Large cichlid's and the planted tank.

greenleaf888 · 08-18-2007, 09:24 PM

I eventually plan on building a 120 gallon tank, not anytime soon but I have still been thinking about stocking idea's. I initially wanted to have discus or angels, but then I realized everyone and their dog has discus or angels. As beautiful as these fish are and despite how well they function in a planted tank, I would like to do something different.

I once had an oscar in a planted tank, but as soon as he grew he quickly had his own ideas how my tank should be aquascaped. I realize most large cichlid's are just not suitable for a planted tank because of their destructive tendencies, but there must be exceptions other than discus, angels and dwarf cichlid's.

I was just wondering what cichlid's others have had sucess with in a planted tank, or think would be good options. I have been thinking that fire mouth's would probably work, but I am not so sure I really want to keep fire mouth's.

BTW feel free to mention non cichlid's, my big tank is a ways away and I am just exploring my stocking options.

Wasserpest · 08-19-2007, 07:35 PM

After some research, I went with Festivums ("poor mans discus"). It didn't go too well. They wouldn't allow certain plants in the tank, and found some different tasty plants almost every other week. The other thing is that they wouldn't let Cherries or Amanos live, and that took out a good part of the algae crew.

While it is possible to have them in a planted tank, I have better success (a better-looking tank) without them.

fshfanatic · 08-19-2007, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

After some research, I went with Festivums ("poor mans discus").

Never heard them called that.. They look nothing like Discus.. Any links to this name? I am seriously interested.

SearunSimpson · 08-20-2007, 12:47 AM

Kribs I believe can live in a planted tank fine, and their colour morphs are beautiful.

Lupin · 08-20-2007, 01:29 AM

A lot of large cichlids unfortunately will redesign your planted tank no matter what size you buy them.

mistergreen · 08-20-2007, 03:52 AM

you're pretty much out of luck but I think I found one.
http://www.gcca.net/fom/Archocentrus_centrarchus.htm

(if you can find this fish)
maybe you'll find another on this site. Interesting topic.

the_evil_duboisi · 08-20-2007, 04:36 AM

How about pike cichlids?

fshfanatic · 08-20-2007, 07:49 AM

Feeding any aggressive large cichlids wil tear up your tank.. Are you set on large fish.. Dwarf pikes would be interesting in a large planted tank. My Tanganyikan 150 is planted.. No worries there..

cody6766 · 08-20-2007, 03:08 PM

avoid severums...they'll shred your plants just for fun.

ringram · 08-20-2007, 03:52 PM

heh, I thought Severums were the poor man's Discus...at least that's what I was told when I worked at a LFS, but what do they know?
In any case, I'm sure they wouldn't work either as they ate ghost shrimp like no tomorrow and ate some fry when a pair of "cutteri's" I had spawned. I bet they would tear apart plants as well.

ILuvMyGoldBarb · 08-20-2007, 04:22 PM

There are a few fish that get labeled as "poor mans discus." Sevrums are one of them and so are Silver Dollars.

I too had considered Petenia splendida. The biggest problem with them is that they need a tank that is bigger than a 120. They need at least a 180, those fish grow to upwards of 18-20" long. Minimum length for the tank needs to be 6'.

Wasserpest · 08-20-2007, 04:23 PM

I am just making up things as I go...

**fishscale** · 08-21-2007, 04:49 AM

I thought Uarus were poor man's discus.

**danepatrick** · 08-21-2007, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishscale

I thought Uarus were poor man's discus.

ditto. i've always hear Uarus as poor mans' discus.

Canoe2Can · 08-21-2007, 01:12 PM

So now we're up to Uarus, Severums, Festivums, and ... Silver Dollars (?!?!?) as the poor man's discus???? Darn this George Bush economy! No one can afford a real discus!

Getting back to the original question, discus and angels do seem to be the best larger cichlid choices (though I would consider angels to be more medium-sized). Since you are open to non-cichlid species, I will tell you that I set up my 120 planted for my foot long pirahna. He really enjoyed it. Being a pretty naturally skittish fish, he liked having places to hide. He was much calmer in there than he had been in his previous, mostly bare tank.

He died of an infection about a year ago, and now I'm probably going to put angels in there. Maybe Keyhole cichlids.

08-18-2007, 09:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
greenleaf888 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: greenland Posts: 129	Large cichlid's and the planted tank. I eventually plan on building a 120 gallon tank, not anytime soon but I have still been thinking about stocking idea's. I initially wanted to have discus or angels, but then I realized everyone and their dog has discus or angels. As beautiful as these fish are and despite how well they function in a planted tank, I would like to do something different. I once had an oscar in a planted tank, but as soon as he grew he quickly had his own ideas how my tank should be aquascaped. I realize most large cichlid's are just not suitable for a planted tank because of their destructive tendencies, but there must be exceptions other than discus, angels and dwarf cichlid's. I was just wondering what cichlid's others have had sucess with in a planted tank, or think would be good options. I have been thinking that fire mouth's would probably work, but I am not so sure I really want to keep fire mouth's. BTW feel free to mention non cichlid's, my big tank is a ways away and I am just exploring my stocking options.

08-19-2007, 07:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (56) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 9,240	After some research, I went with Festivums ("poor mans discus"). It didn't go too well. They wouldn't allow certain plants in the tank, and found some different tasty plants almost every other week. The other thing is that they wouldn't let Cherries or Amanos live, and that took out a good part of the algae crew. While it is possible to have them in a planted tank, I have better success (a better-looking tank) without them. __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

08-20-2007, 12:47 AM	#4 (permalink)
SearunSimpson Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tsawwassen, BC, Canada Posts: 558	Kribs I believe can live in a planted tank fine, and their colour morphs are beautiful. __________________ "You think you have tomorrow, but when tomorrow comes it's not tomorrow; it's now- and that's all you have" - Marc Johnson Ehei-Pimpfen 276 yo!

08-20-2007, 01:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Lupin Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Antartica Posts: 776	A lot of large cichlids unfortunately will redesign your planted tank no matter what size you buy them. __________________ *Let the loach assimilation begin!*

08-20-2007, 03:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
mistergreen Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 3,062	you're pretty much out of luck but I think I found one. http://www.gcca.net/fom/Archocentrus_centrarchus.htm (if you can find this fish) maybe you'll find another on this site. Interesting topic. __________________ Algae happens.

08-20-2007, 04:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
the_evil_duboisi Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Korea Posts: 46	How about pike cichlids?

08-20-2007, 07:49 AM	#8 (permalink)
fshfanatic Banned (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23) Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 4,598	Feeding any aggressive large cichlids wil tear up your tank.. Are you set on large fish.. Dwarf pikes would be interesting in a large planted tank. My Tanganyikan 150 is planted.. No worries there.. __________________ Ehfipimp #273 ( Eheim Classic - 2215, 2217, 2260, Eheim Ecco 2232, Eheim Pro II 2026 ) Fluval FX5

08-20-2007, 03:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
cody6766 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: US Posts: 144	avoid severums...they'll shred your plants just for fun. __________________ 125gal Malawi Cichlid....120gal Redbellied Piranha.....55gal S. American Cichlid.....38gal Blue Gill Sunfish 2.5gal Pico-Reef: Started 16 Dec 07 Pics--> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...20Nano%20Reef/ 10gal planted: starting off slow Pic--> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...10g%20Planted/

08-20-2007, 03:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
ringram Moderator (View User Tanks) PTrader: (62) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,516	heh, I thought Severums were the poor man's Discus...at least that's what I was told when I worked at a LFS, but what do they know? In any case, I'm sure they wouldn't work either as they ate ghost shrimp like no tomorrow and ate some fry when a pair of "cutteri's" I had spawned. I bet they would tear apart plants as well. __________________ 90g journal: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...rnal-pics.html --------------------------------------------------- SFBAAPS member - http://www.sfbaaps.com/ SAPS member - http://intplantscaping.meetup.com/11/

08-20-2007, 04:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
ILuvMyGoldBarb Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2) Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 289	There are a few fish that get labeled as "poor mans discus." Sevrums are one of them and so are Silver Dollars. I too had considered Petenia splendida. The biggest problem with them is that they need a tank that is bigger than a 120. They need at least a 180, those fish grow to upwards of 18-20" long. Minimum length for the tank needs to be 6'. __________________ 125 gal - Planted Discus tank, 60 gal - Planted Asian tank, 46 - BB Discus, 37 gal - QT, 10 gal - Planted Endler tank, 2.5 gal Nano Planted, 1.5 gal - Betta

08-20-2007, 04:23 PM	#12 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (56) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 9,240	I am just making up things as I go... __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

08-21-2007, 04:49 AM	#13 (permalink)
fishscale O.G. - original guppy. (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10) Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 3,299	I thought Uarus were poor man's discus. __________________ Eheim Pimp #254, Eheim Wolverine #1 55 Gallon Work in progress 10 Gallon Shrimp Tank 10 Gallon Planted QT 20 Gallon Shrimp Tank (Work in progress)

08-21-2007, 01:12 PM	#15 (permalink)
Canoe2Can Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Indiana, PA Posts: 710	So now we're up to Uarus, Severums, Festivums, and ... Silver Dollars (?!?!?) as the poor man's discus???? Darn this George Bush economy! No one can afford a real discus! Getting back to the original question, discus and angels do seem to be the best larger cichlid choices (though I would consider angels to be more medium-sized). Since you are open to non-cichlid species, I will tell you that I set up my 120 planted for my foot long pirahna. He really enjoyed it. Being a pretty naturally skittish fish, he liked having places to hide. He was much calmer in there than he had been in his previous, mostly bare tank. He died of an infection about a year ago, and now I'm probably going to put angels in there. Maybe Keyhole cichlids.

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