# Planning a 90 gallon



## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

This is some crazy adventure I've gotten into. In mid-October, I got a tiny 5 gallon (my first tank since high school). A week later, I decided that it was too small, and bought a 30 gallon. I sold the first tank to a friend. But.....I ended up with guppy fry, so 2 weeks later, I bought another 5 gallon!! I'm not much into guppies anymore.... just Cichlids 

I'm clearly already addicted, and I plan on buying a 90 gallon in a few months (have to convince my boyfriend that I'm not completely crazy). I've been to my LFS once a week for the past 2 months (no joke) because i'm always changing my mind about fish and plants....

I want to get this 90 gallon perfect from the start!! I'll worry about equipment later, but for now, I want to get the fish just right. I want it to be a SA/CA tank.

So far, I have:

1 red severum (currently ~ 4 inches, including tail)
2 kribensis (I know they're african...)

Those are staying for sure. I LOVE them. They get along wonderfully, even when the kribs spawn. I need to figure out what else to add. This forum is the first I've heard about Geophagus, but some of them are ADORABLE!! I like the colorful ones...Are there any that don't get too big? I also really like Blue Rams. My LFS has "wild" ones apparently. Is this a good thing or a bad thing??

I really don't like tetras In fact, I don't really like much other than cichlids (seriously)....Is there any cichlid that will swim in the top half of the tank??

I'm open to all kinds of suggestions. Also, if anyone could tell me how to post a pic that would be great. I'll post a picture of my severum. He's quite a handsome young boy. I'm shy to show a pic of my tank though....it needs help!

Thanks in advance!


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Oops, I almost forgot. I also currently have an angelfish, and she gets along alright with the severum (they just ignore each other). I could either keep her or not keep her. I'd feel bad taking her back (she was my first fish!) but she takes up a lot of space...


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

> have to convince my boyfriend that I'm not completely crazy


 :lol: :lol: :lol: Often it are the males that need to convince the wife / girlfriend. Males aren't to difficult,....give him some extra atention and tel him he is the most wonderful man on the entire planet and then whisper,....I bought a 90 gallon,....and right after that give him a big hug and kiss so he doesn't have the chance to speak up. :wink:



> I want to get the fish just right. I want it to be a SA/CA tank.


 Thats a good start and my advice,...read read read!!!

As for the fish,....not the specie I'm experienced with and I leave that up to other posters.

So nice to read that someone new to the hobby actually first gather information on care needs and set up before setting up a new tank :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Thanks


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

if you really like geophagus, then my recommendation would be Geophagus sp. "Tapajos red" (AKA orange head)

here is a link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=465


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Good option Gage,....I think Guianacara would also hold them selves well towards a adult sev. Maybe not the most beautiful cichlid but they definitely compensate in behaviour. I do think the floorspace of a 90 gallon could give some problems when mixing a sev, krib en a small group of eartheaters. Possibly a pair of Biotodoma cupido works out'.


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Hmm. The orange heads look great, but when i researched them today, there seemed to be a lot of contradiction about their size. Some sites said they grow to 6", others said up to 10". That sounds too big considering the Severum and the kribs (so territorial for such a tiny fish), especially since I'll need to have a small group of them.

The Biotodoma cupido doesn't have the color I was hoping for, and though i'm no expert, it seems that they have a body shape extremely similar to bolivian rams. Too bad they're not as colorful :-(


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

My Red Severum, "Sunny Delight"










Mommy Krib, "Rosie" (super creative, I know)










Sorry about the blurriness. I didn't realize it would be this difficult to get a picture... And it's not a fancy camera either. Just a Sony Cyber-Shot


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

And this is the tank. I know. It's not great. It needs a background, the substrate is horrible, there are some plastic plants, and the breeders net doesn't help, either. I'm new at this...I really tried! Oh, I know it's not level. I'm on it. It's just that I'm a tiny girl, and that thing weighs a lot!


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

Get that thing level asap! That's not good for seams. Can't advised on stock though, sorry. Good luck.


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Does anyone have any suggestions? Expert advice is priceless


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

definately Level the tank. Not too hard if you drain a lot of the water out first.

Well here's the best generic advice I can give you, hope it helps.

Read up . Look at as many species profiles as you can and figure out what you really like and which ones are compatable with your stock. There are a lot of options so take your time and be thorough with your research.

Avoid pairs unless your trying to breed them . Spawning cichlids are very offten a menace to their tankmates. Even the most placid species can be monsters when guarding eggs and fry. Also If possible try to determine the sex before purchase. Even with a mix of species , males and females will sometimes pair up and spawn causing problems and creating hybrids. try to stick to one sex if possible.

most new world cichlids will spend time at all levels in the tank, but are classified as either mid level or lower level dwellers. Mine are all over the place , just depends on their mood.

If your new to cichlids avoid wild caught fish. Many times these are available but require pristine conditions to do really well long term. not for the beginer.

Sand makes an excellent substrate. Looks very natural. Requires lots and lots and lots of cleaning though, but well worth the time and effort. I use a one or two gallon bucket fill it half way with sand and run a hose though it constantly stirring it with my hand untill the water runs clear out of the bucket. Then I clean it a bit more. A sand depth of 1.5 is just about perfect for most conditions. Also if you use sand be sure to keep the filter intakes well clear of the bottom. sand will destroy an impeller in minutes if it gets sucked in, and many cichlids like to dig so keep it intake high enough to avoid the fish spitting it into the intake. the intake for a HOB or canister filter only needs to be about half way down in the tank.

And finally when aquascaping the new tank try to place the decor so as to create areas that are distinct territories and have sight breaks between them. This will help to avoid territorial agression.

There's alot more I can add to this, but this should help to get you going and I'll be happy (as will most others here) to answer more specific questions as they come up.


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Thanks so much for the advice. I'm definitely going to go with sand as a substrate.

So here's what I'm thinking:

1 Red Severum
2 Angels (what sex? i don't know what my current angel is)
2 Kribensis (breeding pair...)
2 German Rams (both female?)
3 small Geophagus (don't know what kind yet)

Is this too much?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Isis24 said:


> Hmm. The orange heads look great, but when i researched them today, there seemed to be a lot of contradiction about their size. Some sites said they grow to 6", others said up to 10". That sounds too big considering the Severum and the kribs (so territorial for such a tiny fish), especially since I'll need to have a small group of them.
> 
> The Biotodoma cupido doesn't have the color I was hoping for, and though i'm no expert, it seems that they have a body shape extremely similar to bolivian rams. Too bad they're not as colorful :-(


6" is max, 10" is BS lol. im sure, if you really like them, a trio (1M:2F) would be fine


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Isis24 said:


> Thanks so much for the advice. I'm definitely going to go with sand as a substrate.
> 
> So here's what I'm thinking:
> 
> ...


IMO this stocking list will be fine

:lol: , your a tiny girl and it ways a lot :lol:


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

> 6" is max, 10" is BS lol.


 Tell that to the G. Altifrons at my LFS thats 9" :lol: .

The issue that I see is having two species that will compete with each other for floor space. Geos being Geos will be constantly sifting the substrate and will probably drive the Rams nuts. Rams aren't particularly aggressive and neither are geos , but rams will whole heartedly defend their territory and the geos will be trying to sift the sand in it. the rams probably wont hurt the geos, but will harass them and anything else that comes too close for comfort.

Long story short , I'd go with one or the other and not both


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

Uh-oh... Looks like I'll be suffering from MTS. I can always put rams in the 30 gallon... and Geos in the 90. Because I kinda bought a couple of rams yesterday...They're so cute!! I couldn't resist.

Problem though... one of the Rams has a tiny white spot on its caudal fin. I don't know if it's ich or not. Only one spot, only one of the 2 rams. It was there 24 hours ago, and it's still there now. There aren't any extra spots though. The temp. is at 82, and I have 2 tsp of salt per 5 gallons. I've never actually seen ich "in vivo".

I'll try to get a pic, though I doubt it will work.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

*Joel's fish* - I think gage was refering to Orangehead Tapajos 1 size, not altifrons. Those beasts gets 12" easy. I think *ed* has the largest Tapajos 1 I've heard of at 6.5".

*isis* - I do agree with the rams being in the smaller tank for two reasons, not counting Joel's valid point. One is temp. In the 30 gallon, up it to a tleast 84F/29C .. rams really prefer higher temps. And I'd worry about the krib pair. While not overly bad for dwarf cichlids, they are deffinately more than a match for the rams. If keeping them in the 90, create only a single cave at the far end of the tank for the kribs, and put pebbles on the far side from that. That puts the breeding sites for each fish far away and might keep them seperate.


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## Isis24 (Dec 10, 2008)

OK, good to know (about the temperature)!

And very exciting about the Tapajos. They're so beautiful; Ed's fry pictures got me hooked!

I think i'll post a separate topic about the Ich. It seems to be a problem.


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