600 and 280 gallon reset: getting back to my roots

[mrrobxc]

Hello everyone. It’s been a long time. This year has been particularly busy with a new baby, finishing up Grad School, and work being busy. I actually sold off quite a bit of my Amazonian stock and just recently decided to completely change it up and have sold, or am selling, all my remaining SA Amazonian fish. My plan is to get back to big and mean CA and SA cichlids from the western slope of the Andes.

I’ve decided to use my 600 as an umbee and Festae setup. I know the likelihood of the two species coexisting are dicey since those umbee have proven to be incredibly aggressive but figured with the amount of cover in the tank from my scape, coupled with the dimensions, it’s worth a shot.

My 280 will be usedan Usamacinta setup and have Parachromis Friedrichshtali (Multifasciatus) Pantos De Centla, Vieja Bifasciatus Rio Chacamax, and Trichromis Salvini Rio Candelaria on order and they will be placed in here with a group of wild Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia Latippina). I’m also considering a group oXiphphorus Helleri Rio Otapa but feel that this will likely not work with the Parachromis. Would love your insights.

some pictures to show the setups.

First is the 280. Scape consist of Lace rock and roots. The plants are not biotope correct and I don’t care. I like the look of anubias and plan to feature them in this scape. The sand is a mix of PFS and some seachem Flourite sand. Love the shade it gives when mixed together and flows perfectly with the shade of lace rock I have that presents a reddish hue.

There are still some fish in here that will be gone soon. Currently the tank houses a pair of Crenicichla Zebrina, a group of four Acaronia Vultuosa, and a school of Ctenolucius Hujeta.

 

[mrrobxc]

Below are some pics of the 600. I was able to secure a group of five F0 Rio Magdalena Kronoheros Umbriferum from Kevin @tangledupincichlids, and a F1 pair from Chris UMBEEKING . Also got 10 festae, with the 6 smaller ones from Kevin and the four larger ones from Chris.

tankmates are a school of 9 Hemiodus Argenteus and 8 Blue Hooksilver dollars. Not sure how long either species will last and I’m quite aware that these two species are Amazonian. That said, it’s impossible to source larger characin dithers for these western slope SA cichlids. If anyone has a lead on some Brycon Magdalenae, let me know.

some pics to share. Dimensions are 96x48x30”. The dominant male F0 umbee is highlighted in some pics below. At four inches and already a firecracker.

Quick video of the baby monsters in this setup

 

[mrrobxc]

My plan is to use this thread to chronicle these two setups over time as I did with my initial build thread on my 600. Would love feedback or input along the way as it’s my first time keeping umbees. Would love to hear of any experiences you may have with this species being kept with other cichlids. I know that Guapote Mel has his pair with a ton of Andinoacara Stalsbergi in his 1000 gallon. Would love to know/hear about any others.

 

[newworld]

sailfins w any parachromis?

 

[mrrobxc]

sailfins w any parachromis?

Yup. This is a gamble. Would love your insights. I’m thinking it’s a gamble that’s not in my favor. That said, gambling with the Freddy’s since they are a smaller species.

 

[newworld]

i’ve found sailfins to work w passive smaller centrals i don’t see them working w parachromis and prob not with salvini, i found salvini to be some of the most aggressive new world cichlids i’ve had…then again the bigger the tank the better chances u prob have i’m sure dovii can be kept w guppies haha well you know what i mean

 

[mrrobxc]

i’ve found sailfins to work w passive smaller centrals i don’t see them working w parachromis and prob not with salvini, i found salvini to be some of the most aggressive new world cichlids i’ve had…then again the bigger the tank the better chances u prob have i’m sure dovii can be kept w guppies haha well you know what i mean

I’m of the same mind as you. Figured I’ll give it a shot since I cannot find anything else that from CA. If only I could get my hands on Astyanax tetras.

 

[mrrobxc]

This is my first time keeping Umbriferum. I’ve always admire them and dreamt of having them one day but never had a tank larger than 225 gallons. Then I fell in hard on the Crenicichla and Amazonian side of the hobby for the last seven years. When I got the 600 originally, I kept pbass and Crenicichla with an extra large aro. Mixed in Large Geos or Curare Severums, Caquetaia Myersi at any given time across four tanks I was keeping at the time. I loved that tank but it was time for a change.

Once I decided to change things up my mind immediately went toward the umbees as a thought. After surfing around on the web it became clear that’s the direction I was going in. Finally.

I have to admit, I’m surprised by their aggression despite all that I’ve read. This species completely dominates the other fish and the one F0 male owns the entire tank by all by himself. I see the festae becoming an issue soon as they grow much slower than the umbees. A real shame because I was hoping to keep the two species together long term in here. Really want more than a species pair only tank at the end of the day.

so far I’m loving them. They have really captured my imagination and I can see why they have such a wide and devoted following.

 

[mrrobxc]

The 280 is being scaped to create as many functional territories as possible given the size. Plan is to hold a pair of Bifasciatus, a pair of Friedrichshtali, and a trio or quad of Salvini. Taking full advantage of the depth and the rock to create hides holes for the Salvini.

 

[mrrobxc]

A few last pics for this update.

these shots show the depth of the 280. Can’t wait for the fish to come.