Saltwater & Reef

Harlow · 10-08-2014, 11:11 PM

I'm in the beginning stages of planning out a 240 gallon tank. The VERY beginning mind you. I've been considering what fish I would stock it with. While digging around cichlid forums and websites, I found Trimacs (Cichlasoma trimaculatum). They are beautiful fish, and I'd be interested in considering them for the 240 if they're a good fit for what I want, but I can't find much info on them. What I find is rather vague. "they get large, they can be pretty aggressive (just like every other cichlid) they eat about anything, yadda yadda. If anyone has had experience with them I'd appreciate it if you'd share your thoughts. Would they do well as a trio? would they do well with sysnipilums and fenestratas, labiatus? Or are they loners? About the only place I've been able to find them for sale is in Jeff Rapp's inventory. My LFS guy didn't know what they were. thanks in advance.

JRT83 · 10-09-2014, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harlow

I'm in the beginning stages of planning out a 240 gallon tank. The VERY beginning mind you. I've been considering what fish I would stock it with. While digging around cichlid forums and websites, I found Trimacs (Cichlasoma trimaculatum). They are beautiful fish, and I'd be interested in considering them for the 240 if they're a good fit for what I want, but I can't find much info on them. What I find is rather vague. "they get large, they can be pretty aggressive (just like every other cichlid) they eat about anything, yadda yadda. If anyone has had experience with them I'd appreciate it if you'd share your thoughts. Would they do well as a trio? would they do well with sysnipilums and fenestratas, labiatus? Or are they loners? About the only place I've been able to find them for sale is in Jeff Rapp's inventory. My LFS guy didn't know what they were. thanks in advance.

They're actually in the Amphilophus genus with the Midas and Red Devil and just as aggressive. Definitely wouldn't add a trio of adults, I'd probably just get 5-10 juveniles, grow them out, and pick your favorite 1. Like any of the large aggressive SA/CA cichlids, they aren't community fish and do much better solo but with some luck you could possibly make it work. Or you may just end up with alot of dead fish, who knows. Most of the larger fish from the Vieja/Paratheraps genus, like the Synspilum and Fenestratus, could possibly work but I'd definitely make sure they're at least 2-3 inches larger if you're going to give that a try. Good luck, Central American cichlids are by far my favorite type of fish but can be extremely frustrating at times when you're constantly seeing your fish fight and realizing you have to devote a large tank to a single large fish. But IMO, its worth it because nothing beats them when it comes to personality.

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Mogurako · 10-09-2014, 08:14 AM

A 240 should be plenty large enough for a breeding pair. Just keep a divider on hand incase things go south.

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Harlow · 10-09-2014, 11:43 AM

Thanks for the input folks. Maybe I should steer clear of this fish for this particular tank. I'd really like to stock it with as many cichlids as I can and still maintain a (at least relatively) peaceful community. As one of you said, I'd hate to have to devote this whole tank to one or two fish. I know my sysnpilums are going in... And a large Jack Dempsey I already have. Beyond that I haven't gotten very far deciding on which new fish to aquire for this tank. Maybe later on introducing a significantly smaller trimac to this tank would work theoretically depending on what else I have in it? In the meantime I'll keep researching. Thanks for the help as always.

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dalto · 10-09-2014, 11:12 PM

Be very careful about where you get a Trimac from. I would probably only be willing to get one from Rapps or a breeder I knew personally.

Most of the fish sold as Trimacs are just low grade flowerhorns.

Mogurako · 10-09-2014, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalto

Be very careful about where you get a Trimac from. I would probably only be willing to get one from Rapps or a breeder I knew personally.

Most of the fish sold as Trimacs are just low grade flowerhorns.

http://tangledupincichlids.com
http://www.cichlidconnection.com
http://cichlidsoftheamericas.com

Only reliable sources for the bigger CA and SA cichlids unless you are buying straight from a collector/breeder like Rusty Wessel.

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Harlow · 10-09-2014, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalto

Be very careful about where you get a Trimac from. I would probably only be willing to get one from Rapps or a breeder I knew personally.

Most of the fish sold as Trimacs are just low grade flowerhorns.

this was also a concern of mine, and thanks for the heads up. While I'm not the type of guy to go nuts keeping up with scientific names of fish, I do put some effort into knowing the difference between the real species, and what an LFS will try to pass off. I don't want "close enough" fish, I want to know for sure what I'm buying. In my short 1 year of keeping cichlids, I've learned that any place that calls a gold saum a green terror is going to have fish of questionable origins, and it may be a gamble buying fish by common names anyway. That's why I think I may just go with Rapps. I noticed some other links shared too, and I'll look them over, but my LFS guy not knowing what a Trimac is was a bad sign. I'll add that my LFS owner claims to specialize in cichlids. Here in the heart of Indiana, LFS's are rare. I've got one good one with two honest inexperienced ladies with hearts of gold who are still learning how to care for fish, and one with a shifty guy who gives me bad vibes and acts much more like a used car salesman. That's a rant for another time. the point is, I'll be going online for future serious purchases.

Freakgecko91 · 10-09-2014, 11:54 PM

If you want a peaceful community tank with cichlids in a 240, look into a geophagus tank, like species such as altifrons, winemilleri, dicrozoter, pindare, abalios, tapajo I and II, etc. Pick one of those species and do about 6-10 individuals per species (depending on the species, pindare or tapajo stay smaller and thus more could be kept). You could also add a pair from satanoperca (name sounds mean, but they aren't or for an added size, you could do a pair of Uaru amphicanthoides. A large school of tetras would be a nice touch, and then maybe a few smaller cichlids, such a bidotoma cupido/wavrini or cleithracara maronii. Those are my two cents

Mogurako · 10-09-2014, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freakgecko91

If you want a peaceful community tank with cichlids in a 240, look into a geophagus tank, like species such as altifrons, winemilleri, dicrozoter, pindare, abalios, tapajo I and II, etc. Pick one of those species and do about 6-10 individuals per species (depending on the species, pindare or tapajo stay smaller and thus more could be kept). You could also add a pair from satanoperca (name sounds mean, but they aren't or for an added size, you could do a pair of Uaru amphicanthoides. A large school of tetras would be a nice touch, and then maybe a few smaller cichlids, such a bidotoma cupido/wavrini or cleithracara maronii. Those are my two cents

You would.....

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