55g Line Up

[yourwar]

This is the line up i have in mind for my 55g.. tell me what you think, and don't go easy on me!

1 Jack Dempsey
1 Green Terror
1 Electric Blue
1 Retropinnis Bichir
1 Tiger Pleco
1 Needle Nose Gar
2 Convicts

Thanks in advance, now tell me whatcha think!

[sublime1184]

You would be horribly overstocked...

[Xielos]

I think the Gar would get way too big to be able to turn around in a 55.

[BELLUM]

Your tank would be to small.

[liv2padl]

tell me what you think, and don't go easy on me! ok, you asked for it. those fish would require at least 200 gallons in order to thrive.

The Retropinnis Bichir grows to a foot and does best in an aquarium with other large, passive fish. This species will swallow any fish that they can fit into their mouth.

Cichlasoma octofasciatum - aka Jack Dempsey grows to 8-10 inches and is named after the famous boxer for a reason. not a passive fish at all.

Aequidens rivulatus - the Green Terror, while not always a "terror", grows to 8 inches.

Xenocara dolichopterus - the needle nose gar grows to a foot and as with all gars, is a voraciouos predator that will target any fish which can fit in its mouth for dinner.

the "Electric Blue" is an African cichlid and has no business in a tank of non-African cichlids. this fish will get killed in a tank with the other fish you describe.

convict cichlids are ounce for ounce, one of the most pugnacious cichlids in Central America when spawning, and will destroy all other fish in their perceived territory.

[yourwar]

Thank you, I'll have to trim it down some. :)

[Slappy*McFish]

I've got a single pair of Salvini cichlids in my 55g.

Of those fish you listed these are the combos you could use for a 55g.

Combo #1 - 1 Jack Dempsey and Tiger Pleco
Combo #2 - 2 Convicts and Tiger Pleco (beware breeding Cons)
Combo #3 - 1 Green Terror and Tiger Pleco
Combo #4 - 1 Bichir and Tiger Pleco
Combo #5 - 4-5 Young Electric Blues in the appropriate water conditions. These fish get as large as 6-7" and really need to be in a larger tank if kept as a group. A 75g or bigger would be better.

The gar would have difficulties turning around in a 55g when fully grown. Otherwise, a single young gar could be raised in a 55g and moved to a larger tank such as a 75g or better.

[nomadofthehills]

You could do the convicts, a dempsy and the pleco, providing you have a good filter, do regular water changes, and have ample hideing spots.

[you made me ink]

if it was me i would do the 2 convicts and a green terror or a texas

[nomadofthehills]

IME the GT won't last against a pair of convicts until it gets bigger.

[you made me ink]

...thats probly true unless the convicst are bought pretty young and you were to put them in at the same (the convicts and the GT's) time cuz they are not as aggressive when they are little

[tlaug]

...thats probly true unless the convicst are bought pretty young and you were to put them in at the same (the convicts and the GT's) time cuz they are not as aggressive when they are little
Cons an bigger then an inch are aggressive and are likely to pair up ( not breed yet) and start defending a large area of the tank.

I would go with a pair of cons in the 55g if it was me.

[you made me ink]

mine didnt get aggressive untill they were about 2 1/2 inches long and mind you they were in a smaller tank too but thats just from my experiance some of it depends on the individual fish too so thats not to say that your not right, im just going by my experiance