Muddling Things Over

[GAB99]

Im still thinking on what to do with my 55
ive been looking at cichlids and im pretty pumped for getting a rainbow cichlid but now I kind of want to scrap my old stocking and get more cichlids.

the old stocking was:
2 angels
8 lemon tetras
8 bloodfin tetras
rainbow cichlid
8 cories
striped raphael cat.

now I want to do:
4 angels
rainbow cichlid
festivum
6 cories
4 rams (from what I gather they do best in more pairs? Plus id like a pair but I would have to order online)
striped raphael cat

what do you guys think? I cant rehome the SRC or my one cory (so now I have to get more) or my angel, so whatever stock I ddcide has to have those 3 in there somehow

 

[FreshwaterAfishianado]

I think it sounds good, I'm still fairly new to this though, I just bought a pair of festivums a few days ago and they're great.
A few things I would watch for though, aggression from having that many angels with the other cichlids, especially if you get a few to pair up. The other thing is that rams like very warm water, 80+ if I remember correctly, so just be sure that the other species can handle that.
It does sound like it would look great.
I'm not sure about the bioload though, someone more experienced would have to answer about that.

 

[Wills]

Its a real toughy, leaving that many cichlids by them selves through the week might be a bit risky. Especially in the weeks after adding them. If you were around every day for the tank and/or the tank was bigger it might work but I wouldnt risk it
 
I would be more to do the Rams - but obviously Bolivians in a tank like this With 2 Angels - get a youngster and grow it up along your other one rather than add an other adult. Rams actually do best in groups they are a quite a gregarious cichlid like their larger cousins the Geophagus so four is a good number.
 
I would probably leave the Festivum out - I had a really bad experience with some a while ago and while I think this is the rarity though. But adding Angels and the Festivum, they are in the same surface area and could clash.
 
A single Rainbow could be a goer though
 
So your stock would look like
 
2 Angels
1 Rainbows
4 Bolivian Rams 
8 Cories (all one type) 
1 Striped Raphael Catfish
 
Then thats about 45 inches of fish give or take - now Im not one to preach the inch per gallon as being an intelligent way to stock your tank but it does have some virtues. The reason I am bringing this up is I kind of want to add in a mid water school to act as target fish for the Angels and Rainbow and dither fish for the Bolivians. Something peaceful and large enough not to get eaten by the Angels like Lemon Tetras or Flame Tetras. Nothing nippy, nothing too shy just something flashy and fast enough to bring out the best in the cichlids But to do this you would have to be militant on being home every weekend for water changes.
 
Wills

 

[GAB99]

I should be able to add that school with little issue, following the 1 inch per gallon rule ( which i guess would be fairly useful for my tank since I wont be there as often) adding a school of 6 tetras would run me at 57 (assuming your 45 is accurate)

and as much as I love cories they've always had a track record of dying in ridiculous ways, and I currently have a three stripe cory (always miss sold as juliis) so a dwarf cory usually runs no bigger than 1.75 but for this ill just use 2.
if I drop the 8 to 6 im at 53 inches and im ridiculously over filtered and apart from 20 ppm of nitrate ive had in the past I should be okay. Andvthe future substrate depth is going to be at least 2 inches so I might get a bonus there on nitrate being reduced. Though definitely doing 50% wc when home, maybe 75

now thing is I need to source my cichlids (and maybe get my current angel to look normal) so those probably go in last. I dont have a reliable freshwater LFS, so its aqua bid etc. For me

as for the school, the rams color up the bottom, abd my angel is yellow,and the other angel will probably be either very dark or white, I was hoping someone could tell me the color scheme of a single rainbow so I could get something to compliment It. From pics they look orangey? So Im thinking get a school of something with a deep red (bloodfin tetras)
unless anyone knows a purple fish I could get ( ironically orange and purple are my school colors)

 

[Wills]

You could try Emperor Tetras? Nice purple fish and get a good chunky size. Also dont underestimate the importance of schooling fish in an american cichlid tank
 
In the US you have some great postal service companies like Aquabid and Foster and Smith. But also fantastic breeders and importers like Jeff Rapps who might be worth checking out.
 
20ppm nitrate is nothing I have 40ppm comming out of my tap....
 
I think youve nailed it with the list above it will be a great looking tank
 
Wills

 

[GAB99]

I did a little looking and it looks like the majority of purple schooling fish are emperor tetras or purple dwarf pencilfish, though the pencils look more of a wine colored (and 11$ a pop, plus they might make lunch for the angel, max is 4cm)

ive checked aqua bid and I can get 4-6 rams pretty easy and not super expensive! Though if I want a rainbow ill have to order more than one

pencils or emperors?

 

[GAB99]

Alright I did a little more research and it looks like I can get the majority of my new stock fairly easily, though I am finding it difficult to source wild rams which is what I would like to have, my second option being german long fins.

as for the schools of cories and purple emperor tetras I might get a little over on what I set because of a minimum order limit

Something unexpected came up and by the time I have the funds again ill have maybe a week or two to settle everyone, so im planning on getting the plants in over thanksgiving break and the stock in the beginning of my winter break so I have just over a month to settle everything.

still really want a festivum though ugghh haha

 

[Wills]

Dont get Blue or Gold Rams make sure you get the Bolivians - Blues would need a totally different tank set up to this one.
 
Wills