Help With Choosing Stock

[fishmummy]

Hello,
I have just recently set up my 350L corner tank which is 4.5ft across from wall to wall. I have put filter media in from my old very well established 125L tank and put a few congo tetra in to help cycle it.

Now as for stock, well I really like S. American Cichlids and was looking at a semi-peaceful community set-up to include some SA cichlids. The SA fish I like are:

Severum (No. 1)
Firemouth
Geophagus Tapajos
Blue Acara
Geophagus Altifrons

My original plan was to get 3 x tapajos with 1 severum plus a firemouth or an acara but now I am thinking about maybe 1 altifrons instead of the 3 tapajos. Bear in mind I want more of the relatively peaceful cichlids. I am after a mix of colour and personality!

I would like to also add:

4 or 5 Redline torpedo barb (Denisoni barb)
Congo tetra x 6 (already in there)
Maybe another small group of small-medium size shoalers

I use RO water with 10% tapwater and my parameters are pH neutral (6.5), hardness low to medium and nitrates stay relatively low. Problem is I dont want the few plants I have dug up or eaten although I have used the more inedible tougher plants and buried the pots in the gravel and covered with large pebbles. I have a very fine gravel substrate with bogwood and pebbles. I would include a photo but I cannot work out how to insert an image from file!!

Suggestions or ideas gratefully received!

 

[Davo86]

Hello,
I have just recently set up my 350L corner tank which is 4.5ft across from wall to wall. I have put filter media in from my old very well established 125L tank and put a few congo tetra in to help cycle it.

Now as for stock, well I really like S. American Cichlids and was looking at a semi-peaceful community set-up to include some SA cichlids. The SA fish I like are:

Severum (No. 1)
Firemouth
Geophagus Tapajos
Blue Acara
Geophagus Altifrons

My original plan was to get 3 x tapajos with 1 severum plus a firemouth or an acara but now I am thinking about maybe 1 altifrons instead of the 3 tapajos. Bear in mind I want more of the relatively peaceful cichlids. I am after a mix of colour and personality!

I would like to also add:

4 or 5 Redline torpedo barb (Denisoni barb)
Congo tetra x 6 (already in there)
Maybe another small group of small-medium size shoalers

I use RO water with 10% tapwater and my parameters are pH neutral (6.5), hardness low to medium and nitrates stay relatively low. Problem is I dont want the few plants I have dug up or eaten although I have used the more inedible tougher plants and buried the pots in the gravel and covered with large pebbles. I have a very fine gravel substrate with bogwood and pebbles. I would include a photo but I cannot work out how to insert an image from file!!

Suggestions or ideas gratefully received!

Hi,
What plants do you have? Severum are avid plant eaters and IME the only plants that stay relatively unscathed are Anubias and Java Fern.

If it was me I'd go for the Sev, Acara combo with a single Altifrons, which would give you three centrepieces with very different personalities and habits.

Another smaller shoaler to consider would be Colombian Tetras, They get to a good size for a SA tetra (around 2-5") and when kept in a good sized shoal of 7-9 work well alongside larger cichlids like Sevs and acaras

 

[fishmummy]

I have a couple of anubias and some Echinodorus (dont know what type - was told was the tougher, less palatable variety!) Can I insert an image here without doing a weblink?
Aren't the Altifrons aggressive?

 

[minxfishy]

To upload a picture, add it to photobucket or imageshack (all free btw if you dont already have an account) and post the link in your post :good:

I agree with Davo suggestions, single severum, acara and altifrons, all relatively peaceful cichlids, although the severum wont probably eat the anubias it may, as mine does, enjoy the fun it ripping pieces off from time to time :rolleyes:

 

[fishmummy]

 

[Davo86]

Very nice setup, Have you thought of adding any bottom dwellers?

 

[fishmummy]

I was thinking of some coryadoras as I dont want anything else too big!

What do you think of the topredo barbs then with my cichlids? I know they get quite big but as they are so slim I was hoping that they wouldnt take up too much space.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Torpedos,Corys,Red Spotted or Rotkeil Sev,Blue Acara + a couple of Geos sounds like a amazing tank to me and would work IMO

 

[fishmummy]

Torpedos,Corys,Red Spotted or Rotkeil Sev,Blue Acara + a couple of Geos sounds like a amazing tank to me and would work IMO

Fabulous! I still prefer the red head tapajos to the Altifrons though but have read that they are better in a group. Do you think 2 of these would get along OK? Also, would it be better to get two males because of aggression during breeding?

thank you for all your replies

 

[minxfishy]

The tapajos would be fine in a group in there, 2 or 3, they arent particularly aggressive, you will find one is more dominant than the other/rest. Alternative to the tapajos would be geo surinamensis, beautiful fish. The only thing I would say is they prefer sand, however, they are ok on fine small grained gravel, which it looks like you have