Saum with Geos in 180gal.

[mattybecks]

I am wondering if it is possible to keep a single saum cichlid with my group of 7 geo. Tapajos?
I imagine to each other they would look similar, and I don't want my geos being harassed or anything.

Tank dimensions are 6ft x 2ft x 2ft, there would most likely also be a school of silver dollars, and I am thinking of adding two more geo Tapajos.

I should be getting the tank this week so I am just planning my stocking now instead of buying and then having to relocate fish. If the saum wouldn't work, any other suggestions are also appreciated.

Tank will have sand substrate, with some rocks and boulders. I also have a syno. euruptus catfish. Always forget about him haha.

Thanks.

 

[tlindsey]

I am wondering if it is possible to keep a single saum cichlid with my group of 7 geo. Tapajos?
I imagine to each other they would look similar, and I don't want my geos being harassed or anything.

Tank dimensions are 6ft x 2ft x 2ft, there would most likely also be a school of silver dollars, and I am thinking of adding two more geo Tapajos.

I should be getting the tank this week so I am just planning my stocking now instead of buying and then having to relocate fish. If the saum wouldn't work, any other suggestions are also appreciated.

Tank will have sand substrate, with some rocks and boulders. I also have a syno. euruptus catfish. Always forget about him haha.

Thanks.

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/geophagus-tankmates.477178/page-2

 

[PhishMon84]

Having some rocks or territories and line of site breaks may help you be successful with whatever fish you choose.
I for one like the idea of festivum or severum. Or maybe one of the ring tail pikes as a group.

 

[A201]

I've successfully kept Rivulatus / Gold Saum with some many different combinations of fish in tank sizes ranging from 65 Gal to a 120 Gal. If you're just planning on a solo male in a smartly scaped 180 Gal tank w / tankmates too big to swallow, I doubt there will be many problems.
IMO the aggression levels of GT'S are greatly exaggerated.

 

[mattybecks]

Thanks for feedback guys.

Severums are on my list, but I am looking for a more "natural" looking specimen which I don't always come across here. Don't like the yellow, albino, gold, red spot varieties etc which are more common here.

I guess there is no rush to stock the tank immediately. I can keep the geos and SDs for now, and wait till the opportunity of a decent severum or saum comes up. Just glad to hear the saum aggression doesn't seem as bad as it is made out to be.

 

[PhishMon84]

I hear ya, the line bred varieties just aren’t that cool.
Rotkiel & notatus are real nice

 

[duanes]

Not important if geography is not important, but
if by natural, you are also thinking geographically correct, these two species would not be found together in nature.
Andinoacara are found west of the Andes, in more alkaline water.
Your Geos are from east of the Andes in lower pH softer water.

 

[mattybecks]

Not important if geography is not important, but
if by natural, you are also thinking geographically correct, these two species would not be found together in nature.
Andinoacara are found west of the Andes, in more alkaline water.
Your Geos are from east of the Andes in lower pH softer water.

By natural I meant closer to what wild ones would look like (talking about the sevs). Not the line bred types.
But thank you for the info. much appreciated and good to know. Maybe in the future I will look to making a more accurate geographical type set up. I have my synos now which I love, and they most certainly don't fit with the geographical theme haha. So I was just going with a river type set up.