Help please with 120g S/C American Cichlid setup?

[CraiginWales]

Hi all. I’m used to keeping African Cichlids, Malawi’s in particular. My current project is for 120g, 5ft, American Cichlid tank. I’m really stuck for stocking ideas & numbers. I think I would like a semi-aggressive or community tank. X2 Fluval 406 filters, sand bottom, bogwood, rocks & caves, fixed fake plants. I think my mains water is ideal, slightly acidic & soft. I initially got the tank for 1 or 2 Oscars, then I saw a Red Spotted Severum & fell in love. I’ve had a look online & I’ve seen Severums, Electric/Blue Acaras, Electric Blue Jack Dempsey (read they’re less aggressive), Festivums or some other schooling fish, I’ve read Convicts can be too aggressive. Also Pictus Catfish & a large shoal of dwarf neon rainbow fish. I’m stuck though. I have no idea on stocking numbers or even if they can go together. It’s nothing like Mbuna, which I’m used to, where if you’ve got adequate filtration & oxygenation the more the better! Any suggestions, ideas, advice really welcomed. Oh yeah, this will also be their growing tank. Thanks
*Edit - I also love the dwarf Cichlids - Rams, Apistogrammas etc but don’t know if they can be kept together!

 

[V227]

Craig. I already own your project. I have a 120 gal. Primarily S.A./ C.A cichlid tank with a few Africans mixed in. The American cichlids are: Green Terror "Rivulatus", Red Terror "Festae"
Texas cichlid "Carpintus", Red Texas Cichlid hybrid. Also have Silver Dollars and two fancy Plecos. I'll post some pictures of the tank and fish. Good Luck.

 

[CraiginWales]

Really beautiful setup, lovely fish. Do you find the more aggressive types eg Green Terror, Texas (beautiful fish) to live up to their name? Or can it be luck of the draw?
Thanks

 

[V227]

The 6 y.o Green.Terror, is the tank boss. He keeps all the rest in line without doing harm. Only keep one male GT per tank. The Texas Cichlids are new additions. See my Texas Cichlid thread under The Cichlid Discussion section. The Texas's are relatively docile until provoked. They are fully capable of defending themselves against all comers. As for the Red Terrors, mine have been well behaved? Bought a pair a year and a half ago. Female is now 8", male only 6". I bought several more juveniles about 8 months ago looking to find and keep the best looking then rehome the rest. I was expecting the worst but nothing bad happened. I keep the water cold, 74 - 75 degrees to avoid aggression and the water very hard to discourage breeding. Maybe I'll end up with a peaceful community tank full of Festae. Lol.
Try to stock your fish together as juveniles letting them grow up together. Scape the tank with a lot of rocks and driftwood. I used honeycombed limestone. It will harden the water and raise the ph but it likely won't hurt the fish. It's probably not good for S.A. Cichlid breeding. Leave the Convicts out. Although small, they are more aggressive than any of the other cichlids listed. I've got a few, bad mistake, in a 29 gal. They breed in any water conditions and attack my hands during WC's. With New Worlds, it takes a little luck and adjustments when needed to make it work. Every cichlids personality is different. No guarantees.

 

[CraiginWales]

Thanks. Is the bottom picture the Green Terror? Also, any ideas on numbers with the fish I’ve been thinking of getting. 2 or 3 Severums, 1 or more EBJD, Festivums etc. Thanks

 

[V227]

The bottom pic is my Rivulatus, Green Terror. One GT per tank. As for The EBJD probably best, one per tank. I've never kept Severums or Festivums.

 

[ambizro]

My terror will destroy anything... Depends on the fish. Some red terrors are very mean too.

 

[V227]

My GT dominates every fish in the tank, including the Red Terrors. However his aggression does not seem to cause any damage. Great fish.