Help Me Pick An Addition

[tenohfive]

Back again, hoping for some thoughts on a new addition. I've got an established 370L / 98 USG new world setup. Current stocking is a wild Rotkeil Sev, Herotilapia multispinosa and a female Nic with 5 pim pictus. I used to have a Sajica but he died a few months ago - I suspect through age, but can't be sure. I'm finally looking to replace the Sajica and was after some thoughts.

The obvious option is another Sajica, but I'm always minded to try something new if I can. For that reason I'd rather not, and as I've kept both Ellioti and a Blue Acara in the past I'm keen to try something different. With the previous stocking I had two big and two small cichlids which I wouldn't mind repeating. And the tank is my living room show tank so I make no apologies for saying that any new addition must either be brightly coloured or otherwise striking.

Options I'm considering:

EBJD
Cupid cichlid
Chocolate cichlid
Aequidens diadema
Geophagus iporangensis (single or pair, or some other flavour of Geophagus?)
Australoheros sp. Red ceibal (next to no info about these, if anyone can advise I'd be grateful as they're beautiful)
Dwarf pike cichlid (or similar) is a left field option.

I'm sure there are other options that I'm not thinking of. Help please...

 

[Verminator89]

I'm biased towards a Jack Dempsey, although i had a cupid cichlid few months ago and it was just the sweetest little cichlid i have EVER kept. When i can, i'll be getting a group of them again. Sticking on the Geo front Redhead Tapajo's are simple breath taking, and theres a chap on here selling some currently for a good price i believe. Slightly different are the "sp pindare", being smaller but stunning specimens of Geo.

Ofcourse, if it were me i'd ultimately have to go with a JD, an electric blue if you can source a well bred blood line, and have deep enough wallets to justify getting one

 

[tenohfive]

What sort of numbers should the Geo's be kept in - is singly/a pair okay, and any thoughts on if I'd get away with a pair or small group in my existing setup? I've never kept any flavour of Geo before so but I presume the fact that they're likely to stay near the bottom should reduce some element of conflict with the other cichlids?

 

[Verminator89]

I wouldnt pressume for one second they will stay on the bottom. My only experience with Geos personally was my group of 7, of which i have 2 left because i sold 5. When they were a group they got on absolutely fine, few fights and quarrels, but what cichlid doesnt. They also bred really easily and very frequently. The fry never eggs never lasted because there were alot of other cichlids. If you were to go for sp pindare which are the smaller of the species i would recomend a good sociable group of atleast 5. With 2's o 3's you get squabbles IME, and one grows alot faster than the rest and is way to dominant. If you can't get a group you could get a singlton, or perhaps try 2. I have two Geophagus Brasiliensis currently, and one constantly harrasses the other. Its notably bigger, bolder and bossier. Yet the other one eats ok, and swims about happily, but is constantly on guard for when it gets chased off.

 

[minnnt]

I would go with something similar to your Sajica tbh. Something like a Jade Eyed or Honduran Red Point. I am determined to get a pair Of Sajica's one day when tank space/stock allows. Ellioti would be a good choice too imo.

 

[tenohfive]

Sajica's are fantastic (as are Ellioti) but I'm of a mind to try something new.

At the moment, I'm torn between a cupid (fell for them when I saw them last time I was in Wildwoods), a single Geo of some variety or a pair of Australoheros sp. Red ceibal - there seems to be no information available on them but they are fantastic looking fish and I'd imagine the existing cichlids can hold their own against them.

Think I'll pop to Wildwoods tomorrow and see what jumps out at me unless there's anything else I've not considered?

 

[minnnt]

Rotkeil Sev?

 

[tenohfive]

Rotkeil Sev?

Already part of the stocking...picked myself up a wild one ages ago after lusting after Rotties for years. He's gorgeous.

 

[minnnt]

Oh yeah...

I would look at an Ellioti or a female Salvini personally...

 

[hamfist]

DOn't discount an angelfish. It should fit in really nicely with your stock, and they are definately a good fish for a display tank. A big adult angel is an impressive fish in anyones book.
Bring a very different shape to your current fish will also give it a fighting chance of being accepted by the current residents, which will probably be the biggest problem for any new addition.

 

[tenohfive]

DOn't discount an angelfish. It should fit in really nicely with your stock, and they are definately a good fish for a display tank. A big adult angel is an impressive fish in anyones book.
Bring a very different shape to your current fish will also give it a fighting chance of being accepted by the current residents, which will probably be the biggest problem for any new addition.

Good shout, and some angel's can be magnificent. But I've kept them before, so I'm not overly keen on keeping them in this setup.

 

[karin]

You seem to be talking about a cupid as a single fish. Like Geos do much better in groups and you have the room for a group of 6. Also, cupids would be a differnt fish tank role than say a Chocolate. Did you want one big fish like the chocolate? Also looked at those red ceibals as they are gorgeous. I did find info (googled the scientific name) and especially a pair are very aggressive if my memory serves me right. You could also do some tetras if you want something higher in the water column, color and flash. I have congos, which are sooooo beautiful but of course not CA/SA. Buenos Aires tetras?

 

[minnnt]

Buenos Aires Tetra's are fantastic fish. As are Columbian Red Fins...

I would love a Chocolate Cichlid, they're lovely!

 

[tenohfive]

I've ummed and arred about adding some sort of fast moving dithers in the past but the pictus seem to fill that role pretty well already, and in a strange sort of way I think they'd detract the attention away from the ones that truly deserve the attention - the cichlids. I love rainbows and some of the bigger tetra's, but I'm not keen on the idea in that tank - I want to walk in and have my eye drawn by my favourites (or the pictus going mental, which is frankly just as much fun to watch.)

I've just got back from the LFS and it took me ages to make my mind up but I took a bit of a gamble on a pair of Geophagus megasema. I'm mindful that this might not work out long term but they were the only ones jumping out at me, and it's slowly crossing my mind to setup a second new world tank in the garage (I have a 340L tank that will be empty soon) so I've got some options if needed. I'm not usually one for impulse buys but they're pretty well grown and look lovely.

The red ceibal's are very small (around 3-4cm I think) and I don't think they would have stood much of a chance. I was sorely tempted to setup a spare tank for them to grow out in but I couldn't afford to get the Geo's and the ceibal's. And the cupid's there weren't as appealing as they were last time - I think they were juvi's. On that front though, you reckon I'd have got away with 6 and my existing stocking?

 

[minnnt]

I've ummed and arred about adding some sort of fast moving dithers in the past but the pictus seem to fill that role pretty well already, and in a strange sort of way I think they'd detract the attention away from the ones that truly deserve the attention - the cichlids. I love rainbows and some of the bigger tetra's, but I'm not keen on the idea in that tank - I want to walk in and have my eye drawn by my favourites (or the pictus going mental, which is frankly just as much fun to watch.)

I've just got back from the LFS and it took me ages to make my mind up but I took a bit of a gamble on a pair of Geophagus megasema. I'm mindful that this might not work out long term but they were the only ones jumping out at me, and it's slowly crossing my mind to setup a second new world tank in the garage (I have a 340L tank that will be empty soon) so I've got some options if needed. I'm not usually one for impulse buys but they're pretty well grown and look lovely.

The red ceibal's are very small (around 3-4cm I think) and I don't think they would have stood much of a chance. I was sorely tempted to setup a spare tank for them to grow out in but I couldn't afford to get the Geo's and the ceibal's. And the cupid's there weren't as appealing as they were last time - I think they were juvi's. On that front though, you reckon I'd have got away with 6 and my existing stocking?

You're a tough cookie!

Glad you got something to fill the gap anyway mate