[wanahakalugy]

Okay so I am new to cichlids. I have a 75g (used to be a planted community tank) and was wanting to know what would be a good stock list for a cichlid newbie. The tank currently just has some neons to keep it cycled along with some live plants and driftwood. I have been doing some reading on this site and I am confused :-? , I also looked at the cookie cutter stock list but nothing really jumped out at me. I really like some of the fish but I didn't like what they were paired with. So what would be a good stock list for a begginer. I was thinking;

x 2 firemouth
x 2 T-Bar Cichlids
x 2 Rainbow Cichlids
x 1 Texas or JD

Is that overstocking? I dont know much about the aggresion of these fish so let me know. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ArcticCatRider]

I think 2 firemouths, and maybe a jack dempsey, could work out, but I don't know about a Texas, they can get mean as @%*$!
And i ain't sure about rainbow cichlids.Even 2 FMs, and a convict, and say something like a cleanup, or sifting crew, like some 2 or 3 Juraparis, or raphae cats/bristlenose pleco(s).

 

[wanahakalugy]

okay, what about terrors. A buddy of mine told me that if I want to keep the plants and driftwood in the tank i should stick to SA cichilds. What would go good with a green or red terror. Would i have to change my gravel to sand to keep geo's in the tank?

 

[wanahakalugy]

anybody out there??

okay i have been thinking of a few stocking list. Here are my favorite one but i need some advice on how difficult it would be and if there are any compatability issues. I modified some of the cookie cutter setups. Would I have to change my gravel to sand if i were to get some geo's in my tank because i remember reading somewhere were they said they will be stressed if they can't dig in sand or something like that.

list 1:
x 3 Gymnogeophagus rhabdomus
x 2 Dwarf Pike (Crenicichla compressicpes)
x 2 Redbreasted Acara
x 10 Buenos Aires Tetra
x 1 BN Pleco

list 2:
x 4 Angelfish
x 4 GBR
x 6 Lemon Tetra
x 8 Rummynose Tetra
x 6 Corys (not sure what kind yet)

list 3:
x 1 Red Star Flower Horn
x 1 Convict
x 1 Firemouth
x 1 Jack Dempsey

list 4:
x 1 Green Terror or Red Terror or False Green Terror
x 2 Geophagus (sp?) Altamira
x 1 Blue Acara
x 1 Pleco (not sure of what kind yet)
any thing else for this list

 

[HONDO]

i like list #2. you may need to end up thinning out the angels depending on if any pair etc.
of the stocking lists you have, thats my favorite.

this stocking list would also not require you to change substrate and would work very well if you have plants and driftwood.

 

[MidNightCowBoy]

Gotta agree with list 2 being your best for a cichlid newbie. I think it will also make for the most interesting tank.

List 1 sounds pretty doable although I'm not real familiar with that particular eartheater.

List 3 and 4 both sound like disasters in the making as the tank is too small for Flowerhorns or Terrors (Green or Red). Basically you would end up with a 1 fish tank and I don't think that is what you are looking for. Not only that but those fish really wouldn't be comfortable in a 75 when they are full grown. A 75 is decent size but I wouldn't go for a fish that get's bigger than 8 inches. 6 inch fish are about as big as I would cram into a 75 gallon, but that's just me! I like my fish to be comfortable and have room to swim around.

Your original idea of firemouths with a Jack sounded ok to me but I'd go for about 5 or 6 firemouths, a Jack then a dither like BA Tetras to keep them all busy.

Good luck with whatever you choose. :thumb: