Firemouth, Convict, Dempsey in 55g?
- Thread starter oztun
- Start date
They should be ok as long as you don't have more than one of each. The Jack may hang near the back and try to hide and the Convict will look for a cave to hang out in. The Firemouth will probably be out in the open the most.
Thanks Sayers and BTW those are very nice aquariums you have. I'm glad to hear the Jack will be more shy since he will be the larger fish. I was mostly worried he would bully the others.
In your Cichlid tanks do you glue down fake plants (I.E. the 180)? I'd like to have a similar setup with fake plants etc.
Also with these 3 in a 55g should I even think about other tank mates? If so, what would you recommend in keeping with a south american cichlid tank? I'm not too concerned with adding lots of fish but maybe a few bottom feeder and another cichlid if it wouldn't be too much of course.
In your Cichlid tanks do you glue down fake plants (I.E. the 180)? I'd like to have a similar setup with fake plants etc.
Also with these 3 in a 55g should I even think about other tank mates? If so, what would you recommend in keeping with a south american cichlid tank? I'm not too concerned with adding lots of fish but maybe a few bottom feeder and another cichlid if it wouldn't be too much of course.
Last edited:
IMO, the general rule with large cichlid tanks is to make sure everyone is and stays close to the same size. The convict will grow a little slower than the jack and firemouth, but fortuantly the're ballsy buggers.
Unless you buy older, mature large fish, 55g should be enuff space for ~5 of these type of cichlids. They might outgrow it in time, but it would take years.
Unless you buy older, mature large fish, 55g should be enuff space for ~5 of these type of cichlids. They might outgrow it in time, but it would take years.
I think you'd be pushing the limit with those 3, Dempseys really are a big fish, and grow almost as rapidly as oscars. FM's are great and will hold their own, but I can tell you first hand, in my tank the FM gets pushed around some. He doesn't avoid the other fish and even gets a few punches in on occasion, but when the dempsey or the Oscar turn on him he flee's quickly. As far as other tankmates if you do add anything, I'd stick with a medium catfish, or Pleco, that can hold it's own in a crowd. You may also want to prepare for some giant Danios or other dither fish. And make sure you have good maintenance and filtration on the tank.
dave
dave
Thanks for the replies.. Looks like I better rethink this one, at least I have plenty of time (Have to get new place and move first). Also I have two 2216 Eheim cansisters which I think is double the normally recommended filtration. I used to have an Oscar and four-lined pictus in that tank until I found myself without a place to live and sold them to a LFS 
.
.