# My 125 seems bare... Ideas needed!



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Currently in my 125 seems understocked, but maybe it's just me. 
Here's what the tank looked like when the previous owner had it:









Here's after I rescaped it (My jack got stuck in the return's mesh and I had to take the diy background out  )










Currently in the tank is my Flowerhorn, who is between 6" and 7"










my huge mature jack dempsey (~9"-10")










and a juvy JD that I don't have a pic of (~3")

The tank has a gravel substrate with rockwork from the first picture and a large piece of driftwood in the center. It is filtered by 2 Ebo Jager 2028 canister filters. I also have two koralia 3's in the tank for circulation.

Now for my problem: I want to add more fish. What, if anything, would be advisable to add to this tank. I like several species from the Geophagus genus, and it probably wouldn't hurt to add a pleco or two. I absolutely love Green Terrors (SilverSaum), and could live with a Con or a Firemouth. I'm open to any suggestions!

Thanks in advance,
Brandon


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Also, I've been looking and I really like barred midas as well.


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Absolutely NOT to any of the geophagus or earth eaters in general. They would get shredded. I very much doubt you'll be able to keep the Jacks in there indefinitely with the flowerhorn, but you never know. If anything, you'd need another big brute, like a midas, to hold it's own. Even then, one fish may take over the whole tank and not accept tank mates. Hard to say.

My 6ft, 125gal tank has nothing but one 6" juvenile T. butterkoferi in it. Some things just gotta be done.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Yeah I like barred midas, but they tend to not get along with other midas, and my flowerhorn has some strong amphilophus genes. The jack is actually rather peaceful.


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

ay 6-7" the flowerhorn is likely as aggressive as it will get, so I wouldnt worry about it to much until you see a problem, all my flowerhorns lived with tankmates fine.

if you can find a *large* sized '_Geophagus' brasiliensis_, it _may_ work, I wouldn't really recommend it, but I have seen them in CA cichlid community tanks OK.

the GT, Convict, and Firemouth will likely be ok to as long as that flowerhorn is a tankmate tolerant one.


----------



## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

I agree with gage....the only Geo species that would stand a chance is G. Brasiliensis. They are a bit aggressive compared to other Geos, but not to Amphiliphus standards. More like a Jack.
They also like water a bit on the cooler side, so you'd have to keep the temperature at the low end of the CA's range for the Geo to be comfortable---which would also mellow the CA's out a bit.

I've never kept Flowerhorns, but I have a lot of experience with Geo Brasiliensis. Personally I wouldn't try it. With a Jack Dempsey yes...but not with a Flowerhorn.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

k so no geos,  any other suggestions?


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

my flowerhorns always got along with other fish, but that said they were all brought up with others in the aquarium.

hmm, look around through the profiles here and http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/default.php for more species to look at.

I would stick to centrals btw, much more capable of living together, except _maybe_ an A. festae or Green Terror.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

gage said:


> *the GT, Convict, and Firemouth* will likely be ok to as long as that flowerhorn is a tankmate tolerant one.


All of the above? really??


----------



## Nathan43 (Jul 9, 2007)

If you have the hiding places, I suggest powerful middle size fish like cons or sals, or maybe even mbuna, they have worked well for me as fast dithers and can slim into all sorts of places. Just my opinion


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

A convict would be no prob to get ahold of, but I am yet to see a Salvini in any of my local fish stores.


----------



## matt-the-geek (Jul 8, 2009)

Bkeen said:


> A convict would be no prob to get ahold of, but I am yet to see a Salvini in any of my local fish stores.


Idk if its like this everywhere, but a lot of LFS in my area can special order fish for me, so maybe you should talk to them about doing that.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

matt-the-geek said:


> Bkeen said:
> 
> 
> > A convict would be no prob to get ahold of, but I am yet to see a Salvini in any of my local fish stores.
> ...


Yeah they'll order, but I'd hate to order a fish and it be sickly and not buy it.


----------



## Sicklid21 (Jul 16, 2009)

The tank looks flippin awesome man. Too bad i had to see it on this forum first considering i live down the road haha!


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Sicklid21 said:


> The tank looks flippin awesome man. Too bad i had to see it on this forum first considering i live down the road haha!


Thanks. You should come by and check it out. I'll probably have a bowfont up in the living room before you make it back... :lol:


----------



## Sicklid21 (Jul 16, 2009)

Bkeen said:


> Sicklid21 said:
> 
> 
> > The tank looks flippin awesome man. Too bad i had to see it on this forum first considering i live down the road haha!
> ...


Ill tell you what, ill give you all of my plants if you let me " borrow the 46Gal :wink: lol


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Sicklid21 said:


> Bkeen said:
> 
> 
> > Sicklid21 said:
> ...


I would... but Richard has dibs on it.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Well I got a 5" FM and tried it out... Lets just say it didn't work out.


----------



## Sicklid21 (Jul 16, 2009)

Bkeen said:


> Well I got a 5" FM and tried it out... Lets just say it didn't work out.


Im sure your massive Jack enjoyed the expensive supper. He appreciates it greatly...


----------



## Kellem (Mar 19, 2009)

Its always going to be issues when you introduce new fish into an established tank and the residents being of larger size. 
You'd be surprised how many aggressive cichlids you can keep together when you introduce them as juveniles,yes...there are exceptions when dealing with RD's,male Salvini and such.

Right now i have a peacful "for cichlids"and beautiful 135gal tank consisting of:

1 male Dempsey
1 Male green Terror
1 male black convict
1 female Salvini
1 male firemouth
1 male Jewel
And a host of danios and silver dollars.

I had to remove a very fast growing Flowerhorn even though he showed little aggression his size became disruptive and would not allow territories to be established.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Kellem said:


> Its always going to be issues when you introduce new fish into an established tank and the residents being of larger size.
> You'd be surprised how many aggressive cichlids you can keep together when you introduce them as juveniles,yes...there are exceptions when dealing with RD's,male Salvini and such.
> 
> Right now i have a peacful "for cichlids"and beautiful 135gal tank consisting of:
> ...


Wow, I love the stocking in your tank. I can't part with my Flowerhorn though, He's my favorite fish. My jack is the bully in my tank, and he was a gift for father's day from my g/f.

I'd enjoy a GT or Convict or salvini addition. Any advice for adding such fish to my tank??

btw the Jack was the culprit. I watched for about an hour, and there was no aggression. I thought it'd be okay and lo and behold the gorgeous firemouth was no more this morning.


----------



## Kellem (Mar 19, 2009)

Anything you add now will become a punching bag as your tank is established with large territorial cichlids.

I have my Flowerhorn in another tank with a large Freddy and they are like best friends,very surprised but thankful.


----------



## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

You can still add fish....but it's a bit tricky. Here's how.

1)Quarantine your new fish for at least a month....not just for disease prevention. Get the new one used to your water, and condition him to readily accept all of your foods.
2)Re-decorate your display tank, then immediately perform step # 3.
3)Divide off a small section of your display tank, and add the new fish there.
3) Wait for 2 months, then remove the divider. If there is any serious aggression, re-start the whole thing at step two...but this time, before removing the divider, re-decorate again.

Another even better option is to remove your current fish for a few months, and let the new fish get established in the display tank. Then just re-decorate and add them back.

**It's better to to add several new fish at a time, to disperse aggression. But that's tough to do with a divider....you just have to re-decorate, and hope for the best.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

oldcatfish said:


> You can still add fish....but it's a bit tricky. Here's how.
> 
> 1)Quarantine your new fish for at least a month....not just for disease prevention. Get the new one used to your water, and condition him to readily accept all of your foods.
> 2)Re-decorate your display tank, then immediately perform step # 3.
> ...


I'd heard that redecoration would help. I'll try this method the next time I try to add.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Well i got my old convict back from a friend that I had given him to.

She's somewhat of a good looker. I like it, and it's made it through the first couple of days.


----------



## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

just watch it doesn't pair with the dempsey or flowerhorn... convicts pair with anything...


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

gage said:


> just watch it doesn't pair with the dempsey or flowerhorn... convicts pair with anything...


Lol I know, my little jack and the con have been doing the courting thing already, but I highly doubt it'll be a problem. If any wigglers get rolling the FH and the Big Jack will handle it quickly, and if they become aggressive, the others are more than capable of handling the con or small jack.


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

Current stocklist is now:

1 Green Terror 
2 Jack Dempsey
1 Flowerhorn
1 Convict
2 plecos


----------

