Thoughts on this stocking list for a 180g

[Wills]

Thats a very tough one to pick between as I really like the JD and Geo's aha. Would a blue acara fit into the SA tank? My water is 7.2 ph and 10.38 dh, would this be too hard for SA's?

Its the upper end of whats recommended for the Geos but I think you should be ok. Red Heads are commercialy bred now so most will be tank raised which while not solving the problem will at least help.

Blue Acara would work, would definitely need to let them get to a decent size before adding the Oscar though. How fixed on the Oscar are you? They often just eat tank mates (sometimes of surprising size) and without one you would have some more options in terms of a bigger community around the cichlids. There isnt really an alternative to them as they are so unique in their shape, size and personality though, it would just be a different choice to replace them.

Wills

 

[Varacanth]

Its the upper end of whats recommended for the Geos but I think you should be ok. Red Heads are commercialy bred now so most will be tank raised which while not solving the problem will at least help.

Blue Acara would work, would definitely need to let them get to a decent size before adding the Oscar though. How fixed on the Oscar are you? They often just eat tank mates (sometimes of surprising size) and without one you would have some more options in terms of a bigger community around the cichlids. There isnt really an alternative to them as they are so unique in their shape, size and personality though, it would just be a different choice to replace them.

Wills

I'm not 100% set on an oscar, I do like the personality of them more than the size and looks though.

 

[Varacanth]

Are there any sand sifting fish similar to earth eaters that would fit in the CA community? I think I'm leaning more to that as I really like the look of regular JD's.

 

[Wills]

Are there any sand sifting fish similar to earth eaters that would fit in the CA community? I think I'm leaning more to that as I really like the look of regular JD's.

Cribroheros and Thorichthys are the closest - the Cribroheros are the more peaceful of the two but a bit rarer.

 

[Varacanth]

Cribroheros and Thorichthys are the closest - the Cribroheros are the more peaceful of the two but a bit rarer.

Really like the look of Cribroheros Robertsoni, maybe even more so than the geo's. How would they fare with some of the more aggressive central Americans like salvinis and pearlscales? If they are compatible I'm thinking of something like this:
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Pearlscale
1 Salvini
1 Convict
1 Cribroheros Robertsoni

All being female to hopefully reduce aggression.

 

[Wills]

Really like the look of Cribroheros Robertsoni, maybe even more so than the geo's. How would they fare with some of the more aggressive central Americans like salvinis and pearlscales? If they are compatible I'm thinking of something like this:
1 Jack Dempsey
1 Pearlscale
1 Salvini
1 Convict
1 Cribroheros Robertsoni

All being female to hopefully reduce aggression.

What’s the pearl scale? There are a few fish that get that name. I don’t think the cribroheros would do well in that mix. Maybe a smaller veija type like bredorhi or synspilum?

 

[Varacanth]

What’s the pearl scale? There are a few fish that get that name. I don’t think the cribroheros would do well in that mix. Maybe a smaller veija type like bredorhi or synspilum?

Sorry by pearlscale I meant Herichthys Carpintis. I did look at veija but they don't really appeal to me tbh.

 

[Wills]

Sorry by pearlscale I meant Herichthys Carpintis. I did look at veija but they don't really appeal to me tbh.

I'm not sure on this combo in all honesty there are so really fiesty characters in there. When I said about the Cribroheros I was thinking of something like 1 Sal, 1 JD, 1 Con (could go for a nicer species like HRP or Sajica?) and 4 Cribroheros.

Wills

 

[Varacanth]

I'm not sure on this combo in all honesty there are so really fiesty characters in there. When I said about the Cribroheros I was thinking of something like 1 Sal, 1 JD, 1 Con (could go for a nicer species like HRP or Sajica?) and 4 Cribroheros.

Wills

I'm thinking CA might not really work for what I have in mind. I might invest in a RO unit to bring my hardness down a bit and go for a community of medium sized SA Cichlids with one large centrepiece. would something like this work?

1 True Parrot Cichlid
1 Blue Acara
1 Green Severum
1 Green Phantom Plec
5-7 Geophagus Red Head Tapajos
5-7 Threadfin Acara

I know thats quite a lot of cichlids but from what I read the threadfins tend to occupy the mid section of the tank while the geos will be more on the bottom. Aqadvisor also puts me around 86% stocking with 7 of each.

 

[Wills]

I'm surprised its saying 78% as its a lot of big fish. I dont think they are taking into consideration of territories and I think the big thing I don't agree with is the Threadfins. But I think the rest is clever choices, the Parrot and the Severum should co exist well in that tank well and the Acara wont feel threatened by them or be a competitor for top dog in the tank.

I wouldnt get such a big group of Threadfins, they are not social in the same way as Geophagus. I had a single Threadfin with my Geos and they were the boss of the group. You could maybe try a trio of them with a big group of 7 Geos. I do like the Red Heads but... I find them in real life not to be as nice as they look in photos. Things like Winemilleri, Sveni or the Satanoperca species look better in the flesh than in pics (and still look good in pics ).

The Green Phantom is a nice choice but are you happy to rarely see it and deal with all the poop? I personally gave up on plecos a long time ago for this reason. I prefer whiptails, less messy, more active and really nice looking fish, in this size tank you would be able to keep the Chameleon Whiptails too which are a very cool fish!

You need to think of a schooling fish to go in there too, I would be thinking of something like Hemiodus the red lined ones are really nice and an active fish too, big disk tetras like bleeding hearts and headstanders like Annostomus Ternetzi and Marbled Headstanders. Maybe silver hatchet fish, maybe some of the bigger splash tetra? The fish to watch out for is the true parrot as they are likely to take fish they deem as food.

Wills

 

[Wills]

Not sure how close you are but Wharf Aquatics have a big school of Pseudochalceus kyburzi instock. When I went a few weeks ago they are absolutely stunning! Emporer Tetras with red spots. Slight reputation for being a bit nippy but in a big tank and if you got a big group you should be fine.

Wills

 

[Varacanth]

I'm surprised its saying 78% as its a lot of big fish. I dont think they are taking into consideration of territories and I think the big thing I don't agree with is the Threadfins. But I think the rest is clever choices, the Parrot and the Severum should co exist well in that tank well and the Acara wont feel threatened by them or be a competitor for top dog in the tank.

I wouldnt get such a big group of Threadfins, they are not social in the same way as Geophagus. I had a single Threadfin with my Geos and they were the boss of the group. You could maybe try a trio of them with a big group of 7 Geos. I do like the Red Heads but... I find them in real life not to be as nice as they look in photos. Things like Winemilleri, Sveni or the Satanoperca species look better in the flesh than in pics (and still look good in pics ).

The Green Phantom is a nice choice but are you happy to rarely see it and deal with all the poop? I personally gave up on plecos a long time ago for this reason. I prefer whiptails, less messy, more active and really nice looking fish, in this size tank you would be able to keep the Chameleon Whiptails too which are a very cool fish!

You need to think of a schooling fish to go in there too, I would be thinking of something like Hemiodus the red lined ones are really nice and an active fish too, big disk tetras like bleeding hearts and headstanders like Annostomus Ternetzi and Marbled Headstanders. Maybe silver hatchet fish, maybe some of the bigger splash tetra? The fish to watch out for is the true parrot as they are likely to take fish they deem as food.

Wills

I added the threadfins as from what I read it seemed like they would stick to the mid levels of the tank , so wouldn't have much territory overlap with the geo's but I guess I was wrong. I also thought by them sticking to the middle of the tank they would be a good replacement for tetras and such as I was worried tetras would become a snack for the parrot. Would congos be big enough to not be seen as food?

I like the look of the sveni's and the winemilleri but they don't seem to be as available as the red heads, I also like how a lot of red heads that are available are commercially bred. I did look at satanoperca and while they are nice looking fish I prefer the face shape of the geos.

I do really like the pleco but those whiptails do look cool. I'll be sure look into them.

Not sure how close you are but Wharf Aquatics have a big school of Pseudochalceus kyburzi instock. When I went a few weeks ago they are absolutely stunning! Emporer Tetras with red spots. Slight reputation for being a bit nippy but in a big tank and if you got a big group you should be fine.

Wills

I'm quite far from Wharf, and I don't even have the tnak yet and by the time I do I'm sure they will have much different stock.