Tank Mates For Blue Acara?

[Brahmza]

Hey everyone. I just got my 125G tank set up and running with fish last night. The main fish in the tank are 8 juvenile Severums, 4 Blue Acara (a pair is formed, going to bring the remaining 2 back to my LFS), 5 Red Head Tapajos and 7 Goldiei Rainbows. My original plan was to raise the group of severums and pick out a pair, but it appears that the 'Super Red Severums' I bought are actually Gold Severums (as far as I can tell at least). I've never kept severums before, and they are extremely boring fish, just my opinion. Without the bright coloration, I'd want to replace them with something else. Anyone have any recommendations?

 

[bricko]

Festivum - I have 1 with a Blue acara in my 400l tank along with a shoal of denisoni barb.  or no other cichlid and just a huge shoal of denisoni (if your pocket can afford 20+) would look awesome.
 
Is your tank planted?

Here is my tank at present
 
https/www.dropbox.com/s/sjr4z75f1nxcwhk/20140214_220245.jpg
 

 

[Brahmza]

Awesome looking tank! I lack creativity when it comes to decorating my tanks haha. No, it's not planted, because the sev's I have uproot anything without a heavy weight, and I'm sure they would rip apart any live vegetation heh. I would really like to turn it into a planted tank, but I've never had one before so I honestly have no idea where to begin. I'm sure if I remove the severums as planned I could turn it into a planted tank. What kind of lighting do I need?

On a side note - - What temperature do you keep your tank at? Denison's Barbs were my first choice before I decided on rainbows, because someone told me they're not suppose to be in tropical temps? But I have no idea whether or not it's a big factor. My LFS has a 1/2 off sale coming up, and their normal price on the denisons are 15$.

I've never kept Festivums before either, I'll have to check them out!
 
Edit: What's the large plant in the left of your tank called? I've seen them before in a lot of great looking tanks..by far my favorite that I've seen.

 

[bricko]

Thanks for the compliment. Yeah I had a green sev who was like a lawn mower! Lots of advice on this forum for going planted if u ever decide to go that route. My tanks is at 23.5 to 24c with no probs to the denisoni. They are around5 years old at present and prob 6 inch long. They do like open swimming and lots of flow but are happy in 23+c water in my experience. People keep them with discus which I believe are kept at higher temps.

 

[Dmbandstef]

What about a school? I have a blue acara with a school of giant danios and black skirt tetras and they get along fine. If you want some nice color you could go with red serpae tetras.

 

[SouthernCross]

My blue acaras are big softies. I had them in with angels, rainbow cichlids, kribensis and even slightly more aggressive types like firemouths/ellioti with no bloodshed whatsoever. They never bothered fish like cories either. They did however eat guppies and little tetras but can't be blamed for that!