# Your Dream 125 gallon?



## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

I know this is a really open ended question, but what would you do with a 125 gallon if you could put any CA cichlids in it? I have been keeping them for years but have never had a tank this large and am having trouble with want I want to do with it. I am hoping reading your guys' ideas will help me decide. Thanks.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I would definitely want a Robertsoni. Gotta have a pair of Cons too for dithers. Female Salvini. A Vieja (not sure which). And maybe a Nic pair.

....Bill


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

I would do a pair or group of Theraps wesseli. I just love these guys! 

Also I love the parachromis family


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## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

A pair of convicts or other archocentrus/cryptoheros.

Lots of big driftwood and rocks, maybe some java moss and java fern.

A couple of pairs of other medium not too aggressive cichlids.

maybe a school of australian rainbowfish, buenos ares tetras or something similar.

I had a "mixed" SA/CA tank, but for a long time I had a pair of cons, a pair of salvini, a pair of real ports, and a pair of longimanus in a 125. breeding was constant.


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

I was wondering what everyone thought of the following stock list:

A. sajica pair
H. multispinosa pair
A. robertsoni
H. nicaraguensis
and maybe a V. synspilum (not sure about that one because I know Vieja can get aggressive but this site's profile says they are not aggressive).

I am having problems coming up with a good stock this for this tank because I have always had 55's or 75's. So a tank as big as a 125 is really new to me. Plus I am trying to stay away from stuff I have had in the past. So what do you guys think of the above stock list? What would need to be changed? Thanks.


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## irondan (Nov 22, 2007)

i have my dream 125. it has taken a couple of years to get to a point were i really love it. here is a pic








stocklist includes (all mature fish)
jd pair, gt male, con pair, spilurus pair, sev pair, nic pair, jewel pair, pumpkinseed sunfish, various loaches and plecos. there is no aggression in the tank other than the odd territory dispute which always ends in a little chasing. the tank boss is my 11 inch jd male


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## clekchau (Jul 24, 2011)

irondan said:


> i have my dream 125. it has taken a couple of years to get to a point were i really love it. here is a pic
> 
> 
> 
> ...


irondan this is an amazing tank, i'm trying to set up a bigger version but with mainly ca cichlids.

can you give some lessons learned and issues you experienced and how you overcame them to come up with that amazing tank? also, some more pics would be great!


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *cage623*,

Currently my plan (i.e. day dream) for when my 125g frees up is to do one Midas and a pair of salvinis; or instead of the Midas go with a V. Argentea. Although, I do enjoy the current fish in it now: Bahi Red, EBJD, Female H. Carp, & tinfoil barb.

In my opinion you proposed stock list above would be too many large fish for a 125g; personally, I would shoot for 4 med-large cichlids. However, *irondan* seems to prove my opinion wrong with his awesome heavily stocked tank; well done *irondan*.

Thanks,
Matt


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## cosmiccow (Jun 10, 2007)

I basically stock all of what you have on your proposed list. The Vieja's I keep are Regani and Zonatus. The Archocentrus I keep is Nanoluteus. I also keep all of the other species you have in mind. 
This combination I think is excellent.

I would try to introduce all off the tank mates at the same time and at a young age. I would also include dithers at the same time. 
I have a few tanks currently that I introduced all of the stock at the same time and they have raised together rather harmoniously. I use for dithers large filament barbs and gold tinfoil barbs. And a couple of Synodontis . Large tiger barbs and large high body tetras work also.

You mention "pairs" in your stock list. I usually stay away from pairs for the obvious reasons. I don't think breeding CA cichlids are good for a community tank of that size. I have two male zonatus that live in a CA community tank very peacefully. If they were a breeding pair, then I would not have a community tank. This tank is 8 ft long and is still small for a breeding pair in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of fish that do breed and raise fry in a community setting. But it is normally a *************** trying to control the chaos that is going on in the tank.


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

cage623 said:


> I was wondering what everyone thought of the following stock list:
> 
> A. sajica pair
> H. multispinosa pair
> ...


The vieja might be too much on the stocking, and you will have to do a lot of water changes. It could work. I think you will be fine aggression wise. 
I am way over stocked on my 150g and having some aggression issues between my h. deppi and a. robertsoni.

My stock is:

a. robertsoni female- 8''+
a. rostratus unsexed- 3''
h. deppi male-6''
nic unsexed- 3''
jack dempsey male- 6''
exC. salvini male- 3''
p. synspilum

I have some plants and a fluval FX5 filtration. I do 2 water changes a week, because my nitrates go up to 20 if I just do once a week water change. Once my fish get bigger I will have to do more, or cut the stock down.


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am not 100% sure on what I will do. Biggest problem is that I live in a more rural area of the midwest and don't have good access to any of these cichlids at LFS's in the area. So I know I will have to go out of my comfort level and get them online (never done this before).

A side question would be, what is a good tankmate or dithers for a community tank this large? I have done giant danios and rainbow fish in the past and liked them but thought more ideas would be good.

Would you recommend a pleco or anything else? Would never do a common pleco again (too messy) but didn't know if another variety would work?

Thanks for all the input you guys have been great!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I wouldn't do a pleco solely because no matter which species you choose, they are poop machines through and through. I have a 4.5" spotted orange seam pleco and he makes more poop in one night than my entire tank does in a week. I also think the vieja would be too much in terms of aggression, and in terms of the sheer size as they get larger, as they max out around 14", and most of your fish are medium size, maxing out around 6-8".

In terms of dithers, you have lots of options...

-Silver dollars (can be very skittish though)
-Giant danios (make sure you get big ones though, otherwise they end up as food at night!)
-Rainbowfish (Bosemani are beautiful!)
-Columbian tetras (again, get big ones)
-Buenos Aires tetras (they get pretty darn big)

Just my .02


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

If I am sold more on the V. synspilum what would everyone recommend for tankmates with it in my 125? I would really love to have this fish and was wondering what others thought. Thanks.


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

In my 135 I have 1 Synspillum, 1 female JD, 1 female Jag, 1 Polleni, a GT and 1 Firemouth. I know, I know...you guys are thinking that's alot of big fish in a 135. The tank dynamics are actually pretty good with the Synspillum as tank boss. But he's more of the peace keeper rather than an aggressor. Occasionally the Jag and Polleni would face off and he would get right in between them to break it up. The Polleni actually seemed to kind of be buddies with the Syn. And I've seen my Syn seem to try to "court" the female Jag. LOL I bought them all at about the 2" size and introduced them to the tank at the same time except for the GT. I think I blew it when I got him. He was an adult and larger then the Synspillum by a few inches. The Synspillum still asserted himself as tank boss but they challenge each other fairly often so I think I may have to re-home the GT. Really too bad as he is a great looking fish but the Synspillum is my absolute favorite in that tank and no way am I giving him up. Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience.

Here's a pic of my Syn.


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