Stocking 220G (6ft standard) - ideas

[JsTO97]

Hey guys, looking to fill my 6ft 220G with some Cichlids. buying them as 1-2 inches but obviously they will all grow bigger. Thoughts on too big?

1. Pair of Paratilapia polleni (Starrry nigh) - I'm going to try my luck and buy 3 or 3 in hopes of finding a pair in a grow out tank, if not, just one specimen
2. H.Carpintis Escondito (Green texas) - research tells me they don't get as large as the other texas? 10 inchd/20 CM?
3. Paratheraps Fenestratus (Marble Genestratus)
4. Pair of Jack Demseys
5. Vieja Maculicauda (Black Belt Vieja)


And if there's room (probably not), a some dither fish that may or may not get eaten...

Alternates include

Green Terror, Red Tiger Severums. everyone wants a Jaguar, but not really at a cost of having to deal with the over aggression.

 

[tlindsey]

Hey guys, looking to fill my 6ft 220G with some Cichlids. buying them as 1-2 inches but obviously they will all grow bigger. Thoughts on too big?

1. Pair of Paratilapia polleni (Starrry nigh) - I'm going to try my luck and buy 3 or 3 in hopes of finding a pair in a grow out tank, if not, just one specimen
2. H.Carpintis Escondito (Green texas) - research tells me they don't get as large as the other texas? 10 inchd/20 CM?
3. Paratheraps Fenestratus (Marble Genestratus)
4. Pair of Jack Demseys
5. Vieja Maculicauda (Black Belt Vieja)


And if there's room (probably not), a some dither fish that may or may not get eaten...

Alternates include

Green Terror, Red Tiger Severums. everyone wants a Jaguar, but not really at a cost of having to deal with the over aggression.

Sinister-Kisses
duanes
neutrino

 

[JsTO97]

Can't edit it, but want to add that I will have a 75/90G Sump and Fefugium where I'll pack it with Monstera/duckweed/pothos/Lucky Bamboo with growlights to help with the filtration. Just wondering on actual tank size for these species. Big enough so I can keep an interesting tank without each species trying to rip it's head off?

 

[duanes]

Hey guys, looking to fill my 6ft 220G with some Cichlids. buying them as 1-2 inches but obviously they will all grow bigger. Thoughts on too big?

1. Pair of Paratilapia polleni (Starrry nigh) - I'm going to try my luck and buy 3 or 3 in hopes of finding a pair in a grow out tank, if not, just one specimen
2. H.Carpintis Escondito (Green texas) - research tells me they don't get as large as the other texas? 10 inchd/20 CM?
3. Paratheraps Fenestratus (Marble Genestratus)
4. Pair of Jack Demseys
5. Vieja Maculicauda (Black Belt Vieja)

I have kept all the above, and they will all probably work temporarily, as juvies, but at maturity there may be problems.
Whenever you try to combine iridescent spotted cichlids together (Paratilapia, Rocio, carpintus, GT) in the same tank, competion and aggressionis almost always a given.

Vieja maculacauda is also one you will need to watch closely, even in that size tank, they can be extremely aggressive once mature, and wipe out all others.
Vieja fenestrata also, but not as volatle as maculicauda..
I usually think of that size tank as large enough for only one pair of large cichlids, or two pair if they you are lucky, if they divide that tank in half, and form a sort of truce.
I moved Paratilapia from a 6 ft tank to a 400 gal pond, and they still went at it once they hit about 15", but that was me, and ypu may get lucky.

One other thing I've noticed, is that JDs often get the short end of the stick, when combined with other aggressive cichlids.
Even in nature when JDs dominate and are the only cichlid , they do well.
Eden2
Above JDs are the only cichlid in millions of gallons of habitat, so their population thrives and they do well.
Below where they share habitat with other cichlids, their population is low, and they get quite torn up.
https://youtu.be/eBFAtr6ZfIs
One other caution, is that all the cichid s above, can tolerate hard, high poH water, but some like the severm are a soft water, low pH cichlid, and that sometimes leaves them ata disadvantage.

 

[troublesum]

I would personally drop the Black Belt as for the Starry Night i would also rethink them but thats my personal thing as i dont like mixing Africans with CA/SA maybe try A few true parrots (Hoplarchus Psittacus)

 

[duanes]

Do you have soft, low pH tap water?
Hoplarchus prefer a pH between 5 and 6, with low mineral content water, and because they have not been mass bred in the hobby for long, are often very particlar about those parameters.