New to Cichlids...

[Garrity828]

Hello everyone! I only hear great things about cichlids, so I was thinking getting some about some. I already have 2 tanks: a 30 and 20 gallon, and those are planted and have tetras in them. I wouldn't want to rescape them and change water quality, plus they are pretty small.

I wanted to get a 55 gallon tank with cichlids. Jack Dempsey's are supposed to be easy to care for, so could I fit a breeding pair into a 55? Would a pleco of some kind be a good tank mate for one if I could only fir one JD?

I know JD's need a good, diverse diet so pellets/flakes, freeze-dried/frozen blood worms, and live foods. Feeder goldfish have serraded spines and feeder guppies have lots of diseases. Should I make the 20 g a fancy guppy breeder for my JD?

EDIT: Do JD's have a good personality? What other type of cichlid could I use in the 55 besides a JD?

Thanks in advance!

[robnepper]

A breeding pair would be good in a 55 I think. Mind you, I am going to get a 55 for my single male. He is only a juvenile (3 inches) and still he ate the face off my common pleco the other day(literally). I am ashamed. Poor plec!! The Jack will dwell alone hence forth. He does have a great personality though. He is outstandingly beautiful. Stay away from the live commercial feeders. If you must feed live, look at what they eat in the wild. Lots of shrimp I know for sure. I used to be sold on the variety thing and I still think it's a good idea, but i am trying a new diet with my little guy. PM for more info.

Some convicts would also be good in there. You'll be pretty happy with Jacks though.

Good luck.

[toddnbecka]

There are other, less aggressive species that you may want to consider. A 55 is the lower tank size limit for a breeding pair of JD's. They're alright when young, but they do grow to a decent size. Firemouth, festivium, blue acara, or Hionduran red points would do quite well in a 55. In any case, start w/6 juvies and let them pair off on their own. Simply tossing one of each sex into a tank is more likely to end up badly for the female.

[Garrity828]

Maybe I should get Firemouth's or Blue Acaras instead. Could I keep 1 JD and 1 of the Firemouths or Blue Acaras or 1 Firemouth and 1 Blue Acara because all are peaceful? What else could I add to that? I don't really want a breeding pair becuase I wouldn't know what to do with all those fish.

[toddnbecka]

If you're going to do a mixed species tank it's best to match relative aggression levels. You could keep a spawning pair in a 55 along with 1-2 other singles, the odd fish would keep the fry under control. They would also help keep the pair together. Add a group of rainbows or giant danios for dithers, and you should have a well-balanced arrangement. Few (if any) fry would be likely to grow beyond edible size, the pair would be well-bonded, and there shouldn't be any serious aggression issues among the fish.

[Garrity828]

So would a breeding pair of Blue Acura's, a Firemouth, and a school of large rainbows would be good? What type of rainbowfish are large enough to not get bullied by the others? Could I add a small pleco(clown or BN) or some shrimp as a cleanup crew?

[Garrity828]

Sorry for the double post, but I can't edit.

I would rather breed the firemouths instead of the blue acura. The giant danios seem like a good choice, but how many should I add?

[toddnbecka]

Australian or praecox (dwarf) rainbows will work well in a 55. Unlike cichlids, you're best to mix 3m/2f rainbows. That way the males are busy chasing each other rather than harassing the females to death. Any eggs produced will be welcome snacks among the other fish. Rainbows are quick enough if they are threatened, but cichlids in general tend to focus on their own species first, then other cichlids; other types of fish are at the bottom of their "hit list" unless it's a territorial dispute. As mentioned previosly, giant danios also make good dithers for mid-size or larger cichlids.
A BN pleco would be helpful for algae cleanup, best to add one along with the juvie cichlids so they recognize it as a part of their environment as they grow. A male will need a "cave" of his own. Another alternative is L129, aka Colombian zebra. Less territorial than a BN, just as effective for algae removal, and more omnivorous in general (won't become bloated from too many cichlid leftovers.) Like most catfish they tend to stay out of sight by day, so they aren't likely to be noticed by the cichlids. Clown pleco's need driftwood to eat, aren't worth a bean for algae removal, and in general aren't visible very often either. IME juvie BN's are more visible by day, while mature adults tend to stay under cover. Shrimp would almost certainly be eaten by the cichlids sooner or later.

[Garrity828]

I'll go with the Zebra pleco, as soon as I can find one, haha. How many Giant danios should I add if I have:

2 Firemouths (Breeding Pair)
1 Blue Acura
1 Colombian Zebra Pleco (L129)
? Giant Danios

How much will the L129s usually cost?

[toddnbecka]

I'd go with 6-7 danios, you have plenty of stocking space (provided you have good filtration.)
L129's generally go for $15, BN's about $5 (online, + shipping if you can't find any locally.) BN's are commonly spawned in aquariums, L129's are imported. IME it's a question of whether you are willing to pay a few more $$ for what you want, or take what you can find at the lfs. Sometimes it's about the same, depending on prices. Since I live in a small town w/out much selection locally I buy most of my stock online or drive a couple hours. Definitely cuts down on impulse buying since there's plenty of time to research the critters.
I usually buy small groups of just about any fish to make shipping more worthwhile, then swap or sell the extras somewhere along the line. If they're schooling fish it's better to have a group anyway.
Firemouths and giant danios are common species, should be easy to find. Blue acara and L129 may be a bit harder to find locally, or you may get lucky. It never hurts to ask if your lfs will order something for you, mine aren't too willing to do that. When I asked about pleco's (other than the common variety that grow too large for most tanks) it was "No way, I can't sell fish if no one sees them". Personally, I like clean glass so I can see the rest of the fish, and don't mind the pleco that stays out of sight but keeps the tank spotless by night.