Need stocking help

[Endgame319]

I finally got my firemouth out of qt and into my new 55. Yesterday I purchased a beautiful 3" green terror and he's in qt right now. I was wondering what other non-cichlid fish I could put in with these guys? Synos? Loaches? Danios?

[Menagerie]

I don't keep large South American cichlids (oh, one acara), but for the firemouth, liveaquaria says:

Ideal tank mates include similar sized: New World Cichlids, Loaches, some "Oddball fish" (miscellaneous fish), Plecos, and scavenger Catfish.

Remember, these fish will get big and will eat anything that fits in their mouths (and that they can catch).
You can go with a pleco and larger loaches safely.

[Endgame319]

I would really like to get some synos, I hear they can get up to 8", so I dont think them being eaten will be a problem, I am worried about aggression though.

[Menagerie]

Synodontis? I have an ugly one that is 6 inches in my Lake Malawi tank. Then I bought two S. petricola--very nice looking, native to Lake Tang and they should reach 4-5". I'm not sure if any are native to SA.