Specific Stocking List for 125

[Melbel]

Good morning!

I am new to this site but super excited to talk fish with someone besides the poor guy at my LFS.

I have a 125 tank just waiting for me to pull the trigger on a stock list. This will be my first cichlid tank, and , I'm suffering from analysis paralysis. So that's why I'm here to get some wisdom specific to my situation from more than the 1 dude at the store.

I plan to get my stock from Live Fish Direct, which I'm mentioning only because they're actually local to me. That gives me the ability to physically go there and pick out exactly what I want, etc.

Once I was advised to go with Mbunas and another time with Haps/Peacocks. The only thing of which I'm certain right now is that I will eventually overstock to 50 fish, and my first purchase will be 20.

PLEASE help! What are your specific suggestion? I've read many other posts that read, "decide what you like"...but I will most like a tank that thrives! So that's what I want to create.

Finally, I need to understand the pros (besides cost) and cons of stocking juvies $4 each vs young adults at $20 each. If it's just about their coloration, I can be patient to a degree....5 months? No problem. 5 years? Not so much. Haha

Thank you thank you thank you for reading this little novel and in advance for your reply.

Melissa

 

[Scott S]

so, it looks like, through them, you can go African, or African.
my advice is look at the fish they list on their site, then do a google search to look at what they really look like. some sites have amazing photos and you'll be disappointed, and some sites have really bad photos and you'll miss a great fish thinking you don't like them.
I tend toward "New World" cichlids, so I can't help you with particular fish. I would caution you to be careful overloading your tank all at once. it's best to add a few at a time so you don't have a nitrogen cycle crash. 125 is pretty good size, so you should be ok if you go with the small ones, just make sure your cycle is up and running well before you dump in a bunch of fish, or your amonia will skyrocket! maybe get a bottle of bacteria to add with the fish, so there's no lag time.

 

[SherLar]

I won't give you a specific stock list, sorry. We all have individual tastes.
I'll tell you to make sure you have plenty of structure for caves and hides, whichever you pick. Personally, I prefer Mbunas, if you're going for African Rift Lake cichlids; I like their colors better. But, haps and peacocks are nice also, and tend to be a bit more peaceful than Mbunas.

 

[Melbel]

Thanks, Scott.
The water straight out of my tap has a pH of 8.2. African Cichlids are the fish of choice because of that, but they weren't my first choice. If I were doing a 55 gal, I'd do angels and shoaling groups, but I'm not going to fight pH with 125 gallons.

Im not over-stocked to 50 right away. Going with juvies, the plan is to start with 20ish.

Not being new to the hobby, but I closed down all my tanks about 3 years ago so I don't have any media to lend to the new tank. That should be fine though.

Still hoping to get some feedback on juvies vs. young adults. It's interesting that all the time I've spent around our LFSs, I never see folks buying the so much less expensive juvies, but rather going for the mature ones at $20-$50 each.

 

[Melbel]

I've waffles between Mbunas and Happy/Peacocks so many times it's embarrassing.
I've hear that Mbunas have the most personality, but Haps/Peacocks won't be as aggressive a mix as the Mbuna. I've been told Mbuna will breed like crazy (though I've no interest in raising fry), I admit I really enjoy the experience.

With Haps/Peacocks be dimorphic, I know only the males carry the bright colorations so I'd need to either have some females (be they non-striking) for breeding or give up the idea of breeding and just have all males.

Once I called the LFS and they recommended go with Mbuna. The next time I called, they recommended Haps/Peacocks.

I am terrified I will end up with a bunch of bullies if I go with Mbuna.

Analysis paralysis at its finest.