55 gal.

[Fishfiles1]

now i have to get the 55. gal. so what could i put in there, no rams or dwarfs, i like color and activity, i was thinking one firemouth and a jd anything els, this is just if i dont do africans

[jpappy789]

no jd, not a good mix with the fm in the long run IMO

[Fishfiles1]

what would be a nice setup for that. like 2 firemouths, a severum, and somthing els

[jbn521]

I have a firemouth, convict, rainbow cichlid, red tail shark, and some rosy barbs as dithers and everyone gets along fine. The firemouth is the boss in the tank, but he never does anything more than the occasional chase to show whos in charge.

[Fishfiles1]

that sounds good, i was going to repost anyway, so i have to get this tank, and i was thinking
1 redtailed black shark
1 firemouth
1 other med cichlid
1 severum
and some dithers
what do you think

[Lupin]

Perhaps a keyhole or festivum as the other cichlid? What dithers do you plan to keep? Congos, giant danios and spotted silver dollars work.

[Fishfiles1]

i was thinking of maybe some type of barb

[jbn521]

Australian rainbows make good dithers too. Blue acara is a good med cichlid to maby think about as well.

[Fishfiles1]

well some people told me that the green sevrum will out grow the tank, is this true, so what about 2 fire mouths
1 salvini
1 festivum are these red terrors?
if not the festivum the jack dempsy
or maybe a convict

[pugwash]

2 FM's plus either 1 female Sal (males not as pretty imo) OR 1 JD
OR
2 FM's plus Sal plus Con


I'd try to get a breeding pair of FM's first, then the Sal/JD will act as free control (assuming dithers don't assist in the culling). Get 6 FM's - let pair/s develop and pull the unwanted one's out. Add the Sal/JD and the pair will then have a common threat to defend.
Dither's can be added with the FM group (or before) - will help settling them in. Get larger dither's if going with a JD. Barb's may be picked off at night when sleeping - this is when most dither's disappear too.

[Lupin]

i was thinking of maybe some type of barb
Puntius arulius
Puntius filamentosus

Both will work and are pretty to look at especially males when full grown.

[Lupin]

well some people told me that the green sevrum will out grow the tank, is this true, so what about 2 fire mouths
1 salvini
1 festivum are these red terrors?
if not the festivum the jack dempsy
or maybe a convict
IMO, the severum should be fine. It's really perception but I do not see the issue with one sev in that tank really. Forget the JD and cons.

[BigRun]

well some people told me that the green sevrum will out grow the tank, is this true, so what about 2 fire mouths
1 salvini
1 festivum are these red terrors?
if not the festivum the jack dempsy
or maybe a convict


Festae = Red Terror

Festivum = a suitable fish for this tank :thm:

[scott-kim]

Salvani can be quite aggressive. H. nicaraguense would be great.
If you like Thorichthys maybe get some aureums or mixteco blue if you want something different and colorful.

[Fishfiles1]

you guys have been great help so
2 firemouths
1 sav
1 severum
and other dither and maybe a pleco, i dont think i will

[dent20]

Salvani can be quite aggressive. H. nicaraguense would be great.
If you like Thorichthys maybe get some aureums or mixteco blue if you want something different and colorful.

The Blue Flash cichlid. That's one I'd never heard of before until I saw your post and did a google search. What a beautiful fish.

[Fishfiles1]

man i hate doing new tanks its so hard to pic fish here the new stock and this time i like it
1 fm
1 green sevrum
1 savenine
and maybe one blue acara

[Fishfiles1]

yaa i just got my fluval 405 in the mail, i onlypaid 130$ and its bran new

[GuppyMan]

I go with some firemouths and some jags or JD's. Its LOTS of colo and activity. and some dithers. Rainbows r good ones.

[Fishfiles1]

do you think this bio load will be fine, weekly water changes of 15-25 percent

[scott-kim]

What is your filtration plan for the 55g?

[Fishfiles1]

fluval 405

[Lupin]

I go with some firemouths and some jags or JD's. Its LOTS of colo and activity. and some dithers. Rainbows r good ones.
Why are you suggesting jags in a 55g? Surely, you already realize how big these fish get.

[Fishfiles1]

im not puting them in, he just sugested in them, i know how big they get and no way lol

[Fishfiles1]

what substrate would be best

[scott-kim]

Your 405 should be fine. I would use most of the baskets for Biomax or a similar product.
I like to use small 3/16" or so natural colored gravel about 2"-2 1/2" deep with fish like the ones your getting.

[Fishfiles1]

cool

[josh05magnum]

I know it has been said, but JDs may be an issue with anything else in the tank. It depends on the specific JD, mines a jerk and the primary reason I bought a second tank. He doesnt like ANYTHING else in his tank but him it seems....

[duneenworywifit]

join the salty side!

[Fishfiles1]

no
1fm
1green sevrum
1 gd

[pugwash]

...1 gd

What's this? Typo for a JD?

Just think a Sev and 2 smallish cichlids would work, not the other way round though.

[Fishfiles1]

yes jd i ment, so im trying to level out the aggression and make it so know one is the true bos

[pugwash]

Good stuff...I had a 55g with an FM pair and an EBJD - the male FM was the boss, but the EBJD just ignored the FM. The male FM eventually killied his mate though. Was quite good watching the EBJD lurking when there was FM fry.

With a 55g you could do:
1 JD + FM pair (or similar 5-6" sized cichlids, 2 different species or pairs)
1 Sev (SA cichlid though) + 2 mellow 5-6" cichlids
1 Sev + 1 JD
A JD pair

[Fishfiles1]

so my idea ist realy that bad

[pugwash]

No, but I'd fear the JD would be the boss. Sev's are quite mellow, and can be housed with largish community fish - you couldn't do this with a JD. The FM wouldn't be the problem (although my male one turned crazy, flaring at my EBJD regularly).

Have you considered an EBJD, as opposed to a regular JD, as they're a lot more mellow? Then I could see your wishlist working better (although they are quite sensitive until larger than 3-4"). They are quite pricey too though...

[Slappy*McFish]

...or a female JD. They usually top out at around 7-8". Males would be too much for a 55g (size and aggression). This is concerning standard JDs not the Electric Blues.

[Fishfiles1]

it would proly be a eb

[Fishfiles1]

i might go with a nicuraguan, or a savini insted to make lets fighting, ohh and i got the tank today

[pugwash]

Females of either of those should be OK - the male nic gets a tad large, and the male sal a little boisterous

[Slappy*McFish]

Male Salvinis can be down right vicious (especially when breeding)...as are the females (when breeding). A 'lone' female would work, though they can be quite shy/skittish.
IMO, Salvinis are much more interesting and colorful when kept as mating pairs; but that leaves not much room for anything else.

[Fishfiles1]

what about the nick

[pugwash]

A female nic is best suited to a 55g, since the male nics are considerably larger.

A female sal is a lot less aggressive than a male, and more suitable to a small cichlid community

[Fishfiles1]

but a female will pair with my firemouth

[Fishfiles1]

im back guys, all im waiting on is my dad to get better to help me build my stand. then i can buy a heater and lights and stuff. heres my plans
tank stuff
55gal.
2 150Watt stealth heaters
1 fluval 405
50-60 lbs of razor back red rock maybe mix with agrnite
1 T-5 duel setup 48in light
2 24in glass lids
lots of drift wood, and some fake plants, and maybe some java fern and some anibias if the fish dont destroy it
Fish
1 firemouth maybe 2
1 rokteil or orange shoulder sev
1 blue acara
8or? odessa barbs or black ruby barbs
i think this is it, please leave your comments and tell me what you think

[Fishfiles1]

heres what i got
first we got the Fluval 405
then the 55 gal.
and last my baby fire mouth

[Fishfiles1]

ok so people are telling me that the sev will get two big and the firemouth will pick on the acara, what cichlids would go in the 55 with the fire mouth, i want 3 cichlids or more but no less please help

[Fishfiles1]

now im think about 2 jewels 1 FM and 1 blue acara, or 1 Fm 1 cutter eye 1 blue acara and 1 jewel or lose the jewel

[Fishfiles1]

bump come on please help