180 gallon SA/CA tank

[Fishguy679]

Ok, I put this thread in the wrong section and requested it to be moved but nothing happened so I copied and pasted it and put it here, so if you see this thread in a different section thats why. Anyway, Im getting back in the hobby. So I just got a 180 gallon glass aquarium with stand and a somewhat usable top for 200 dollars (and I had to reseal it) it's been up an running with the filter for about 2 weeks (one sun sun 304b, and yes I'm fully aware this is not nearly enough filtration for an SA CA 180 gallon and will have a lot more filtration on my tank by the time the fish get some real size on them). and at my LFS I got the manager to sell me a used sponge filter with all the bacteria I need on it for around 10 bucks, then I cut it in half (the sponge part) and put it in my canister. I also added 2 convicts (one male one female) like a week later. Yes I know my tank needs more time to cycle and convicts are very hardy fish so I used them to help get the tank cycled and ready for the main stock. Also when the convicts end up breeding, I may return one to the fish store of there is too much aggression but it is a 180 gallon so I think I'll be ok and it would be cool to have a breeding pair, and free feeder fish. Im not exactly sure what I want in terms of the rest of the fish yet. I was thinking maybe an oscar a a few other large semi aggressive cichlids and a few smaller/mid sized cichlids. I was also thinking of rolling the dice and going for a jag and an one or 2 more larger cichlids and a few smaller ones. Keep in mind I am getting all the fish as juvies. So Would I be asking for trouble doing a jag in a semi aggressive 180 gallon cichlid community with cons, maybe a Dempsey possibly an oscar and cichlids around those lines and some ditherer fish like silver dollars and a catfish? I'm also open to any suggestions on what to do with the tank just keep in mind I'm not interested in a discus tank or a super peaceful community tank

 

[Rodders02]

A breeding pair of jags could work. fish like jags are usually shy until around 6-8months old (6-7") where they 'come out of their shell'. Otherwise if you just wanted some 'display' fish I would say maybe a festae, jag and oscar could work, better if they're all male. It would be a pretty heavy bioload so you'll need to do water changes and gravel syphons often. A catfish could work as long as it doesn't get too big, but again it increases the waste. Some dithers like silver dollars would be good as well. Look forward to some updates! Oh and do get more filtration asap

 

[Fishguy679]

Il not sure of I'll ever be able to get another tank for a while, so a pair of jags is not an option beacause this will be my only tank and I want a bunch of different species of cichlids. I might do one jag and some other cichlids(could that work) if not would a midas/red devil work in a 180 gallon cichlid community? Of not I could always go for more peaceful fish. And i will be adding more filtration in the next month or so (maybe a second sun sun 304b) then I'll eventually add even more, but I'm getting the fish as juvies so I won't have a very big bio load until the fish get some size on them.

 

[virgil2090]

Great tank pickup.so many options.can you order fish online? Then you have many more to choose from,unless your LFS has good selection or can special order.I would stay with CA, oscar is SA.sometimes as fish grow up together they can seem good,then snap at maturity or because of rivalry for female.you might be able to do an all M or F tank.salvini, red devil,Freddie,RTM.....

 

[Fishguy679]

I have a good LFS with a wide variety of cichlids(mostly juvies) like an hour away. I could always order online but I don't think I'll have to. And i won't be getting more than one of the same species for the tank besides the convicts so unless I put two very similar specie's in the tank I don't think I'll have two different species of fish breeding. I do like salvinis, I've never had one but they look really good. I was thinking maybe a main fish like a jag and or a red devil/Midas and some smaller cichlids like jds and a catfish and some dithers and possibly an oscar but I'm not sure if an oscar can handle a jag or midas/red devil. I do want at least one or two sa cichlids beacause this is my only tank for a whils and I want some variety, I don't want to just do ca.

 

[Fishguy679]

And id rather do an all male tank if possible but you cant really sex most cichlids when there juvies so I may just end up picking the best looking cichlid in the tank at my lfs and not try and get an all male or female tank. And yes I know you can order fish from good breeders who can get them to a size where you can sex them, but what's the point in getting such a good deal on a tank and spending 100s of extra dollars on fish. plus I'm almo doing a small sw tank and am on a tight is budget for stocking. If there's a fish I really want that's not at my lfs I may end up ordering it online but ordering 5-6 fish online isn't really an option with shipping costs.

 

[ragin_cajun]

Man, a 180 is a great size tank. You could do a full size nasty Jag alone in that tank for life, and if you're lucky, you might even get him to tolerate a female in there with him. A pair of Jags with others -- I don't think so.

A single Jag in that tank with a few other species, if he grew up with some other fish, it MIGHT work out for life, might not--depends on the Jag. You'd just have to try it and see. All same sex would be your best bet.

Mi/Devil in that tank would fit size wise, but it could go nuts one day, too. Then it might not--you'd have to try. they're very much like a Jag in my opinion. I really think that full bred true Citrinellum, or Hoga's, or Amarillo's are a little less crazy than a Labiatus or a cross with a Labiatus. So If I tried an Amph with other fish in a 180, I'd do a Hoga, or an Amarillo.

But......if you were to maybe come off the Jag or Midevil idea, you could do some Vieja in that tank, thin them out as they grow real big, and end up with 3 maybe 4 big full size Vieja for life? That'd be MUCH more likely to work out in my opinion than a Jag or Midevil community thing. You may not like Vieja, or you just really want a Jag, I don't know. But at least consider it.

so in order of likelihood to really work out long term imho......

1. Single Wet Pet Jag, Midevil, or maybe a big Trimac--that'd work for sure.
2. 3-4 Vieja in that tank, no Jag or Amph--I think that'd be VERY likely to work long term.
3. Breeding pair of Jag's, Midevil, Trimac--you might lose the female, might not, but you'd at least end up with option 1 if you did lose the female.
4. Jag or Midevil in a community with some other big SA/CA cichlids. It COULD work, but something could very well just go psycho at 10-12 inches and you'd lose fish, or be dividing the tank up into 2-3 parts.

I think 3 and 4 are probably equally likely to work/not work.

 

[ragin_cajun]

And id rather do an all male tank if possible but you cant really sex most cichlids when there juvies

Absolutely. That's the only problem I have with the all male strategy.

 

[Fishguy679]

I don't like he idea of a single jag or a pair I want a cichlid community. I do like the idea of a jag and some other fish but I don't like the risk but it might be a risk I take if I end up doing that. I may end up getting a veija but I would not use my 180 for only veija I want more variety in my tank. I could always just go for a big community of moderately aggressive fish like Oscars jack dempsesys ECT. They are still aggressive but not overley aggressive like a jag or mideval, but a jag would be really cool and I like there coloration and predatory look/nature. I also am considering a Texas cichlid BUT I heard they were slow growers and if I got one it may need keep up with the other fish size wise, but would it grow fast enough to at least not be lunch?

 

[Fishguy679]

There's also the loisellas cichlid, but I'm not sure if it would be too aggressive or not for a cichlid community.