How Many in a 55

[angel2000]

Can anyone give me a good way to determine how many SA cichlids I can have in a 55 gallon tank.

Everything I look up gives maximum size of fish as a different number (ie have seen Geo. Balzanii as a max. length of 5 inches all the way to 8) this seems typical of every fish I look up. So what are peoples opinion on
Severums (red), Jurupari, Geo Balzanii. How many of each in a 55 gallon tank. (all are babies right now)

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Well for the Jurupari i would prob do at least 6? I really can't tell with these fish. Never had experience or anything with them.

For Severums i'd only have a pair once they are larger.

I really don't go by size as a way to stock a tank when dealing with cichlids. And i encourage others to do the same. Go by agression and the amount of territory needed.

 

[st.anger]

all depends on what types of SA cichlids you want too keep it would hold 1 oscar , as cichlid man said 2 severums, how about 2 pairs of rams and a severum?

 

[moricollins]

you could put in a large harem of apistogramma (one male and about 5 females (lucky guy ), and then some corydoras and other dither fish (i use white clouds, or neon tetras (i prefer the white clouds, much more interesting).

it all depends on which south american cichlids you want, you could do convicts too..

 

[st.anger]

i wouldnt mix convicts with your avarage SA cichlids except the red terror a fire mouth would be a better choice

 

[Purple]

The Severums (a mated pair) would declare a patch of a 55 as their turf - and will defend that patch, often to the point where they get hurt by bigger fish. So - as Cman says - if you go for two Sevs, then (eventually) they would be best on their own.

Hard choice between the Geo and Sevs - both beautiful fish.

 

[blueturq]

go with a pair Green or Turquoise Sevs

st anger: when you said how about 2 pairs of rams and severum i hope you didn't mean to put them together !!!!

 

[Purple]

angel - where are you ? (if you don't mind me asking....)

 

[st.anger]

Originally posted by blueturq
go with a pair Green or Turquoise Sevs

st anger: when you said how about 2 pairs of rams and severum i hope you didn't mean to put them together !!!!

have you never seen a tank with rams and a severum, looks really nice if the biotope is done correctly

 

[angel2000]

Thanks everyone for the imput.

Currently I have a 55 gallon tank with:

1x 1 in bristlenose

2x 3 in Gymnogeophagus balzanii

1x 1 /2 Jurupari

1 x 1 1/2 Tourqoise Severum

5 x 1 in Red Shoulder Severums (or Red)

6x 1 in Danios

2x 1 in Bleeding Heart Tetra

Now I know over the long term this is way too many fish, that was why the question. Trying to plan ahead how many tanks I will need, and how many fish I may have to sell. Since I can find nothing that will give me either accurate maximum size of these fish, or a quide line I need some help.

Plan for the bleeding hearts to go into our community tank, the 5 red severums waiting to see if a couple of them pair off, will keep those and sell the others. Now the real question. can I keep the balzanii, Jurupari and 1 T. Severum in same tank, if so how big would it have to be?

 

[angel2000]

To Purple, Washington state why?