# Young cichlids



## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

I've got 10 Black Convicts and 5 Jack Dempseys all in a 25G tank, all are under 2'' in size and quite a few are still very small, I've been raising them since they were barely acceptable simply because the LFS only want 50cents a piece for them. Originally they were in a 10G and very brave and friendly with eachother but, when I moved them to the larger tank they did nothing but hide and the continue to do nothing but, hide. there are plenty of hiding places and terrortories for them but, the only time they come out is to eat. Is it possibel that they've just grown up too much to be in the tank together and if so what's my best bet, give them away? try to sell them? seperate them into several smaller tanks?


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

They are scared because they're not used to the huge environemental change, and also their instinct tells them to be warey to prevent being eaten by predators. My young convicts did the same thing. However, if you add a shoal of cheap fish, say small goldfish or zebra danios, then they will venture out as they feel safer in the presence of shoaling fish (in the wild too).


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

That may get them out in the open, but that tank is way overstocked as it is. I'd say the Jack Dempsey's should go as a 25g is on the small side for them. At the best, maybe a pair of the convicts could stay. Then you could have some other fish in with them. Just remember, if it's a breeding pair, you'll have more convicts than you'll know what do with......


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Yes, in the future, but for now they small enough not to show much territorialism. I would look at moving them into a bigger tank within the next 6-8 months.


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Well here's the problem, Currently all I have is a 30G planted, 25G cichlid which they're in now, 10G with swordtails, and two empty 10Gs. I was thinking about buying a 55G. . if I were to do this would I still have to seperate the Jacks from them being that they're so terrotorial?


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

eventually you would. Jacks get to be about 9-12 inches in size when fully grown


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Perhaps I could make some money by selling them after they get a little bigger? I saw some in petsmart the same size as mine for $9.00.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

yes, that could easily be done.


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Okay so tell me what you think about this. I keep the 10 Black Convicts in the 25G but, I also buy a few small schooling fish to make them feel more comfortable, I had a ton of rocks to offer more territories. I put the 5 Jack Dempseys in a 10 temporarily with a serious filter setup and also give them a ton of hiding places until they get big enough to sell and make a decent profit on.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

It's what ever you're into, I have no objections


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## fishfreek4life (Sep 8, 2005)

I have ran both Convicts and Jacks, and bred both a lot. A pair of convicts needs a 20 gal once they are 2-2.5'' . Anything you put in with breeding convicts will get run off, nipped at a lot, of cornered in the tank. They breed often enough they can be feeders, if you so choose. I would give them some space and see what happens.
As for your jacks, they need space, even at a young age in my experiences. You have to remember that jacks are easy to get, and a store might not give you $9 for one, as they love profit too. A breeding pair of jacks is money though. Jacks are more territorial when they are 2'' or bigger, so yet again a 20 gal minimum for a few months. 
You have a lot of cichlid in a little space. I would be wary that as they grow, then pick on each other too much for healthy growth. Since you have a few extra tanks, split them up with no more than 3 per 10 gals, and that is very temporary. If you want to keep all of them ( and they are fun cichlids to have), you will need at least a 55.
Good luck on these, as they are a blast to have and watch grow up.


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Thank you all for the great advice, im going to do my best to split them up into several tanks. I just went out and bought a couple of angels and some neons haha proves how ignorant the petstores are around here she didn't even try to warn me that angels eat neons. As for me selling the Jacks, I was refering to me selling them to people not the petshops.

EDIT: FYI I bought the angels and neons for the planted tank not the cichlid tank, that planted tank needs more life in it


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

I think u should get rid of the JD's and some convicts. Once they start breeding you'll have more then you can handle :-D


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Sounds like that's what im going to have to do.


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

It worked, I know the tank is already over crowded but, I've upped the amount of filter cartridges in the filter and the amount/frequency of the water changes. Anyway my point is I went out and bought 6 tiger barbs for the convict/jack tank and within a day all the cichlids were out in the open swimming freely no longer hiding. I know have a chance to sit and watch my cichlids for the first time they've been in this tank.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Good. Are the cichlids bothering the barbs?


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## slidewaysL28E (May 31, 2005)

Nope, occasionally they start to swim towards them but, no violent encounters yet, one of the tiger barbs died the first night i had him but, i believe to be because of stress or unknown illness.


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