# New Cichlid 33G



## CyberSpike (Mar 25, 2006)

Hey guys,

I jut purchased a 33G aquarium second hand, I have been out of the hobby for a long time so I'm throwing the details out and asking you all to make suggestions, comment, and give me a hand.

The aquarium came with 2 Jack Dempseys (I know they require larger but they came with the tank), a Convict, a firemouth and a Krib.

I would like to know if I should add additional firemouths or Kribs since they are the only ones of their type. (I have no idea if they enjoy related company)

There we're some plastic plants in rough shape so I tossed them out and created some decent hiding spots with terra-cotta pots until I can purchase some live plants. Which plants would be better suited to handle these brutes?

The tank came with an aquatech 20/40 filter and an undergravel filter, the latter of which was in rough shape so I tossed it. I have an airpump and stone aerating as well. Is the 20/40 enough filtration or should I step it up? What is a powerhead and would it be useful?

The bloody thing came without a stand so I went and bought one of those bulky old fashioned coffee tables that could probably hold up my house, the perk is that the aquarium is on eye level with the living room furniture. 

Anyway thats the setup I bought, care to offer advice and comment?


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## Hoyo12 (May 18, 2009)

I wouldn't bother putting plants in with the cichlids. We tried that once and they were dug out of the sand and also eaten. People have had luck with plants, but Jack Dempseys and Firemouths are more aggressive, and would tare up the plants. I would watch the Krib though. It is with some aggressive fish. You might want to get a few of the Kribs just so he has less of a chance of getting attacked by the other fish. The Firemouth should be just fine alone. I have a Convict cichlid, Firemouth, Oscar, Parrot cichlid, and a crossbred cichlid, and the Firemouth seems to fight them and holds her ground.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

First off, what are the dimensions? Floorspace is territory for cichlids, so long-term planning depends on how much room you've got. What are you looking for? For a tank of that size, I would only have one breeding pair of cichlids (and probably nothing else). If you don't want the aggression that goes with breeding, then having 1 fish per species is a good idea and even then you aren't guaranteed not to have hybrid pairs (and maybe hybrid fry). The fish should establish a 'pecking order' and then settle down. But if any one fish is not allowed to leave an upper corner of the tank or starts losing pieces of tail, move it out. You might want to have an empty 10 on hand as a hospital tank and keep a sponge filter in the big tank you can move to the 10 with a sick or injured fish. All of those fish get more aggressive with age, so may be fine today and suddenly violent tomorrow. Suggest you locate LFS that take fish or a local fish club in case 'rehoming' fish becomes necessary. The alternative to 'rehoming' is 'multiple tank syndrome'.

I would add a second filter rather than replacing the one you've got. It is a bit small and a second filter is always a good idea. 

A power-head is just a water pump. Most of the new ones are fully submersible. You can use them to power UG or sponge filters or just to move the water around and agitate the surface. 

S. American cichlids don't mind plants, but they will "aquascape" by digging them up or moving them around. If your tank has stock lighting (usually 1 fluorescent tube) buy only plants described as "low-light" such as hornwort, java moss, java fern, anacharis, or elodea. Look up any plant before you buy it as non-aquatic houseplants seem to be showing up in pet stores. If you get a plant that needs higher light than you have, it will either die or not grow.


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## Buggy (Oct 17, 2006)

I can't speak for the Jack's, convicts or firemouths as I have no experience with them. But the kribs...that I have experience with. 
They aren't really a schooling fish but they do like to pair up. They tend to stay near the bottom and with the terra cotta pots for caves you could get a pair and let them spawn. I loved breeding mine and they are really aggressive parents so I think they could hold their own. Is the one you have a male or female?


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## TheOtherNewGuy (May 4, 2009)

well my single dempsey seems to make his water conditions terrible in just a few days and hes with just a placo in a 30 gal and is not friendly to anything else ive put in there i treid those tinfoil barbs they lasted approx 2 days streesed out and died from constant torture so after that i decided hes on his own until i can get a larger tank


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