75g Central American cichlid tank

[dalto]

75g Central American cichlid tank - recommendations needed

My son wants to do a CA cichlid tank in his room. He has a standard 75, 48x18x20 in there already that is about to be empty.

I have kept CA cichlids over the years but never was super excited about them. I am more of a SA cichlid guy.

So, at first I was thinking maybe a small community of medium growing species. Lately I have been thinking maybe more of a pair or even a single larger fish.

Thought I would see what other folks recommend in a tank this size.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Message mogurako on here, he will be your man. I'll text him and tell him to check this thread out


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[notenoughtanks]

Mog is all about Centrals he will hook you up with info !!


125gal Oscar , 56gal African Cichlids , 10gal ???, soon to buy and set up 75gal Central American Cichlid tank

 

[JRT83]

My son wants to do a CA cichlid tank in his room. He has a standard 75, 48x18x20 in there already that is about to be empty.

I have kept CA cichlids over the years but never was super excited about them. I am more of a SA cichlid guy.

So, at first I was thinking maybe a small community of medium growing species. Lately I have been thinking maybe more of a pair or even a single larger fish.

Thought I would see what other folks recommend in a tank this size.

A 75g gives you a lot more options than a 55g. I'd definitely go with a fish from the Amphilophus family, they're generally the most interactive of all CA/SA cichlids. For life you could probably house anything from that genus except a Chancho. I'd personally grow out about 6 juvenile hogaboomorums or barred midas until you start noticing the best looking/most interactive 1 and then sell or trade the rest.

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[Mogurako]

If you want to go with a multiple pair set up with some tetra and some platys/swords I'd recommend 2 pairs of one of the following:

- Amatitlania siquia ‘Rio Cabuya’
- Cryptoheors nanolutes 'Rio Rabalo'
- Thorichthys meeki Rio Candelaria
- Thorichthys pasionis 'Rio Grijalva'
- Archocentrus multispinosus

Or one pair of the following with target/dither fish like the tetra or swords/platys.

-Cichlasoma salvini 'Rio Candelaria' or Rio Grijalva
- Rocio octofasciata 'Cenote Escondido'

Or a single specimen preferably male of the following as a "Wet Pet".

- Amphilophus labiatus
- Amphilophus trimaculatus
- exCichlasoma bocourti
- Nandopsis haitiensis

This is by no means a complete list, just some of the species/locational variants that I like and would add to an aquarium under similar circumstances.

Please note that most of your Central American cichlids need VERY clean water that stays in the 72-78 deg range. I keep all mine at 72-75 with little to no issues.




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[dalto]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will talk it over with my son tonight.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Hey Mog, just an FYI, herotilapia multispinosa doesn't exist, now archocentrus multispinosa hahaha


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[Mogurako]

Hey Mog, just an FYI, herotilapia multispinosa doesn't exist, now archocentrus multispinosa hahaha


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I will cut you Kyle! But alas you are correct. That's pretty recent though so ;p


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[Freakgecko91]

I know just how to get under your skin Jesse hahaha


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[Rivers2k]

I love CA cichlids. Favorites are torichthys meeki, thorichthys pasionis, honduran red point.

My other favorite is green terror but that is SA but I like GT with Fire mouths.

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[Mogurako]

I love CA cichlids. Favorites are torichthys meeki, thorichthys pasionis, honduran red point.

My other favorite is green terror but that is SA but I like GT with Fire mouths.

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So just the stuff you can find in any LFS?! LOL!

Expand your horizons! There are so many species available in the hobby that come from Mexico alone that would fit the bill for a 75.

Let's also stay away from the mixing cichlids stuff.


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[Rivers2k]

So just the stuff you can find in any LFS?! LOL!

Expand your horizons! There are so many species available in the hobby that come from Mexico alone that would fit the bill for a 75.




Let's also stay away from the mixing cichlids stuff.


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Wow that is rude some people don't have limitless funds for shipping. I spend my money on my wife and 3 beautiful children enjoy your fish jerk.

I recomended what I like you don't like it fine.


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[Dallascowboys16]

Wow that is rude some people don't have limitless funds for shipping. I spend my money on my wife and 3 beautiful children enjoy your fish jerk.

I recomended what I like you don't like it fine.


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Wow, defensive much? I saw nothing in the previous post that warranted that response. He just said that there are many different options than the usual LFS stock nor did he in anyway insult you. Although he recommended more uncommon stock the more common stock is awesome as well.

 

[Mogurako]

Let's not take this to off topic please I want do keep this thread going for the OP and others as a good resource.


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[Rivers2k]

If I miss read Mogs statement I apologize. It just came accross as arrogant. It sounded that because I suggested LFS I was an idiot with that little LOL at the end there. It sounded like I am less of fish enthusiast because I keep local stuff.

I am well aware of the rare species out there I have owned many of them but now that I am married with a family I have downsized to 3 tanks and fish found local to me and I couldn't be happier. Even though my Thorichtys meeki are cheep and easy to find they are one of my favorite fish including the fish I have owned that cost $100's more.

So again if that is not how it was meant I apologize that is just how it sounded.

 

[JRT83]

If I miss read Mogs statement I apologize. It just came accross as arrogant. It sounded that because I suggested LFS I was an idiot with that little LOL at the end there.

+1, not to mention that most of the fish he recommended aren't very rare anyways..... Wild caught is overrated, and wild caught from specific locations with fancy and/or scientific names is just ridiculous. They're all still the same species that you can find at your LFS... I'll put my LFS tank raised "rio minnesota" parachromis managuensis up against anyone's f0, f1, or f2 of any species, doesn't matter... if someone is looking to setup a single 75g tank for their son, just go to the LFS... plenty of good options there, including some of the ones he mentioned, minus the specific location. With a bit of genetic luck, a good water changing schedule, and a diet of a good quality pellet like NLS, a lot of people can have fish that look as good or better than some of these wild caught fish, without the minimum payment or shipping costs.

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[dalto]

If I miss read Mogs statement I apologize. It just came accross as arrogant.
I

+1, not to mention that most of the fish he recommended aren't very rare anyways.....

For what it is worth. I didn't take it as arrogant at all. It came across to me more as joking. I think that some times tone is lost in the written word.

Wild caught is overrated, and wild caught from specific locations with fancy and/or scientific names is just ridiculous. They're all still the same species that you can find at your LFS... I'll put my LFS tank raised "rio minnesota" parachromis managuensis up against anyone's f0, f1, or f2 of any species, doesn't matter...

How different the wild fish is from the farm raised variety really depends on the fish in question. That being said, I don't think he actually mentioned them being wild caught.

Also, locality names are important and should always be kept when they are available. This isn't just aquarist elitism. First of all, in some fish, the collection location greatly effects the color of the fish itself. By keeping this information even in captive bred strains it will let everyone know what you have. More importantly though, fish are often reclassified and sometimes split. So if you don't keep the locality information you could end up with hybrids or not truly which fish you have. A good example of this from the original post is A. siquia ‘Rio Cabuya’. This fish has obvious differences from the rest of the variants of A. siquia and will undoubtedly be described as a different species at some point in the future so knowing which variant you have is important.

if someone is looking to setup a single 75g tank for their son, just go to the LFS... plenty of good options there, including some of the ones he mentioned, minus the specific location. With a bit of genetic luck, a good water changing schedule, and a diet of a good quality pellet like NLS, a lot of people can have fish that look as good or better than some of these wild caught fish, without the minimum payment or shipping costs.

The truth is that where I live I have amazing access to both African and South American cihclids but for some reason Central American cichlids are not that common. Other than T. meeki and the common convict cichlid. No clue why this is but either way I will probably have to order something no matter what.

 

[Rivers2k]

If you are ordering anyway take a look at Jeff Rapps Tangled up cichlids. He gets great stuff. I ordered my honduran red points from him I love them especially my Leucistics. Take a look at his stock list and see if there is anything that interests you.

I just took a quick look and he has flier cichlids "Archocentrus centrarchus" and Cryptoheros Sajica both of which I have wanted to try. He also has wild, f1 and f2 convicts from different collection points that have different coloring.

Another suggestion is Rainbow cichlids. They are pretty new near me I have never kept them but youtube has some awesome videos of them.

If you want more wet pet he has econdido carpintis IMO they are the prettiest wet pets you can keep.

 

[Mogurako]

+1, not to mention that most of the fish he recommended aren't very rare anyways..... Wild caught is overrated, and wild caught from specific locations with fancy and/or scientific names is just ridiculous. They're all still the same species that you can find at your LFS... I'll put my LFS tank raised "rio minnesota" parachromis managuensis up against anyone's f0, f1, or f2 of any species, doesn't matter... if someone is looking to setup a single 75g tank for their son, just go to the LFS... plenty of good options there, including some of the ones he mentioned, minus the specific location. With a bit of genetic luck, a good water changing schedule, and a diet of a good quality pellet like NLS, a lot of people can have fish that look as good or better than some of these wild caught fish, without the minimum payment or shipping costs.

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Do you know why I didn't recommend anything rare? The reason being it was obvious from the initial post that the OP had some experience with CA cichlids but wasn't well versed enough to keep the more delicate species. I wouldn't be dropping $10-30+ per fry for a tank in a kids room.

Also I never said they had to be wild caught. Scientific names aren't "Fancy" they are the correct way to label a fish so they are not confused with others as many common names overlap.

Locational labeling is actually very important. A: because the variants colors are typically very different and that's what makes that strain desirable and B: there are locational variants that ichthyologist now speculate are indeed different species, so no they aren't "the same fish". For instance I have Brachyrhaphis sp. “Coclecito”, which is similar to Brachyrhaphis roswithae but has different coloration and is found outside the normal range of B. roswithae. So they don't know if it's a locational variant or new species.

Good water quality and food does not make up for poor genetics. Once again I never said the fish had to be wild caught there are domestic maintained lines of locational variants that are hands down much better coloration and quality than you'll find in the typical LFS because they aren't mass produced they are bred by hobbyist that realize the important of conserving those lines.

Shipping is not expensive 2 day priority is only $15-25 dollars depending on how far you are from the source. Besides price of the shipping is allot of times cheaper than the taxes you'd incur at store. To me personally I'll pay whatever the shipping charges are will out complaint because I know I'm getting the fish I want.


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[Mogurako]

If you are ordering anyway take a look at Jeff Rapps Tangled up cichlids. He gets great stuff. I ordered my honduran red points from him I love them especially my Leucistics. Take a look at his stock list and see if there is anything that interests you.

I just took a quick look and he has flier cichlids "Archocentrus centrarchus" and Cryptoheros Sajica both of which I have wanted to try. He also has wild, f1 and f2 convicts from different collection points that have different coloring.

Another suggestion is Rainbow cichlids. They are pretty new near me I have never kept them but youtube has some awesome videos of them.

If you noticed allot my suggestions came based on what Rapps has in stock incase the OP likes what I recommended. So I could direct them to a place to purchase said cichlids.

I also already recommended Archocentrus multispinosus "rainbow cichlid"



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