900 Gallon Stocking

[Wyomingite]

I wouldn’t mind a group of firemouths but I was trying to avoid the aggression of ending up with a breeding pair

A group of firemouths would work, and I almost suggested it as an option. The reason I reconsidered is that with the species you have you're already starting to take up a lot of real estate at the bottom of the tank with the threadfin acaras, the winemilleri, and the red head tapajos. These three need some large, open sandy areas where they can sift through the substrate in peace. I'm waffling on just how many more cichlids you could add and still have everybody comfortable. I just did some calculations on actual area per fish on the bottom of the tank to kind of get a picture in my mind of the dispersion of cichlids across the bottom.

I think you could probably add a group of six firemouths. I wouldn't worry about the aggression from a breading pair for two reasons. First, firemouths are relatively "calm" as a breeding pair, compared to species such as jaguar cichlids, red devils, convicts, etc. They aren't likely to take over a significant portion of the tank in a tank that size. Second, that tank will be large enough that any other fish will be able to get out of the way easily. Actually, I'd be more concerned about the blue acaras pairing up, but there should be plenty of room in that tank even if they do as well.

As for your filtration. I wouldn't be comfortable with only three FX6s myself. I run two FX5s on my 225 gallon, and have not been happy. I'd suggest at least five and better yet six FX6s. Honestly, I've never even considered filtration options for a tank that large. When I first got my 225, it came with an underground filter (that shows how long I've had it, lol) which I wasn't about to use, but it took several years playing with filtration until I was happy with with what I had. During that time I regretted I'd bought it and was miserable because I was always messing with it. I was never really able to just enjoy the tank. I recommend that you take some time to research what other options and methods are out there for really large tanks. There may be far better options than the FX6s.

WYite

 

[G/k Arts and aqauticYT]

I wouldn’t mind a group of firemouths but I was trying to avoid the aggression of ending up with a breeding pair

The just get one gender

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I’d maybe do instead of the acara species such as the terror and blue acara a big school of festivum or a school of keyhole chiclids and lateacara to die down the aggression, it isn’t always fun having to micromanage your whole tank, you know?

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I think Walstad’s method or some interpretation of it inside of a sump and in the tank could work. basically maybe getting a 125 and doing a dirted tank with a ridiculous amount of plants. Btw most of those chiclids can be plant safe with precautions if you were looking for that. It isn’t necessarily about the plants in the walstad method but the dirt feeding the microfauna and macro fauna living in your substrate and also the bacteria and it all grows because the dirt feeds it She goes crazy about the plants but I did an experiment with a glass of pond water with sand and dirt vs one with pure sand and one as control with just water the sand and dirt got all kinds of new stuff I had never seen like little worms tiny isopod sand stuff.

 

[Sprinkle]

I’d maybe do instead of the acara species such as the terror and blue acara a big school of festivum or a school of keyhole chiclids and lateacara to die down the aggression, it isn’t always fun having to micromanage your whole tank, you know?

No, keyholes are small and green terrors are known to be aggressive..

 

[NoahLikesFish]

Yeah that’s what I said. They could bully the Rosa line sharks keyholes get 5” they are hardy too and a big school is awesome and they would make a nest out of lesfs

 

[Sprinkle]

Yeah that’s what I said. They could bully the Rosa line sharks keyholes get 5” they are hardy too and a big school is awesome and they would make a nest out of lesfs

you said it differentely.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

i said species of acara such as green terror and blue acara and die it down woth lateacara or celithacara?

 

[Sprinkle]

i said species of acara such as green terror and blue acara and die it down woth lateacara or celithacara?

any aggressive fish will get aggressive with any other fish. its not like you put an aggressive betta with convict cichlid pair to dial down its aggression. a fish will be itself and you cant reprogramme its natural instincts.

Huh?
[/QUOTE

 

[Wyomingite]

NoahLikesFish Here's what's wrong with all your advice:

Setting up a dirted tank as a sump would be a huge waste of time, energy and money. Adequate filtration and a good water change schedule will be more than adequate and much easier to maintain, and the benefit of microorganisms doesn't mean a thing with the fish in this set up. In addition it's just as much about cichlids digging up plants as it is about tearing them apart, so most of the cichlids the OP wants really aren't totally safe with plants. It's a hit and miss proposition.

Festivums are technically shoaling species, not schooling species, and this tank would be a good candidate for a group of festivums. Neither keyholes nor the Laetecara spp. are schooling fish, though they may form loose groups. These loose groups barely qualify as a shoal, so the advice you gave is mostly incorrect.

The cichlids the OP wants aren't likely to bother the roseline barbs and the barbs are fast and will have plenty of room to avoid any aggression. The risk is there, but is minimal at best. As long as none of the cichlids have mouths big enough to swallow the roselines, this is a safe option.

The just get one gender

Not bad advice, but in a tank this size, there's no need to guarantee any species is all male or female to avoid aggression, especially at the moderate stocking levels suggested.

WYite