Gymnogeophagus ex meridionalis norte questions

[outsider1911]

Hey, I currently have 14 gymno el norte growing out in a grow out tank. I plan on devoting my 125g to them once I rehome most my current stock. What tank mates could go with them and tolerate seasonal temperature swings that come with no heater? Could another gymno go with them or would it be best to have a species only tank? I really couldn't find much information on them at all, just that they do best without a heater and otherwise have very similar requirements to geophagus.

 

[duanes]

Another Gymnogeophagus would probably work, as long as it was from the opposite group..
Those from the gymnogenys group, would seem to me to work with those from the Rhabdotus group.
But beside Gymnogeophagus cichlids, there are corydorus from Uruguay, many tetras (such as the Buenos Aires tetra). There are pike cichlids, Cichlasoma dimerus and Australoheros sp, all which are fine with a cool down
some examples
Corydorus erhardti

Cichlasoma dimerus

Australoheros "red ceibal"

Crenicichla saxatillus "Uruguay"

and a couple shots of my former Uruguayan community tanks

 

[outsider1911]

thanks a lot for the reply and the amazing pics. Helped a lot. Would 14 be too many for a 6 foot 125g? I originally bought 10 so that I could get an appropriate m:f, they ended up sending more. And I hear the ex-meridionalis mate very similar to convict cichlids?

 

[duanes]

Could work, and you may or may not lose some along the way with hierarchal disputes, and just normal wear and tear making the population reasonable.
And since they are not a fast growing or ultimately, that large of a fish, that is a nice size tank for them.
When pairs pair up is when there may be a skirmish or two, but that's when you remove the mated pairs to their own tank if you want fry.