O. heterospila tank mates

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Sinister-Kisses

Sinister-Kisses

Aimara
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2022
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BC, Canada
I currently have 4 small O. heterospila (largest is about 2") recently moved into my 8ft long tank. Tank is 96"x18"x18" and well filtered. Plan is to grow out the heterospila and hopefully get a breeding pair out of them. First time keeping this species, though I have kept many similar Vieja/Theraps/Paratheraps species in the past and tons of large CA cichlids over the last 30 years. Finding any actual temperament info for them online seems to be difficult; what little I've found suggests they're relatively mild mannered like a fenestratus type so I'm planning to try some smaller cichlid tankmates with them. But I'm kind of stuck on what exactly I want to try out.

Right now I have 10, 2" angelfish in the tank with them, purchased locally for cheap as a temporary tankmate before moving them into the big tank while I sort out what I want to do. I've also go a solo rainbow currently in a QT tank, purchased two weeks ago from a local LFS but they only had the one.

Obviously, CA cichlids are a lot harder to come by here in Canada than for those of you in the US, but I do have one online source that has a decent selection. Scrolling through, nothing jumping out at me as "pick me" types.

I'd like to try an eartheater species, but the tank has black gravel and I have no desire to swap it out to sand, so they're out.

Some I'm considering,:
Thorichthys aureus or Thorichthys ellioti, one OR the other - never kept either species. Which is nicer looking? Over black/dark substrate?
HRPs
Cutteri (I currently have one in another tank, which will be added to this tank eventually I think) Maybe get a small group and aim for a pair also?
 
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...for some reason, original post won't let me actually post the full list. Continued from above...

Cutteri (I currently have one in another tank, which will be added to this tank eventually I think) Maybe get a small group and aim for a pair also?
Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
Rainbows (more to add to the 1 in QT)

Thoughts, suggestions from anyone with experience with the heterospila and/or the species I'm thinking of?
 
When I spoke to Kevin at TUIC regarding what to combine with my Rainbow Cichlids (Heterospila multispinosa) he recommended O. heterospila & Amatitlania myrnae. I still have not gotten the O. heterospila but the Rainbows and A. myrnae coexist very well in my 6 ft. tank. As you probably know the Rainbow Cichlids are relatively docile; more feigning aggression than any actual fighting. The A. myrnae are wonderful fish and spawn like clockwork for me. The only downside to the Rainbow Cichlids is they will decimate any plants in the tank. Their coloration and behavior more than makes up for it though. The wife loves them.
 
I've kept rainbows a few times over the years, so I'm pretty well versed with them. Amatitlania myrnae I haven't kept, but not a fish I'm really interested in anyway. Thanks for the feedback.
 
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Anyone else?
 
The only thing on that list I have access to would be the meeki, but not my preferred route as it's been a very, very long time since I actually saw a NICE firemouth. They're so overbred now that they're washed out and not very nice looking, at least where I am. As I said, what I have access to is limited, which is why I listed fish I was contemplating that I actually CAN get. I'm thinking I'll get some more rainbows and maybe the T. aureus and see how they do as they grow up together.
 
Talked myself out of the Thorichthys species. Out of curiosity, I checked the only other online source that reliably has American cichlids in, and his stock list has white HRPs available which peaked my interest greatly. White HRPs would look fantastic over my black substrate and really pop. I've never kept them before though, but have always heard they are not nearly as aggressive as their convict (nigrofasciata) cousins. Would the white HRP be a viable option in the 8ft tank with the heterospila?

I'm almost tempted to get them and try it, and worse case devote a smaller tank to a pair once formed if they become tyrannical in the big tank...
 
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I've kept a group of Herterospila with a group of meeki, a few chetumalensis, a few few female siquia, 1 jd and1 V. bifasciata ina 210G.. never had a problem with any of them.. the bifasciata added last although smaller juvie and solo quickly became the dominant fish. but no damage was done.. in my limited experience with that set up, the heterospila is not aggressive but they're tough enough to hold their own.. I'd go w/ elioti, one of my personal favs.. but if you prefer HRP I'd think it should be doable with enough space especially if the heterospila are bigger..
 
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