# Advice for new Central American Biotope



## fishlover&lt;3 (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm new to this website and I have recently acquired a 75 gallon tank that is set up and running. I want to have a 75 gallon Central American cichlid tank. I was wondering if anyone had any interesting ideas of a cichlid that I could keep 3-5 of in the tank. I understand that firemouths are fairly standard but I was wondering if there were any other options. I was also curious about the use of livebearers as ditherfish. Any help or advice would be great as this is my first Central American themed tank.


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

You could just do a thorichthys tank w/ meeki, ellioti, mixteco, helleri, and pasiones. Swordtails make great dithers and are found through out CA. 
As for biotipe, that can really varry, because not all CA streams, lakes, and rivers will look the same. I've been to Mexico and Costa Rica and the biotypes are really diverse. I like sand, rocks, driftwood, and live plants (hardy ones only). Just make sure you have a lot of hiding spots.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I'm currently growing my first group of CA rainbow cichlids (herotilapia multispinosa). I like their gentle nature and that they will not bother most any other fish. They also stay small enough to last a long time in a 75. Fellow in Ohio has them on Aquabid.com now and then. He has stopped shipping until the weather warms but can probably set you up in the spring. It would be an old time fav fish that not everyone has any more. Firemouth seem rather common if you want something not everyone has.


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## fishlover&lt;3 (Feb 1, 2010)

Thanks a lot for the advice. Are the smaller livebearers good ditherfish? Also does the fry of the livebearers feed the cichlids? Does anyone with a Central American Biotope have a picture so I could get an idea of what some people do? This is extremely helpful thanks.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

For livebearers as dither fish, it will depend. Some CA cichlids they will do fine, others they will just be a snack. Most fry will be readily eaten by many other grown fish. Findinf a cichlid that would eat the fry and not the adults would be cutting a pretty fine line, though. I'm finding black skirt tetras working well with the rainbow cichlids I have. Whether it works long term is a question. Right now the cichlids are small and quite meek. As they don't get over 5" inches I feel they will be fine. The tetras school and as such they spread any aggressive attacks among them better than solitary fish might. Lots of cover would make the livebearers more likely to coexist. Logs, rocks, plants for them to duck into where the big guys can't.


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## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Find a variation of tetra for your dithers. I've had good luck with them.


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## Moofish (Jan 27, 2010)

I have 6 Buenos Aires Tetra with an EBJD and other relatively agressive CA's and they are doing fine.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

look up Central American Biotope Aquarium on youtube and you may get some results


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## PeterUK (Sep 16, 2008)

gage said:


> look up Central American Biotope Aquarium on youtube and you may get some results
> [/quote
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9uCi-55 ... r_embedded


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Ooooooh nutty's tank!! One of the best CA aquascaped tanks you will ever see!! :thumb:


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