Next tank... 45 gallon... thinking about a stocking list... South American, mid sized Cichlids

1st thoughts... a beach sand substrate, more wood & rocks, than live plants... maybe some Frog Bit, or water lettuce on the surface, as I think I want a Geo, to turn over the sand...
as I'm trying to make my other tanks fully regional, & I'm looking to move 4 black Cory's & 3 Albino Cory's to this tank, from other tanks, to complete their regional transitions...
then I'd like 1 of each of these for variety...
the smaller red shoulder Severum
a red head or thread fin geophagus
an electric blue acara
a fire mouth
and a variety of smaller growing pleco

I wouldn't mind 2 of any of these if they would have a problem being solo... or changing out to a similar fish, but want to avoid a war zone of fish trying to lay out territory... open for suggestions... as this is just my 1st starting list, & I've not started even cleaning out the 20 year old remnants, & getting this one ready to start up again, so it'll be a little while... so I can work through a list...

Hi sounds like a good project but the fish you’ve chosen are not the best options for this size tank you’d want a 75g for the Severum, the Geophagus are best in a group and you’d want them in a 125g. The fire mouth is a Central American and best not to mix centrals and south’s imo different kinds of aggression and behaviour that can end badly.

I’m a 45g I’d be looking at some of the smaller dwarfs and give them the space to thrive Krobia, Laetacara, Cupid Cichlids, Keyholes snd Apistigramma could be some good starting points.

the red shoulder is the smaller variety... I don't think they get much bigger than a Silver Dollar... ( edit )... did some research, & sounds like the "Rotkeil" doesn't get much over 8" in an aquarium... so that will likely get too big for this tank

I was hoping that with single specimens or a pair of same sex, I can avoid some of the aggression... since lately I've been trying to do more regional tanks... the Fire Mouth could be omitted for something of similar size from South America...

Thanks for the suggested other tank mates... I'll do some research

BTW... thinking about it, I might consider a dwarf or two, as I could only put so many in my other tank... but I want the tank to be mostly mid sized Cichlids

Working through the list of suggestions... BTW... I already have dwarf Cichlids in another tank... so I'm looking for more "medium" sized fish... starting at the beginning, & up to the Cupid Cichlids... I'm really liking the Cupids, & what is noted on Seriously Fish, & found them in stock, at at least one supplier... I think 2-4 could easily take the place of the Fire Mouth's, & the Geo's on my list... as Seriously Fish, lists them as benthophagous... any other suggestions are welcome...

I only have one word for you . Convicts .

I had convicts back 20 years ago... & they bred, & took over the tank, forcing me to move around their other tank mates... I don't think they are bad... I'm just really leaning towards fish I didn't have before...

Magnum Man said:

I had convicts back 20 years ago... & they bred, & took over the tank, forcing me to move around their other tank mates... I don't think they are bad... I'm just really leaning towards fish I didn't have before...

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Yeah , I hear that . It is fun to have fish you’ve never had before . I like Convict cichlids but they do what you said . They breed prolifically and nobody wants extra Convicts .
Now the Firemouths you mentioned . There’s a choice fish .

If you have hard water or can get it the African butterfly cichlid is a great choice for a group of cichlid’s.

Acorno said:

If you have hard water or can get it the African butterfly cichlid is a great choice for a group of cichlid’s.

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What’s that fish on your avatar ? Is it a Sunfish ?

Looks to me like an American Flag fish… I have 4 of those in my rainbow tank

Magnum Man said:

Looks to me like an American Flag fish… I have 4 of those in my rainbow tank

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You are correct. It is an American flag fish.

what about those stick fish? Maybe some hatchet fish? Those sticks are cool. I was thinking a knife fish, but checked the tank size and wow they need a big one. The banjo catfish look cool too.

As a wild type snob, I wouldn't touch the electric version of the blue acara But of my 3 regular ones over the past few decades, 2 were hellions. One was a sweetheart.

When they want to be *&^*^%^%^s, they have very robust builds to do that with.

If I'm thinking SA, mid sized, cupido are right up there. I liked them. So are red humps, if you can get the smaller Geophagus steindachneri. There are some big fish sold under the trade name though. You have to get the Latin name and trust the seller.

I've never been partial to the single fish approach. I don't like watching people stand around, and prefer when they're doing things. It's the same with fish to me.

Not Listed as a Cichlid, usually placed with the odd balls... anyone ever some of these???

they look kinda like a fancy Tin Foil Barb, but from South America
it might get too big though... Seriously Fish says 12 inches... the seller says 8 inches


SEMAPROCHILODUS TAENIURUS

let me repeat... that this tank won't likely be ready for fish until pretty well in to 2024... just doing some research now... but admit, I really like the Cupids, so far, & I never had those before...