SA/CA stocking ideas!!??

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Bartlette

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 1, 2015
Messages
38
Location
Minnesota
So i just got me a new 55 gallon tank, has lights, heater, a Fluval 305, and a HOB rated for 55 gallons. I am set on doing a tank for new world cichlids. I want fish that i can observe hunting down home-raised feeder fish, and are aggressive enough that i can at least see a bit if it, although i don't want them to kill each other.

So, these are fish I've ruled out for different reasons, whether color, attitude, or size. I already have some of these fish in other tanks.
-rainbows
-angels
-apistogramma
-rams
-other dwarf species
-honduran red points
-very large species (jag, midas, texas)

So, ideally I'm looking for a group of different species of fish that obtain reasonable size (anything like 4-5 inches or above) and has an attitude, but wont shred anything else. Personally I'm attracted to firemouths and convicts, as i could pair those, and i have considered a three-spot pike cichlid. I would like to have at least 4 fish in the tank.

So any other ideas, and combinations, i could have live in this tank?


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
Most of what I can think of that fits the description you gave are large and would have to be kept as a single in a 55. The only other that I can think of at the moment would be a pair of salvini's How ever in my experience with them they will eventually kill any tank mates.
 
Ok. Ive heard a bit about them. They are pretty! And they are aggressive... But they don't seem to be super predatory...

Also, surely convicts and firemouth could be paired and live in there... People even say pairs of jack dempseys work... And supposedly convicts pairs need only a 20 gallon long tank if they go well together...


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
Btw the list of fish such as angels and apistogramma are fish i DONT want to keep in this tank


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
Most cichlids are not strict predators, and many of the ones that are, typical grow large, or are very aggressive.
 
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Agree with freak. Unless you want something like an Oscar (minimum 55g) then most of your smaller cichlids don't fit that predator feel it seems you are looking for.

What about an African Leaf Fish? Not a cichlid but is a predator. If kept species only it's interesting to see their natural behavior of hunting prey.


Caleb
 
Have you thought about an electric blue acara? I have one in my tank and he's not aggressive towards other fish in the tank but when it's feeding time he's first in line. I also throw a few feeder guppies in my tank as a treat and entertainment for myself and he hunts them down like a pro. Right now he's only about 2 1/2 inches long but I read that they get up to 6-7 inches when fully grown. They're colors are beautiful too very bright blues and orange tipped dorsal fin, or atleast mine has that lol.
 
Get yourself a breeding pair of Convicts if you want aggression..if you're wanting something that refuses to live with anything else, maybe Cichlasoma grammodes, although a 55 is gonna be tight.

Jesse
 
You can do this easily with a single fish. It will feel like a pet.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Thanks guys!

I know lots of these fish arent strict predators, but fish that are a but smaller like firemouths, JD, and apparently acara demonstrate that instinct. Any specific combinations of fish you do/don't recommend?

Also, I am ok keeping a single larger fish, but what are some fish that those could be? Ive heard that texas, oscar, midas/red devil could live in a 55 if they are alone and have good water quality... Is this plausible to you or not really?? Any other fish??


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
Ok so regarding the cichlasoma grammodes, the mini-dovii, i have done a bit of research on them already, and they seem cool. My inly issue is i dont know where i could get one? If anyone knows if any way i can get one that would be amazing! If distance has any affect on it, then know that i live in minnesota. Thanks!!


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
Ok so regarding the cichlasoma grammodes, the mini-dovii, i have done a bit of research on them already, and they seem cool. My inly issue is i dont know where i could get one? If anyone knows if any way i can get one that would be amazing! If distance has any affect on it, then know that i live in minnesota. Thanks!!


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.


If you have a local LFS see if they can order it for you. They often get discounts on shipping. If not, Aquabid is pretty popular for ordering fish online, though you will pay the price for shipping a live fish.


Caleb
 
Any other ideas? The cichlasoma grammodes seems cool but any options of a smaller community of cichlids??


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
The mini dovii does seem to get kind of big. I agree with Jessi.

Convicts are smaller and get pretty darn feisty I have found although I've only had them a modest time. I have kept fish for 20 years total (15 years recently, and 5 years when younger) and have had a variety of fish and these have been the most active. I might even have to break the group up. Not real mean looking if that's what you are looking for.

Kevin
 
Ok so any ideas for a smaller grouping? Ive been thinking of one of the smaller types of pike cichlids, and a pair of firemouths... Or i might just do an oscar... They get a bit big but they will work i guess, although i would prefer a grouping of somewhat smaller cichlids. Ideas??


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
1 firemouth
1 Honduran red point
1 rainbow cichlid
?
Not really the most aggressive looking of cichlids though all similar sizes and towards the lower end of aggression


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
I like firemouths
I dont like hondurans or rainbows

Ive come actoss a deal for a pair of firemouths... If i was to buy those would they have to be alone, or could they have companions?

Any other ideas???


Sent from a cave in the eastward side o a sand dune.
 
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