fish for a 55gal?

stingray4540

stingray4540

Hello, Hello, Helloooo!
Oct 18, 2005
1,016
0
0
San Jose, CA
www.geocities.com
I am hopefully getting a 55gal aquarium set up soon and had an idea of what fish I want. Before you crucify me please know that I plan on getting a bigger tank once these fish get a little bigger. I plan on getting them at between 1-4 inches.
1- tiger oscar
1- jack dempsey
1- red jewel cichlid
I guess my main concern is that I heard that jewels are really agressive and was wondering if the oscar would do ok. I was thinking of maybe getting the oscar a little bigger than the other 2 so he doesn't get picked on as much. Or do you think he'll be ok and i should get them all about the same size? Would a 1-2 inch oscar be ok with a 3-4 inch jewel?
 
Stingray, I want you to know that I am not crucifying you and am only offering this as friendly advice. IMVHO, you should go with fish that can live their adult life comfortably in your tank. The oscar and the JD cannot do that as adults, so I strongly encourage you to hold off on them until you actually have a tank that will comfortably house them as adults. The reason I say this is because things happen and plans fall through, and the fish suffer (I'm not saying this always happens, just that it is a plausable scenario).

Next, I think your question about your jewel is valid. There, IMO, is not enough terriotory in a 55g for all 3 of those species and somebody will probably get kicked around a lot. IME, oscars don't really form territories and he will probably be the one being kicked around... regardless of his size.
 
If you picked either the JD or the oscar to have with the jewels, than a 75g would be fine. A JD and an Oscar in a 75g may work as well.
 
so a single jack dempsey cant live in a 55 gallon but can in a 75 with another fish its size immm thats only like 37.5 gallons each
 
A single JD can live very well in a 55g. But that's all you'd be able to keep in there comfortably when it has grown to adult size...especially a male. So I agree that if all those fish are to be kept together you'd need a much bigger tank. I'd say something over 100g would be best and would reduce potential housing and territorial problems that may occur with those fish. The oscar would more than likely be bullied by a JD than a jewel. Jewels can be rather docile with other cichlids except when breeding. I had a breeding pair of jewels in a 55g with a breeding pair of Salvini cichlids and the jewels just couldn't compete with the Salvinis so I had to find the jewels a new home.
 
Slappy*McFish said:
A single JD can live very well in a 55g. But that's all you'd be able to keep in there comfortably when it has grown to adult size...especially a male. So I agree that if all those fish are to be kept together you'd need a much bigger tank. I'd say something over 100g would be best and would reduce potential housing and territorial problems that may occur with those fish. The oscar would more than likely be bullied by a JD than a jewel. Jewels can be rather docile with other cichlids except when breeding. I had a breeding pair of jewels in a 55g with a breeding pair of Salvini cichlids and the jewels just couldn't compete with the Salvinis so I had to find the jewels a new home.
Click to expand...
A 100 gallon tank would be great. :dance: , but I'm a married college student and my wife gives me a hard time about wanting to set up my 55 which I got for 20 bucks. Unless of course all you guys want to donate to my cichlid tank fund :D
 
Will you donate to mine first? ;)

Slappy, the sources on the size of JD's aren't very consistent and I have no experience.. on average, how big do they get?

I figured 10'' from the sources, which wouldn't leave a very comfortable turn-around space in a 12'' tank w/decor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom