Help Pure choose a cichlid

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#1
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#1
Here's the deal, my 90 gal had 3 large sevs in it. I got tired of the sevs as I wanted something with more color. So I need some suggestions on some large colorful cichlids that aren't very aggressive and won't have a mouth large enough to down a 3 inch pleco.

I'm thinking about electric blue jacks but their mouths look too large. Some other options that I'm thinking about are a couple of salvinies, or maybe even thinking outside the box and getting a pair of Hoplarchus psittacus or some Hypsophrys nicaraguensis.

The only fish that will be in this tank are 11 or so plecos, 6 lemon tetras, and the 2/3 cichlids.

Thoughts, suggestions?

FYI the sevs were sold some time ago now.
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#3
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#3
Geos =s eartheater =s large mouth. no? Also I don't want a fish that is going to live entirely at the bottom of the tank. Lord knows I have enough going on down there already.

Altho Ken on AB does have some nice looking Gymnogeophagus labiatus. Stunning fish.
 

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C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#5
Jul 9, 2003
8,866
14
38
38
Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#5
Discus! ;) hahaha I believe he had those Labiatus at the ACAs, not sure he had a lot of good looking geos there.

I like the Hoplarchus psittacus idea as well as the nics, uncommon. Theres always the Thorichthys species.

Its hard to choose a good SA/CA large cichlid because if they pair its hell.
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#6
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#6
Pairing shouldn't be much of an issue as there are no other fish in there besides the plecs and IME when my Sevs bred they totally ignored the plecs. Only time they would show them any notice is when the big boy, my 9 inch royal got to close. But no worries as he is well armed and more than capable of defending himself.

Discus was a thought, but I already have a discus tank. Also most plecs don't agree with high temps and lack of O2 that is indicative of a discus tank.

Thorichtys aureus...wow that is a sweet looking fish. My only concern is that their cousins (firemouths) again are a cichlid that lives totally at the bottom of the tank and are on the small side of what I'm looking for. They max out at about 5.5 inches. I'm thinking bigger. 7-10 inches maybe.

Spotted Daemon fish are a black water species so not appropriate for this tank. But that is along the lines of what I want. Rare, exotic, not often seen, pretty much describes my taste in fish.
 

Big Vine

Big Vine

Elite Fish
#8
Feb 7, 2006
3,895
9
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47
Florida
#8
New World cichlid(s) in the 7-10 inch range that won't devour (or pester to death) 3" plecos? Hmm...this could be tricky...

Are you looking for somewhat of a 'wet-pet' scenario, or are you aiming for more of a small 'community' of sorts with 2-3 cichlids?

BV
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#9
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#9
Depends on size. I would say 3 7-9 inch fish 1-2 10+ in fish, 1 male and 1 female of course.

I know getting up around 10 inches is pushing it on mouth size.

Also temperament is a concern as any of the new worlds that have to have a tank to themselves would not work in this setup.
 

C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#10
Jul 9, 2003
8,866
14
38
38
Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#10
I actually thought of Labridens at first. The Yellow Labridens crossed my mind first.

The blue is supposedly the same in terms of care as the green. But the green is one of the newer discoveries and i havn't really heard much about it lol. The last i heard was it was not sure if it was a different species or just color form. I'd treat it the same as the normal yellow form as they all seem to originate from the Pánuco river system on the Atlantic side of Mexico.

I love Labridens for the fact that their breeding dress is so different then their normal dress. The black/white combo is awesome.
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#11
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#11
Ah, I see the problem. I was searching for Blue Labridens. I should have just search Labridens. Says they get up to just under 10 inches. Not much is mentioned however on their temperment. What do you know bout them Cman?

Their mouths look small (relativly speaking for a fish this size) and wow the blue lab is amazing, http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/uploads/1209616784/gallery_6_7_151992.jpgbut I think it might be hard to find. The yellow is a real looker too.
 

AlyKat

AlyKat

Large Fish
#12
Aug 3, 2007
255
0
0
New York
#12
I LOVE the electric blue Jacks...they don't grow TOO quickly...and I think they would leave your plec alone...they'd grow slowly enough that your 3" plec could grow too...depending on what type of plec and how big HE'S gonna get, of course...;)
 

Pure

Pure

Elite Fish
#13
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#13
3 inches is full grown for L136. I may move them, but I also have some L254s coming in the mail. Another small pleco. Meh I dunno if I wanna risk it. I may just stick a school of 30 or so rummy nose tetras in this tank.
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#18
Feb 10, 2003
5,803
3
38
Kentucky
www.thefishcave.net
#18
heh, I found mine at Petsmart. I've actually found some decent fish at a semi-local Petsmart over the past several years. The gems like these aren't something they stock on a normal basis, but when they do they've always worked out well for me. I've wanted some Blue Acara's almost since I started the hobby and had NEVER seen them offered for sale anywhere, and when I finally saw some I just had to buy them. And in my haste, this is also how I ended up with my Gold Saum as well as he was mixed in with the acara's. :) I've got 4 juvies right now in a 65 gallon, and already a pair has tried to spawn once (both less than 3 inches TL).

If the Blue's don't get it for ya, there are several more Aequidens that are similar to the Blue Acara. But the Blue's typically have the best color of the ones most easily obtainable.

If your looking for something along the smaller size, Laetacara dorsigera is a small (males top out around 2.5-3 inches; females about 2) cichlid whom is very peaceful. Not extremely colorful, but the mature males do get a nice red belly and chest area.
 

D

dermx

Small Fish
#19
Aug 21, 2008
10
0
0
#19
I would also recommend blue acara...very passive in most cases.

EB JD's are also extremely timid and slow growing, i would not rule them out. They are sensitive things though. You would probably buy small to avoid spending major $, i would grow them out in a smaller tank.

I wouldn't only go buy mouth size though. If they want to eat something, they will try.......or just get the fins and eyes, ugh.
 

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