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A while ago when I was setting up my 125g I inquired about a SA community setup. After scraping the idea and doing it in my 75g. I have now decided to do it in my 125g. I have some of the fish already but I need some more ideas for others. I want a large focus on community cichlids. Heres what I have already

5 festivum
2 bolivian rams
8 diamond tetras
6 lemon tetras
6 schwartzi cories
2 BN's
-----------------
Heres what I have now for ideas

5 Festivum
4 Bolivian rams
3 Keyhole Cichlids
1 Angelfish
8 Diamond tetras
12 lemon tetras
12 Von Rio tetras
12 Black neons
6 Black Widow Tetras
10 Glowlight Tetras
10 schwartzi cories
2 Bn
1 Royal
1 King tIger plec

For filtration I have 1 Eheim 2028, 2 AC 500's, and 1 Fluval 404. This wont be planted since i have sand and the lighting would be too much. Any comments.

The sheer number of species you intend to keep is daunting. I would limit myself to fewer species of characins, and lighten up on the cichlid load. For instance, angelfish should ideally be kept in pairs, shoals, or not at all. Similarly, hypancistrus are social fish, albeit a bit territorial—it seems that most ancistrids are. Thusly, I would up the L-66 and ancistrus count to four strong each. Larger species such as black widows, combined with smaller diamonds and black neons will offer just enough color variety, but not enough to appear chaotic. I would further choose between 2 species of cichlids, as all listed species are more or less gregarious.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 24-Aug-2005 16:05

Ok heres an updated list after some more planning
5 Festivum
4 Bolivian rams
3 Keyholes cichlids
8 Diamond tetras
12 lemon tetras
12 Von Rio tetras
12 Black neons
6 Black Widow Tetras
10 schwartzi cories
2 Bn

I removed the angel and a tetra species, but I left the keyholes since I really want to try them and the focus is on cichlids. I haven't resolved the pleco situation yet. As now in my 75g I have 2 bns and they can get mean with each other. I may go with a tiger plec and a clown plec.

What happened to your royal?

My old one or the one on the list. I sold the one I used to have. I eliminated the one on the list just because I though that its size wouldn't fit in with the rest. Although I may still get one.

Its threads like these that get us Multiple Tank Syndrom (MTS) sufferers into deep trouble with our other halves lol. 125g tank os small SA cichlids and friends...so many options and ideas i could never list them here lol.

Have ya thought about breeding something? Maybe make a single species the focus of the tank with other things being additions rather then it being a noah's ark tank. ( couple these couple those ) Also i wouldnt forget plants. If you plan on heavily planting the plants require space. Could also keep the plants native to SA to go with the theme.

Anyway i like the idea of a 125 gallons of small fish. of course i may be a tad bias as i have a 75g tank with small fish heheh.

Dude, cut down on the Tetras it's gonna look like a mess

Ok, this is what I say...

3 Keyhole Cichlids
4 Bolivian Rams
10 Diamond Tetras
15 Flame Tetras
15 Cardinal Tetras
4 Angelfish
15 Schwartzi Cory's
2 Plecos

Just what I was thinking...only 3 schools rather than 5

Green,
I like your ideas,
however, why so few numbers for the Boliv. Rams
and Keyholes?
I would up the Rams to a minimum of 8 (wish I had the space for more), and up the Keyholes to at least 6.
Bolivian Rams are very social fish, while not schooling they do enjoy large colonies to interact with, and Keyholes also enjoy company of others of the same kind.
I agree, dump the Angel or get at least 5-6 of them.
Quite a low stocking amount for a 125.
And personally, I liked the variation in your first list.
I think nothing about that would be chaotic, it would
be active, energetic fish bliss!
(looks at 75g tank and array of species, wouldnt go one less and wishes for more )

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I have 2 rams in my 75g and there at each others throuts all the time. So I want to keep there numbers down a bit but I think 4 is a good number for them and maybe the keyholes. I want to keep the tetra schools and numbers the same since that is a big part of the tank. I want a crazy chaotic tank. Seeing 50+ tetras of different species is awesome. I may go with 4 angels though. The filtration is going to be top notch since this is going to be my only tank setup and I have a butt load of filters everywhere. Also plants are out of the question. Between having sand, very low lighting, and the festivums nothing would grow. A heavily fake planted is going to be fine. Everything is subject to change though as I go to the lfs each week.

not to talk you out of it but sand does not rule out live plants. many plants in the wild live in sand just fine. fish eating plants doesnt rule out everything either. Anubias could work on small pieces of driftwood and look very nice and so could java fern. both are these are low light plants that will attach to just about anything and oh ya...fish wont touch them.

Just ideas you might concider. Fake plants would work just as well of course

Yes, I agree with Sin.
Live plants would be cheaper and better
for a tank this large, espescially with keeping
nitrogen products low.
There are many plants fish wont eat, like Anubias,
Java Ferns, etc. Check on www.tropica.com for plants you like, they tell you on each plant if fish eat it or not.
Plastic plants are expensive, and never grow. To fill
in a tank that large, would probably run you at least 100 dollars for plastic plants and it wont look nowhere near "heavily planted". 50 dollars of live plants and in 1 years time your tank will be full of plants.
Bolivian Rams do squabble, espescially male/male groups.
If you added more rams it would dissipate the hostility.
They really are social fish. I love watching their squabbles!


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Its not the fish eating the plants thats the problem. Its the festivum randomly destroying them for the fun of it. I have a decent amount of fake plants already and most of the one I get are off the internet. I may go with 4 angels and reduce the tetra amount.