Just bought a 60 Gallon tank, stocking ideas

[GBLShorty]

Hi i just bought a 60 Gallon just under 3.6 feet long and 2 feet high, 17 inches depth.

Was wondering about what Cichlid stocking would work?, i'm happy to push it a bit rather than play it super safe.

these are the fish i am interested in...

Rotkeil Severum
Electric Blue Acara
Festivum
Geophagus Red Head Tapajos
Tiger Barbs or something similar for dithers
Cherry Barbs
Platys

or i could go for a Mbuna tank, but I really want a Severum.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Hmm I cant really help with cichlids but I know someone who can.Im sure they will find your thread.

 

[Fin & Feather]

I have busy today but I wanted to answer your post because as of this writing no one has.
* Cichlids should usually be housed in their own tank. Many species will kill even aggressive tiger Barbs. Also most tropical fish species go with a lower PH. Average 7.6. Most cichlids with a higher PH. Varies 8.3 to 8.8. Our Petsmart has generations of cichlids acclimated to 7.6 of the Petsmart aquarium water system. I don't know if true of all Petsmarts.
Platies and the fairly non aggressive cherry barbs (compared to Tigers, in my experience) would NOT fair well with aggressive ciclids.
** Blue Ram cichlids are mild in my experience, and might work with the platys. My veil tail Albino Cherry Barbs are beautiful and mild but playful as far the normal Veil-tail Cherry Barb. Adjust the PHs slowly over days to match whatever you get, before you put them together. Lower the higher PH slightly, and raise the low PH slightly.
*** Get API PH and High PH Test kits if you don't have them. Test strips are not reliable. Might consider buying the master test kit so you can test for Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites. Or get the separate test kits. About $12 each and many, many tests in each bottle. PH Test kits are easy- 3 drops in a small test tube of tank water, shake and compare to color card. 4 drops for High PH Test. Lower PH by adding declorinated water. Raise it with teaspoon baking soda per 10 gallons.
**** Cycle your tank first with just a few fish. Do partial water changes until your Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite levels are down. May take about 3 weeks. If you seed your tank with Safe Start. And put some of your gravel in a small section of a friend's established healthy and low or no toxin readings your tank will cycle faster
Use Prime or Safe by Seachem to lower toxin levels.
***** How long has your tank been running and do you have any fish yet? We can go to more depth (ha) about aquarium water cycling if you like.
****** Study and decide whether you want more fish with small to mid size fish. Or fewer larger fish. Study the alignment of the fish and the full grown size. Also study the tank size requirements.
****** Get fish about the same size. Mild Blue rams 3 inches to not mix with 4 inch somewhat aggressive Electric Blue or Canary Johannis Cichlids or 5 inch Very Aggressive Bumblebee Cichlids.
******* Build or buy a cave or plastic hollow log/tube for EACH cichlid. They are very territorial. Put up sight barriers (plastic rocks or driftwood) between their caves and grottos. More about real rocks tomorrow.
****** When you add a new fish, change the interior of your tank so everyone has to make new territories equally. Otherwise the new fish will be picked on and possibly killed. I will brainstorm some more on cichlid compatibility and study those I don't know, and post you.

 

[Fin & Feather]

Sincerely Mont. (I have been running cichlid and tropical tanks for decades and currently have several.)

 

[GBLShorty]

Thanks for the info mate, i have kept Cichlids for 35 years but been out of the hobby for 5, just never had space limited so much, the 240L was the biggest tank i could fit in my new house, i'm probably going to do a fishless cycle or cycle with the barbs, i dont know anybody else who has a fish tank so will have to start from scratch, i'm very clued up about diff cichlids and requirements and very knowledgeable on latin names etc so that part of the new tank is covered, i just want to fit a Severum and some possible tank mates into the tank and figuring out whats the best combination, i only want to keep South American cichlids this time.

 

[GBLShorty]

How about?

1 x Male Rotkeil Severum
3 x Red Head Tapajo
12 x Tetras (suggestions?)
1 x Bristlenose plec

Also can i have the Tapajos with black pea gravel as i have lots of it left over from old tanks bagged up in my shed?

 

[Fin & Feather]

Hello, Sorry I was answering another post that was asking for some help.Then feeding my Birds. Feed my fish after our communication.
The fish on your list are interesting. The Tetras might disappear if you couple them with some of your larger possiblities.
*Congo tetras are about 3 inches. In a group they would probably match some of the following smaller, peaceful fish.
I think all the fish on your list are beautiful. They are listed as mostly peaceful . They can become territorial and aggressive if you put females in with several males. It is difficult to sex them until they are older. You probably know all that
**Geophagus - peaceful. 2 inches. Good with any tetras.
**Festiviums-- Shy- Max 4 inches. Beautiful schooling fish good with Geophagus and tetras and Albino veil tail cherry barb, possibly not Tigers or Rosy Barbs. My veil tails are mild but lively and do not bother my tiny Emerald Rasboras.
***Blue Acara - peaceful, good tank mate for
****Bristlenose- peaceful.both 6 inches adult.
****Tapajao - peaceful.good tank mate.
****Rainbow Cichlid - peaceful, 3 inches,tankmate for 3 inch tetras .Festivium
****Rotkeil Cichlid- peaceful 9-10 inches
Suggestions:
****Albino Senegal-peaceful 8-10 inches also known as Bichirs, Dinosaur Eels good match for above cichlids, not a good match for tetrasor smaller cichlids or aggressive fish. Very interesting fish. Fossil ancestor's date back to Jurassic and even Carboniferous era. Has a primitive lung. Does not rely solely on oxygen in the water. I have 2 that coexsist with my large Tiger Barbs (Raised together)
TIGER BARBS might be alright with your peaceful cichlids. 3-inches fast moving semi aggressive, but do not bother my larger fish Angels, Bichirs.
****Rosy Barbs are a little more narrow than Tigers. In my opinion, more attractive than Tigers. These do not bother my larger fish either but will hassle the Tetras. Mine have.
****Those all have midrange to a little elevated PH levels 7.6-8.0 with some flexibility.
****As you know there can be personality variations that vary from the species general norm. I have been in the tropical hobby off and on since 1973, similar time frame as you? However cichlids only the last 9 years.
You are probably more expert in cichlids than I. I have studied them and have a few. I did some cross referencing research along with my own experience to make some of the above matches. So maybe this post can help you with your decision to go with larger or smaller.
Also as far as your dithers.
****GIANT DANIOS.-peaceful. 4 inches. Match any of the above. Maybe make the Geophagus nervous with their constant fast paced swimming. The long tail variety is very nice looking.
**Another match for your 6 inch cichlids possible choices is the
****SHORT BODIED ALBINO SENEGAL. A little smaller, 6-8 inches than the normal Albino Senegals, 8-10 inches. I would send you photos of my Senegals and Albino Veil Tail Cherry Barbs but my device will not this format. I don't why. It is an older device with some limitation, but reliable and sturdy. It will E mail or text photos. It will record videos but not sent them.
I also found photos online of the Senegals also called Dragonfish, and they really resemble the name. I would be careful in choosing a subspecies other than the Albino variety, because they can grow to 18- 24 inches. Everyone that has them on Monster Fish Keepers are big fans.
I would have gotten this to you an hour ago, but a good friend of mine called. Oh by the way; your black pea gravel sounds like it would really set off the colors of some the fish you might get. Also won't scratch your fish with rough corners. I have River Gemstones miniature agate pebbles, in opaque tan, milk white, and clear. Also round and naturally polished. I think they are easier to clean.
I will contact you if I come up with any spectacular ideas, or you can contact me if you want to talk further. Happy Fish Hunting,- always fun.
Incidentally, I didn't didn't choose the title " Fish Fanatic Apparently all new members get that classification for a while. A member told he thinks after a certain amount of posts, the computer advances you to Member? I saw people with title of "VIP Members" . They must have the Key to The Play Fish Club lounge. If I don't receive a post from you, I'll check in on your site from time to time---- Mont.

 

[Fin & Feather]

A special note: The Senegal-Dinosaur Eels probably should not be paired with the Danios or any fish they will out grow. It was advised the same should apply to the larger cichlids on your list, even though these are primarily peaceful . The quote was. " They are still cichlids" and I inferred from that they can still be prone to occasional aggressive behavior or not unpredictable behavior. I don't know what you knew or didn't. Maybe you gleaned something new from what I presented. Another fish I had intended to add your list of possiblities on the last post was:
For your consideration...
Red Shouldered Severn. ( Heros SP. Rotkeil) Popular and reputed to be "generally" peaceful toward the other fish in it's tank. From the Amazon River Basin. Wide PH range from 6.0 to 7.5 . Grows to 8". Listed as peaceful to semi aggressive. Should probably companion the other 8 inch fish on the list. As the others on the list are classified as peaceful, this might be the dominant fish of the aquarium.

 

[Fin & Feather]

Correction: Red Shouldered Severum. I meant to correct that. I added that to your list because of your preference of a Severum included your selection. Also because of it's popularity as an aquarium fish and it's somewhat flexible range of water conditions.

 

[GBLShorty]

I decided to do a u-turn and i'm going to go for a Mbuna tank.

 

[Fin & Feather]

Cool, I have a Bumblebee (Psuedotropheus crabro) also called Chameleon Cichlid, I suppose they shift colors.
I have Electric Blue Johanni-- in a separate tank. They is a size difference. I didn't put any other tropical fish with them. I did have some Large Nerite Snails occupying the tank with the Johanni-- they left the snails alone.
The Johanni also come in electric yellow. I like the Electric Blue's personalities.
The Bumblebee is semi tame and comes up to my hand and watches me.

 

[GBLShorty]

I'm going for a few yellow labs and going to mix them with all male peacocks.

 

[Fin & Feather]

Hello,
Sounds a cool, colorful mix. The Labs aren't aggressive as you probably know and go to 3-4 inches. The Peacocks can get 4-7 inches and semi aggressive.
Hope you have fun.