Upgrading to a 75g Looking for Tankmate ideas.

[BadJack]

Im going to be going with a 75g planted tank Rena xp3 filter and aquaclear 70, i currently have on my 55g. Although I might stick with the Magnum 250 and the Rena. I currently have a Blue Acara, 2 German Blue Rams, Convict, Firemouth, and a Bristlenose pleco. I was looking for ideas for tankmates for these guys in a 75.
I like the rainbow cichlids, and was thinking of maybe a small group of 4. Or moving the Rams out and going with a JD, or Oscar. I like the Green Terrors, but think they are too aggressive for current setup. Also same with Jewels. Maybe just adding a few Angels to the tank. Currently all the fish are Young adults, aggression is not existent. Blue Acara is the biggest out of the group.
Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Koikid88]

I've never kept convicts or oscars, but won't they both go after the rams and firemouth? Especially the rams being so small, and I've only ever seen peaceful firemouths. If you want convicts, I'd stay with more aggressive species in the tank like the oscars and terrors. But then again, won't oscars bite the plants>?

 

[BadJack]

yeah wasn't sure on the oscars, im thinking that the Oscar/JD idea maybe out of the question, seems they are really territorial and won't work.
On the convict i have a 3inch female and she is very peaceful right now. When i first got the firemouth he would chase the rams up out of the plants, and the convict would chase off the firemouth then swim with the rams for a bit kinda safeguarding them. after a few times the firemouth leaves the rams alone. was kinda funny.

 

[sayan]

Oscars grow large same in case of JD. Oscars love to dig d substarate.so planted tank isn't suitable for dem. And if u add oscar or JD just go for a single one & dats only after remove u ram.they r small in size.can be a easy lunch for oscar or JD. Bt in case of aggresiveness I'll say oscar & JD r peaceful dan others like green terror or red terror, convicts. Another idea u can try with severum. They r also not very aggresive.love planted tank.

 

[boadams87]

I've never kept convicts or oscars, but won't they both go after the rams and firemouth? Especially the rams being so small, and I've only ever seen peaceful firemouths. If you want convicts, I'd stay with more aggressive species in the tank like the oscars and terrors. But then again, won't oscars bite the plants>?

I've got 2 lg oscars and you can't have plants because they will rearrange everything in the tank. They'll uproot them.

 

[BadJack]

So ive decided to go with 4 angels watch for a pair move 2 over to the 55g. 1 Blue acara, 4 German Blue rams, Firemouth, Convict, 2 Rainbow Cichlids, SAE and BN Pleco. Might throw some dither fish in there not sure on which ones yet though. Definetly whatever dither i put in can't have plant anywhere in its vocabulary.
I had a group of Buenos Aires onece in my 55g and they destroyed my plants even though daily i would give them Koi Wraps, the seaweed stuff, forget the name.
so after pairing
2 angelfish
1 blue acara
4 German Blue Rams
2 Rainbow Cichlids
1 Firemouth
1 convict
4-6 dither fish leaning toward Hatchetfish
1 SAE

 

[Jason7894561230]

The convict is an aggresive fish, i think it would be intolerant of the long flowy fins of an angelfish

 

[josh7]

I would not do angelfish the blue acara is a good choice though and for dithering fish I would do tiger barbs or something semi aggressive if you don't do the angelfish.

 

[BadJack]

i have thought of not doing angelfish and going with a few more Rainbow Cichlids.
Actually came across a nice Chocolate Cichlid i could pick up from a friend thats about 6 inches now.
As for the convict i already have her, and she might get more aggressive down the road, but i have had her for around a year now, and she treats the rams almost as her kids. Firemouth Acara, and the Convict get along. Occasionally the acara will chase the convict out of his cave, but thats about it.
Wasn't sure how the Chocolate would do, i know they get kinda big though, bt are one of the more peaceful big cichlids. I was reading a few cichlid community tanks have them.

 

[Convict2161]

In my experience with convicts and it was very different then most would expect. My pair of fire mouths bullied my convicts to the point I had to re home the FM's. Also tiger barbs didn't stand a chance in my tank for whatever reason. I found the best dither fish for me was and always has been giant danios and if you catch them on sale you can get them for a buck each! And there fast!!! I've used them in my 75g African tank and they did wonders.

I found the tiger barbs a bit nippy and with my convicts I have a pleco so I was concerned 2x's.