Super_Blueberry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hey all. I’ve had 100 gallon dirted community tank with all the extras up and running for about 15 years now. I just picked up 135 gallon (72”x18”) and want to do a much simpler operation, and make a South American Cichlid tank out of it. I know that I want to have a Jack Dempsey and at least 1 Firemouth in it, but to be honest, that’s all I know. I’m finding fairly consistent lists of compatible tank mates, but what I can’t find is information about numbers of tank mates. My initial thought was having 8 to 10 different species of cichlids, each one a single male (preferably). This would eliminate mating and potential drama there. But then I started thinking about how males color up more when they have a female to woo, so maybe I drop to 5 or 6 species and attempt to pair up a couple. But then it’s back to the eggs/fry protection drama. And what kind of caves/cover do I need when it comes to an adult 8-10” fish? Or do I just need to worry about cover for the bottom feeders and dither fish? Speaking of those, what would you recommend for a school of 12-15? I’ve always enjoyed Columbian tetras in my community, but are they too small? Rainbow fish? Multiple but smaller smaller 6-8 fish schools? Thanks!