# What's a good starter cichlid?



## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

Well a friend of mine has a "55" gallon which knowing him is smaller and is more likely a 35-40 gallon just lost the 4 bala sharks! it contianed and asked me where he could buy more. I was ready to slap him in the back of the head but instead I said I'd help him find a new fish. I wan't some thing pretty easy and solitary as I'am going to advise him to focus on keeping 1 fish alive. i thought he'd like a cichlid and wondered what's the largest(he wants a big fish) easiest cichlid that could fit in a 35-40 for life or (if he's right) what he could put in a 55 for life. Now i need a basic cichlid for dumdies here because this kid knows little about fish and told me once he had 3-4 male bettas together but they all died because "they didn't like each other". I want to try and help him be a responsible pet owner so i turn to you guess for help


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

convicts are pretty hardy and easy to take care of. A pair of those would do good in a tank that size.


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

This will help you find out just about any thing you need to know to get you rolling in the right direction.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/


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## Cosmic Charlie (Jun 14, 2005)

You can't kill an Oscar...


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

an Oscar will get too big for that size tank


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

I would suggest, a african pea**** tank, could do 7-8 males in that tank.


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

Hey Cosmic Charlie..



> I want to try and help him be a responsible pet owner


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

i'm trying to find 1 fish only no pairs or groups although i think he may be able to pull off a pair of convicts. how big do covicys get? also i've heard Oscars can live 1 to a 55 gallon


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Convicts get about 5 inches, we've got a bunch of babies. I've heard that oscars can go in a 55 too, but they're most happiest in a 65 or larger.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

fishfreaks said:


> Convicts get about 5 inches, we've got a bunch of babies. I've heard that oscars can go in a 55 too, but they're most happiest in a 65 or larger.


yeah i heard 55+, lets hope solarton doesn't find this post, or we'll be getting some feedback on this issue


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

Osars aren't hard to keep but even if it's a 55g that's the absolute minimum like fishfreaks said but also they are so messy so good filtration and water changes. But firemouths or severums are pretty interesting get a nice size and are easy to keep


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

are firemouthes messy?


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## DUSTIN323 (Sep 21, 2005)

Yes but so are just about all cichlids especially ones from the Americas but not as messy as an oscar also I've heard that if you introduce some type of livebearer molly,platie,swordtail at an early age then they will swim around more and be more active because they let them know there is no large predators


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

get convicts... they breed like mad, he'd be able to keep a pair in there and then he could give the young to his lfs... I think it'd be rewarding in a way.


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## dan20rhino (Oct 2, 2005)

Kirbensis are easy to keep and breed


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## warren126 (Oct 8, 2005)

*oscars*

Get you a oscar you cant go wrong with them easy to take care of and you can find them every where and cheap too


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

Firemouths and convicts are really neat, an old roomate of mine had some. I would go African personally, but I am biased.


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