Central American tank stocking

[TMRC Exotics]

I'm going to be setting up a central american tank in the near future. I'm looking for some suggestions on a nice stocking. I'm hoping to get a nice somewhat exotic pair or fish and ideally would like to do 2 to 3 different species with them.

My starting tank size is going to be a 40 breeder. I'm planning to go up to a 70 gallon after that so I'm only looking for suggestions that could live as adults in a 4' by 18" and can safely grow out a bit in a 40.
I'm going to do things right with this one and take it slow but the final product should be nice. So any suggestions or discussion you guys can offer please fire away.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Are you dead set on centrals? I think South Americans would fit that bill a bit better, although I'm sure HUKIT will yell at me for that haha


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[PassengerTN]

HUKIT seems to have a thing for Mexican fish. Interested to see what he and some of the others have to say here.


Jesse

 

[mikem691]

Not centrals or anything special but one of my favorite setups was a 75 with severums and heckelii with 12 scissor tail rasboras. Most would say boring but it worked quite well.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Freakgecko- I'm not dead set on centrals but I have a lone convict female that gas to go in this tank so I think I'm pretty much locked into centrals. She will be the only one. I know they're not exactly special but Ive had her a year and its probably my wife's favorite fish.

Mike- awesome sevs, the heckelii is nice too.

 

[HUKIT]

Like I mentioned before look into Herichthys, Cryptoheros, or Thorichthys to start. I currently have every fish in cryptoheros except altoflavus and spilurus, hands down my favorite genus.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Like I mentioned before look into Herichthys, Cryptoheros, or Thorichthys to start. I currently have every fish in cryptoheros except altoflavus and spilurus, hands down my favorite genus.

Thanks a ton hukit. If you get a chance suggest some species from these groups that are available in the US and would be good so I can break them down further. I totally understand if you don't have time for that, its just Ive found a few species that I researched in depth only to realize towards the end that they were either unavailable or there was some glaring flaw I missed. Ill start researching those genus further now but if you get a chance and want just shoot a few suggestions my way.

Thanks everyone so much for your continued contributions, I appreciate it all.

Jesse, you're awfully quiet, throw something out there. I loved your maculpinnis suggestion in my other thread BTW.

 

[HUKIT]

its just Ive found a few species that I researched in depth only to realize towards the end that they were either unavailable or there was some glaring flaw I missed. .

What species are you talking about?

I loved your maculpinnis suggestion in my other thread BTW.

My pasiones

My maculipinnis.

I've got nearly all my cryptoheros pictures in my photo albums.

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - HUKIT's Albums

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Geophagus surinamensis was my most recent backfire but there have been a few others I was interested in only to fall through because of something I missed.

I am looking into some thorichthys right now, I'll try to get to the cryptoheros next and then herichthys.

 

[mikem691]

HUKIT should post a warning that looking at his gallery is a recipe for throwing out furniture to make room for more tanks........LOL

 

[HUKIT]

HUKIT should post a warning that looking at his gallery is a recipe for throwing out furniture to make room for more tanks........LOL

Thank you. Sadly, I just bought a Nikon D7000 a few years ago so the majority of my fish were never photographed well before that.

 

[PassengerTN]

HUKIT should post a warning that looking at his gallery is a recipe for throwing out furniture to make room for more tanks........LOL

X2. Can't find my wife, two kids, or my living room furniture all of a sudden and my wallet became lighter.

Jesse

 

[Freakgecko91]

Geophagus surinamensis was my most recent backfire but there have been a few others I was interested in only to fall through because of something I missed.

I am looking into some thorichthys right now, I'll try to get to the cryptoheros next and then herichthys.

If the surinamensis got you down, avoid guianacara geayi then as well. Same story. French Guiana.


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[mikem691]

If you are looking for geo info there are some old threads on here that may help. Most anything that was started by cbourg was geophagus related.
Here is one. Skip over the equipment part in the beginning. Unfortunately he is no longer on here but a few people can still get in touch with him.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/125g-south-american-tank-262016.html

 

[PassengerTN]

I'm sure if you have a decent LFS in your area you could find Geo brasiliensis. My podunk LFS here in NE TN always has them, cheap too. $5.99 I believe lol

Jesse

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Freakgecko, thanks for the heads up.

Mike- I'm really leaning with some centrals that will work with this pesky convict, but I'm actually gonna check the link out anyway.

Jesse- I have a few decent stores around but the selection doesn't go past Africans, convicts, Oscars, and parrots. I still have one really nice LFS to check out about 30 minutes away. Its a big saltwater store but they deal in some nicer FW stuff as well. Probably going to be ordering these fish.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Brasiliensis are on a whole different level from the surinamensis-type goes. Brasiliensis get pretty mean and are not as community friendly as the other complex.

The convict may make things a bit tricky, since they can breed with all of the cryptoheros species. Just something to take note of


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[PassengerTN]

You said your wife is a fan of your convict right? Find something she likes more (shouldn't be hard) and just 86 the convict all together. That way you're starting from a completely blank slate.

Jesse

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Freakgecko- good to know, I don't need a spawning convict.

Jesse- I have already found something she likes more, saltwater. Were setting it up now. Unfortunately I like the convict too. I tend to keep my fish their whole lives. I figure if I plucked them from the store their my responsibility. I make exceptions for sick or truly demonic fish. I've had a few. Occasionally ill switch it up and end up returning fish ive had but I try to keep them. The convict is a keeper. Lots of personality.

I'm wanting to work around her and get her out of the African tank. She never belonged there to start with.

 

[mikem691]

I still vote for Herichthys labridens. I now will be looking for these as soon as I move. I also noticed that they are red listed as a threatened species.