mif Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Hi, I noticed on a previous thread that Raff has a similar set-up, and I realise no-one on this forum can tell me for sure if this will work or not, but I appreciate opinions nonetheless!! I am custom-building an 8x3x2 and in the process of picking out fish, and was wondering if anyone had ideas on what could/would work. So far, I have picked out: jag festae electric blue JD vieja synspila salvini red hook silver dollars (as dithers) firemouths (as dithers) I am a little bit worried about how the JD will go, and if it will be too overcrowded. I am more than happy to pick and choose just a couple from the list. I was only planning on keeping 1 of each chosen species as display fish only. Also, I was unsure whether or not eartheaters were a good idea? I had in mind something like S. jurupari/S. leucosticta (which is more common, I guess, than jurupari), brasilliensis, or red hump. Please give me your opinions on what you think would work in this tank! Any other suggestions on fish I haven't listed are more than welcome, too Thanks, Mif xo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishHeadSoup Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 as long as u provide adequate cover for each fish that should be fine. in an 8x2x3 id be tempted to throw a whole lot more in i keep brasilliensis in a community tank with both yanks & africans (shock horror flame me now :hothead: ) without any dramas just depends on what u want with the Jd what were u worried about size or aggression? cos id be more worried about the jag if ur thinking aggression! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mif Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 I was more worried that the JD being the least aggressive and probably the smallest out of the larger cichlids, that he would get picked on..I guess with the other fish in there, though, he might have a chance.. Thanks, FishHeadSoup Edit: FishHeadSoup, what else would you add to the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 The EBJD would struggle in that company for sure as would the firemouths imo. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mif Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thanks, Dave. I wasn't 100% sure on the firemouths, either, but I thought I would try it. What would you suggest? Being female, I would rather have a friendly tank. I don't want to have to deal with dead fish due to aggression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Thanks, Dave. I wasn't 100% sure on the firemouths, either, but I thought I would try it. What would you suggest? Being female, I would rather have a friendly tank. I don't want to have to deal with dead fish due to aggression. Mmmm friendly does not refer to jag,festae and salvini all highly aggressive americans. Buy them all young and see how well they grow up together but be ready to remove fish that won'tplay ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briztoon Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Being female, I would rather have a friendly tank. If you want peacefull cichlids, you should checkout some of th SA cichlid species available here in QLD. Added bonus is you could probably have more SA cichlids in a large tank, than some of the CA cichlids you've mentioned. You might want to checkout Severums, Chocolate cichlids (Hypselecara temporalis), some of the Geophagus and Satanoperca species, Festivums, Blue acaras, and Sapayensis (gold acara). I'd go with one Severum (green or gold, pick which you prefer) and one Chocolate cichlids. A pair of either blue or gold acaras. And two groups of Eartheaters, six Satanoperca leucosticta and eight of one of the smaller Geophagus species like G. sp. tapajos "orange head" or G. sp. araguaia "orange head" or six of one of the larger species like G. altifrons "tapajos". And finally six of the surface dwelling festivums. Or if it was me, I'd skip on the S. leucosticta and go with eight G. sp. tapajos "orange head" and six G. altifrons "tapajos". If your stuck on CA cichlids, you could look at the following that would mix well with Firemouths, Hypsophrys nicaraguensis (nics) and Herotilapia multispinosa (rainbow cichlids). Start with a school of nics - 2 males and 6 females, 6 rainbow cichlids and and two pairs of firemouths. I know both setups are more "community" orientated than what you planned, but you did ask for other suggestions as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mif Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 'Friendly' probs wasn't the right word I wanted to use. I do want aggressive fish, but I want them all around the same aggression levels and sizes, so one doesn't get singled out and picked on - which was what I was worried about with the JD. I do really like the Satanoperca species. Thank you so much, briztoon, for your other suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarg Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 lot of good info here http://eartheaters.qldaf.com/ on eartheaters if you wanted to head in the SA direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishHeadSoup Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 I was more worried that the JD being the least aggressive and probably the smallest out of the larger cichlids, that he would get picked on..I guess with the other fish in there, though, he might have a chance..Thanks, FishHeadSoup Edit: FishHeadSoup, what else would you add to the tank? oh hey yeah sorry I wasn't working yesterday I didn't find time to get on the net!! As mentioned buy them small and grow them up together otherwise u run the risk of overagression fighting it out for the best cave etc. anyway u do it with those fish ur more than likely to end up with casulties part and parcel of bastard fish! fish in first then plenty of caves/ hiding spots for the smaller fish will reduce this risk, same goes when introducing new fish -i know its a pain but take everything out and set it up differently they will sort themselves out as for tankmates nicaraguensis (nics) or commonly called Nica Parrots as Briztoon mentioned would be a great and colourful addition but gees the Geos would be tempting too im not being much help am I! In the end its all up to which direction you want to head. i've seen too many setups now that have displays of fish that shouldn't work together that live peacefully together to say something definitly will or will not work. hth Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mif Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Hi guys, Thank you again so much for your info!! You are all such a great help!! Now, 2x Fluval FX5 canister filters or sump??? There are so many nice fish out there, I can't decide what I am going to do. Thanks again!!! Mif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Sump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mif Posted December 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Thanks FishHeadSoup, your just as indecisive Thanks for the link, Sarg, it was really useful! Dave: I was thinking of sump with a refugium to house convicts as feeders. It seems pretty straight-forward enough (I'm hoping ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishHeadSoup Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 hahaha yeh sorry so many coool fish so little room sump would be the way to go and a lot cheaper then 2 fx5's but can look messy / be a pain in the butt also lotsa plumbing, noise etc... FX5's would be neater and easier if ur new to this, just unplug the hoses and take the whole thing out the back for a wash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
