size the better. If they are equal in size that's the worse because it'll be a long battle if they are scrappy. But if you have no a-hole fish, they should all settle in there fine for like 3 years till you feel they are too big..
 
you can have all of them in there for a long time or till adulthood after they set the pecking order and form a community in that size tank. the farther apart in size the better. If they are equal in size that's the worse because it'll be a long battle if they are scrappy. But if you have no a-hole fish, they should all settle in there fine for like 3 years till you feel they are too big..

Thanks for clearing that up. I do want to get them small and grow them out in the big tank and you hit the key issue that I couldnt formulate even though I was slightly aware of it, and that is the question of growth rates. If the fish stay manageable for a year or two, that would be fine with me, I'll gladly rehome some of them down the road.

The main question then is, how many 2-3 inchers can I put in now that will stay manageable sized in a year or even two?

Heres what I really want:
3 of each chocolates, real parrots, severums (preferably 2 inchers)
5 tinfoil barbs (1.5 inchers to start)
1 red oscar
1 ebjd

Thats 16 fish, plus my bgk for a total of 17

That is a lot at any size in a 125, maybe just have one of each severums and real parrots, and maybe do 4 barbs instead of 5.

That brings it down to 12.

Maybe just start with single cichlids altogether, that would make it 9 or 10 depending if I do 4 or 5 barbs.

So Im thinking the more reasonable stock list is

1 chocolate (2")
1 real parrots (2")
1 severums (2")
1 red oscar (2")
1 ebjd (2")
5 tinfoil barbs (1.5 inchers to start)
1 bgk (around 6")

Is that doable for a year or two, can I add a small acara or jewel?
 
Lol true about buying a big tank then realising its still small, its like everything in life; get more money but end up buying bigger cars and bigger mortgages, so you're still left unsatisfied.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Lol true about buying a big tank then realising its still small, its like everything in life; get more money but end up buying bigger cars and bigger mortgages, so you're still left unsatisfied.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

Yeah, Im realising I might have to start with red eyed tetras to start cycling my tank and as dithers for my young cichlids. Then when the cichlids get bigger rehome the tetras and add silver dollars.
 
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