Pick Me An Cichlid

[AmazonFTW]

Today I have done the rounds of fish stores looking for some good deals. I saw some great fish including a pair of Convicts defending their patch against a firemouth about 4x their size, threadfin acaras and many geophagus. Then the thought occured to me - buy cichlids not cories. As I already have many, many things to take into consideration already I couldn't make a snap decision and just buy any old fish that took my fancy. Despite the convicts being just the fish I want to try and breed, I couldn't take them as they'd strike fear into my angelfish. I also saw some Elliot's Cichlids (Thorichthys Ellioti) but there is limited info about them and so any would be appreciated.

Basically what I'm asking you for is possible fish for my 4ft tank which fit this critteria:
- Fit the tank (I can't upgrade)
- Colourful (Not a major issue)
- Don't eat Silvertip tetras
- Don't kill my Angelfish
- South/Central American prefferance (But if not Africa - No Asian fish though)

I would love an eartheater species but I was told that really Jurupari would be the only ones that would be OK of the fish they sold.

Thank you in advance,
AmazonFTW

 

[Monty-2010]

Elioti's are similiar to the firemouth, a little bit more peacefull. I keep them with angel fish just fine. I wouldn't recomend convicts they'd be a little too bullish for the angel. You could also try rainbow cichlids, pretty fish and easy to breed. How big is your tank?

 

[Wills]

If you like the eartheaters I would perhaps stay away from the true Geophagus and Satanopercas and go for something like Biotodomas or Guianacaras a group of either of them could work with the above fish.

The ellioti would work as well

Wills

 

[AmazonFTW]

If you like the eartheaters I would perhaps stay away from the true Geophagus and Satanopercas and go for something like Biotodomas or Guianacaras a group of either of them could work with the above fish.

The ellioti would work as well

Wills

Why would you stay away from true Geophagus and Santanopercas?

 

[Wills]

Just because of their adult size, all Satanopercas will reach at least 8 inches and most species will hit 10 with ease and Geophagus for the same reason though - the smaller of both species could be manageable in a 4x2x2 120g tank though.

How big is this tank? I know you said 4 foot but total volume in liters or US gallons is always helpful as is full dimensions of the tank.

Wills

 

[AmazonFTW]

Just because of their adult size, all Satanopercas will reach at least 8 inches and most species will hit 10 with ease and Geophagus for the same reason though - the smaller of both species could be manageable in a 4x2x2 120g tank though.

How big is this tank? I know you said 4 foot but total volume in liters or US gallons is always helpful as is full dimensions of the tank.

Wills

Well Fluval Roma 240 so 120x40x55cm 240L, 63 US gal. I wasn't thinking of a big group of Geos, more like 1 or 2, Star4 says she has a Jurupuri on it's own (not sure whether it's the only fish in the tank though) and says it's fine. The size of the Jurupuri down at my LFS is 4-5 inches so they aren't fully grown yet. The Jurupari are in with Buenos Aires Tetras and the Buenos Aires seem fine. I have enough money to buy more than one, but I don't want to choke my tank up with big Geos. Similarly I don't want to choke it up with like cichlids like Bolivian Rams...

Thanks,
AmazonFTW

 

[Wills]

Yeah IMO the roma isnt a suitable home for adult geophagus or satanopercas - Although Stars Juripari is a healthy fish it is better to keep these naturally gregarious fish in a group - the reason Stars Juripari is alone by the way I believe is because it is a rescue fish?

Geos are happily kept with mid sized tetras and are rarely agressive to much outside of the group of geos IME - I keep mine with whiptail catfish and lemon tetras.

The issue here is really the size that geophagus eventually get to most of the common species will grow to about 10-12 inches hence why their relatives the Guianacaras are probably a better option here because they still get to a decent size but not 10 inches.

Wills

 

[markandhisfish]

i found geos can also be pretty territorial too , so the more space the better where geos are concerned imo.

 

[AstonN24vantage]

apisto?

 

[star4]

Yes poor little Gomez is alone because he is a rescue, well not alone he has other fish and once I get to oddball express (or a shop that actually sells jurupari and not lucostica) he will get some buddies.

 

[hamfist]

Sajicas, rainbows or keyholes would all be perfect.

 

[shroob]

Honduran red point maybe - but not a breeding pair, I feel they would be too boisterous.

As suggested before apisto's or rams would suit the tank well.

 

[AmazonFTW]

Right, I bought my cichlids and I actually bought 3 species not 1. I bought:
1x Thorichthys Ellioti (About 1/2 size)
1x Keyhole (2-2 1/2")
2x Festive Cichlids (Tiny little things, 1", probably as big as the Elliot's head)

Currently they are all in the bags with the others all being like 'oh no! big fishies!'
Hopefully they'll all be OK, I expect a few dust-ups but nothing overly aggresive as I was told these 'should' be OK together. Although there was only limited info the guy could give on the Elliot.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm glad I didn't buy with my heart and go for Geos as it would probably of been a bad choice.
AmazonFTW

 

[star4]

Festivums are a really nice choice

 

[Wills]

Good choices all round there !

Wills