South American Tankmates 125 Gallon

[BlueKiller82]

Hello!
So I currently have a 125 gallon setup with the listed fish below. Looking for options of what else I could add as tank seems slightly empty.

Stock:
3- 4-5" Super red severums (1M, 2F)
Pair of Electric Blue Acara
5- 2-3" Geophaghus Sveni
Pair of Blue Eyed Bristlenose
5- Corydorus Sterbai
2- harlequin rasboras (plan to increase school)

Some options i was considering were, Clown Loaches, Keyhole Cichlids, some type of larger schooling fish.

 

[Backfromthedead]

if anything, maybe an assortment of acaras like your keyhole cichlids, 4-6 of them. maybe some pictus cats too. youre pretty well stocked already so add at yoir own discretion. those severums and eartheaters will fill out that tank well mind you.

 

[Rocksor]

Personally, I would add more female severums so that the pair that may form doesn't beat up the 3rd wheel, unless of course you are only planning to keep the pair and rehoming the 3rd severum.

I would increase the school of harlequins to something like 15-20 total and increase the sterbai to 10-12. After that, I would see if tank looks fine. I find that larger schools of one species looks more appealing to me than multiple small schools.

I wouldn't add any keyholes or loaches, considering that the sveni shoal is pretty large at a number of 5, and they can get up to ~ 6" in total length.

Don't get roped into the trap of your tank "looking empty" when the fish are still young and not their full size.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Don't get roped into the trap of your tank "looking empty" when the fish are still young and not their full size.

^This
Your tank will be full with the fish in there once they are grown. I would get some more harlequins and call it a day personally.

 

[BlueKiller82]

yea I had a group of 6 red severums that I grew out in a 65 gallon, One male was killed, and the current male has bred with both females so I parted with the other two as they were the runts of the group. Not always the easiest fish to find around me without paying an arm and a leg. Agree that most of the fish are still young and have some growing to do. Sometimes just need someone to put everything into perspective and open my eyes!

 

[KellyElizabeth]

Harlequins are only small.
Won't the severums eat them when they grow?

 

[KellyElizabeth]

Won't harlequins get eaten when the other fish grow? I'm no expert but harlequins are only small.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Side note- all the other fish in your tank are south American, but the rasboras are Asian. Not sure if you care, but if you wanted all south-American fish, I'd go for some tetras instead.

 

[A201]

Since you're evidently not into plants, I suggest adding a school of Buenos Aires Tetras. They grow to 2.5", will add color and movement to the tank. They are also tuff enough to handle whatever your cichlids dish out.

 

[BlueKiller82]

I actually am into plants but my severums destroyed them, so I am currently trying to grow them back. I have had buenos aires tetras in past and I know they are more of a bottom schooling tetra, and yes they also devour plants, haha.

Also looking at possibility of Columbian Red Fin tetras, little larger than the harlequins.