Help Me Pick A Cichlid

So I have been looking up the American cichlids for some time now and trying to go to the most reliably sources to gather my info - totally new to cichlids BTW

I am looking for 1 or I will even entertain a pair (if I can get my hands on a paired pair) if you think its better for the fish to go with the following setup...

Tank theme, if you will, is south/central american
45g tall 36x13x24h
Temp about 75-76
PH does flux a bit but stays on lower end between 6-7 maybe7.5 - have crushed core and cuttlebone in
Sword plants of different variety plus an anubias (I know its not part of the americans but..)
Tree roots type wood piece - makes good caves and swimming holes
holey rock and shale rock - makes good caves and swimming holes
Coconut shell
PVC
waiting for some more tube caves to come in

Bumblebee Cat
Rubbernose Pleco
BN Pleco
gold algae eater (which doesn't have to stay by any means, actually don't want it to)
6 JuliI Cory Cats
snails - apple/mystery/nerite

When done with QT
Lemon BN Pleco


I want a school to go in but haven't landed on one until I land on the Cichlid...a single species school


Schools interested in

Buenos Aires Tetras
Diamond Tetras
Emperor Tetras
open to suggestions**


Cichlids interested in

Borelli
Cockatoo
Bolivian Ram
Agassizis (dwarf)
again, open to suggestions**

I know my temp is what kinda throws things off, but I know its also possible...

If you can think of something other than a cichlid that is still fun to watch I'm open to that suggestion, but I would like a cichlid

 

first thing I thought of would be a trio of angels, anymore and theyll get overcrowded. if you're lucky you'll get a pair, which may have the downside of having the third as a dither. this for for your open ended suggestion request. personally I've wanted a harem of apistogramma

 

See I'm odd one out here, never liked Angels, I know many here do but for me it won't work

but thank you

 

I wouldn't put 3 angels in a 36 inch tank. But that's just me

Any of those cichlids you are interested in would likely work. But I'd at least do a pair. I wouldn't keep them as a single fish.

Some larger cichlids that would work would be something like a rainbow, sajica, guianacaras, eb acara, keyholes, or mesonautas to name a few.

 

first thing I thought of would be a trio of angels, anymore and theyll get overcrowded. if you're lucky you'll get a pair, which may have the downside of having the third as a dither. this for for your open ended suggestion request. personally I've wanted a harem of apistogramma

3 isn't a good number for angels, 2 will often pair up and bully the other. They also need much warmer water.

My favourites out of the cichlids you listed are BorellI and bolivian rams but any of those would work

 

dithers are sometimes necessary for a pair to bond over. I had a kribensis pair bully and beat to death a smaller male over the course of a month. that pair, for all 10pairs ive owned in my years of fishkeeping this was the only pair that actually murdered the dither. Bonnie and Clyde was the most in-love to the end for 2yrs and by far my most prolific, spawned all the time and I sold the culled fry to a guy with a 125g SA cichlid tank. what I'm saying is while you as human may not like their behavior, it is behavioral advantageous to being a better parent being aggressive and territorial; of course, that's if breeding is the goal rather than pure ornamental display.
I dunno sometimes I choose fish for behavior over beauty, but bonus if you get beauty too.just do lotsa research. fine picks from your list for me are the dwarf SA cichlids intriguing because I haven't met anyone personally who has had success and I would love to see your success.

 

Well I think I have narrowed it down to the A. Cacatuoides

I plan to ask the 3 LFS that will order near me if they can place an order...

Here is my question...should I order 3 and hope to get a pair? Or is it still humane to keep just 1?

My fear is ordering 3 and getting 3 males

 

the lfs usually will order a lot of 2 dozen or so not just a small number I think. you'll hopefully have a chance to scrutinize the group and pick yur favs