Beat Up 55 Gallon Project Thread - S A Cichlids?

[SamB]

Just a quick update.. Momma SamB and papa SamB have been hard at work finishing the stand and hood:
 

 
I did have to coach my dad through breaking the glass for the splash guard for the light!
 
And that deco is NOT staying 

 

[Ninjouzata]

Yay!! Seems they did a lovely job. Agreed on that deco..sorry

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

Wish I had a tank that big

What are you going to stock it with?

 
Not sure yet.. I have been given free roam on it to make suggestions. My mom definitely wants to make sure theres a good number of fish in there, so not two very aggressive fish or the likes. Probably a semi-aggressive community or community with a centerpiece pair or something.
 

 
 
I'll take a crack at a stocking list for this tank...  I want Momma SamB to be happy with it. 
 
 
I'm thinking an "Asian" theme for this... with smaller fish, but some centerpieces.
 

• pair of Peacock Gudgeons
• 10-12 lambchop rasboras or mosquito rasboras
• 8-10 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
• 1 Pearl Gourami

 
Or a New World theme...

• A pair of rams (your choice)
• 8-12 corydoras sterbai
• 12 emperor tetra
• 4 male cobra endlers

 

[SamB]

Here's another update - we decided on using pool filter sand! And.. apparently a background!
 

Thanks all for the stocking suggestions so far! Momma SamB went to the LFS without SamB today.. glad she didn't pick up what she told me she liked.. "Orange and Black Tiger Cichlids from South America"
 

 

 
She knows what Oscars are but just didn't make the connection I guess! She also liked blood parrots.. So lets talk cichlids. What are viable options in a 55?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Wills should be popping in at some time.
 
Sounds like South American are what she's after.  That will limit the 'community' options...
 
 
Community friendly cichlids:  apistogrammas, rams, keyholes...
Apistogrammas and rams could be kept with nearly any peaceful community.
Keyholes are fairly timid.
 
Semi-mild cichlids:  severum, firemouth, rainbow...

 

[wrightt3]

Wills should be popping in at some time.
 
Sounds like South American are what she's after.  That will limit the 'community' options...
 
 
Community friendly cichlids:  apistogrammas, rams, keyholes...
Apistogrammas and rams could be kept with nearly any peaceful community.
Keyholes are fairly timid.
 
Semi-mild cichlids:  severum, firemouth, rainbow...

Severums would be too big IMO and rainbows and firemouths are central American, not south American.
Festivums or acaras would work though along with some dwarfs like eaglesaquarium said

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Severum would be at their minimum tank, that's sure.
 
As far as "Central" vs. "South" American...   What's the difference unless you are doing a biotope?

 

[wrightt3]

Oh, I assumed a SA biotope was what he was after.

  CA are generally more aggressive in most cases than SA but other than that I suppose it doesn't really matter

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I think he's just looking for stocking suggestions, not specifically a biotope.  I could be wrong though...

 

[SamB]

Nope, no biotope limitations!

 

[SamB]

Here are some of the cichlid options I gave her: Firemouths, Mbuna Cichlids, Angelfish, Rams, Jack Dempsy, Festivums, OB Peacocks (other variations as well) and Convicts. I'll add severums as a possibility if she doesn't like those ones! Are any of these bad options, and why? 
 
Update on the tank:
 

 
Sand is in!
 

 
Water going in - cloudier than in the tanks I use blasting media in.
 

 
Water is in!
 
Just a reminder that I am not actually there - these are the updates I'm getting, just passing them along

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The MBuna are VERY different from the others... they are African from Lake Malawi, and require high pH and high kH.  Generally speaking, they are far more aggressive than the South Americans.  And its one or the other... As they require very different water.
 
 
What's the water chemistry?

 

[wrightt3]

Here are some of the cichlid options I gave her: Firemouths, Mbuna Cichlids, Angelfish, Rams, Jack Dempsy, Festivums, OB Peacocks (other variations as well) and Convicts. I'll add severums as a possibility if she doesn't like those ones! Are any of these bad options, and why? 

I've never kept Africans so I can't comment on those but they can't be kept with anything other than themselves.
Firemouths , angels and festivums are all fairly mild as cichlids go and a pair could easily work in a semi aggressive community along with some rams and dithers.
Convicts are very aggressive when breeding but if you were to keep just one then you could possibly mix it with other robust fish.
Jack Dempsey's are also aggressive fish so choose tankmates with care. Due to their size a pair wouldn't be an option but a tank with a JD and a convict could work.
 
As I said earlier, severums are just too big for this sized tank. 75g is the bare minimum that should be considered for 12 inch fish IMO but 120g is much better

 

[msplantladi]

I am new here but this is interesting to follow along...what a good son you are.