# 55 gal stocking



## 38special (May 15, 2007)

I am getting a 55 gal tank. I was wondering if i could have 1jack dempsey, 1convict, and 1 firemouth. Ifi had to i will cut out either the con or firemouth but i would like them both. I will get them all at a young age and add some deithers also thanks


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## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

My opinion? None of them will work. They all get HUGE, except for the cons.


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

I have asked other people and other forums and get mixed answers most say 1jd, with deithers, and 1 con should work. I really want a jd and only got a 55


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## Guest (May 15, 2007)

i don't think a JD will work but the firemouths only get around 6 inches full grown and will be fine in a 55. If I had a 55 I would put a serevum, firemouth, convict and maybe a salvinii. the con and the sal will prolly fight but they will get over it in a few weeks. you can even put a firemouth and a convict in there with some dithers. i have been recomended giant danios and large rainbow species as dithers.


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## Windex (May 9, 2007)

id say keep the firemouth, they are very pretty.


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## Guest (May 15, 2007)

i think a pair of firemouths ould look nice along with some silver dollars


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

So a jack dempsey is completle out your saying. That sucks i really wanted one. I got a little time still before i am at the stocking stage. I will have to think what my options are.


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

What if i get a 65 gallon it is 48Lx18wx17h. The hight might be a problem


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

It's not the height that you need for a JD, it's the footprint. They dont get huge but they do grow large. They need a 6' tank imo. If you want a small cichlid tank why not go with Africans? You could get much more colourful fish and they come in smaller species like demasoni and a few other pseudotropheus like polits, saulosi ect. 55g tanks make for good mbuna tanks in general. Even Vic Haps would do well in a 55g.

Ziggy.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Dude...... A 55 will be totally fine for a JD and a convict. I know quite a bit abuot SA/CA cichlids, and The JD with the con or fm would work fine. You could add some dithers too.


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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

Gourami Swami said:


> Dude...... A 55 will be totally fine for a JD and a convict. I know quite a bit abuot SA/CA cichlids, and The JD with the con or fm would work fine. You could add some dithers too.


A fish should be able to turn around with more then a couple inches to spare. So no a 55g would not be fine for that fish regardless if you think you know a few things about SA cichilds. 4' is a decent length but you need 18" wide to house a JD.


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

i am sorry for not being on here i moved and dont have a competure there. My friend said he would give my his old 75 gal tank he keep a snake in it. I think the tank would work for fish the glass is about a 1/4 inch to 3/8 at least and the bottom has a sticker on the bottom that said it was treated for strength. If i cleaned the @#$% out of it can i use it and how would that improve my stocking options. thanks..

I know yhis picture is not much but on the plastic around the top of the tank and bottom of the tank has a plastic plate that goes across
plastic plate in middle
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## girth vader (Apr 24, 2006)

38special said:


> If i cleaned the @#$% out of it can i use it and how would that improve my stocking options. thanks..
> 
> I |
> v
> ...


A 75g would be much better for the JD, and you open yourself up to a few other fish as well. I still wouldnt stock it too heavy for water quality pruposes. The fact that the tank has a centre brace is much better, and it also means that it is a newer tank. 18" is a good width for most SA. I just wouldn't try any fish that grow larger then 9-10 with a 4' tank. JDs are great fish, you will enjoy them a ton!

Cheers.

Ziggy.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Actually, this may come as a surprise to you, but i DO know something about SA cichlids!I actually know a bit. A female JD will, on average, reach about 8" . You CAN keep a jd quite comfortably in a 55. I have done it, very happy and healthy fish. You opinion is obviously different than mine and since its just an opinion i will not try to argue with it. All i will say is that i have seen MANY JD's live long, happy, Healthy lives in a 55 galon tank. ANd now that you got a 75 you can sock some tankmates as well.

(PS- Many people keep oscars in a 55 as well(though i dont recommend that))


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

what would my tankmate options be in a 75


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## blcknwitecuban (Apr 17, 2006)

i would do a severum and a JD. severums are very nice fish and i love mine. i'd do a JD and mayb a couple firemouths or cons. you would need dithers though because my firemouths didnt come out much w/o them


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

I was gona ask if a jd a severum and a con would work but from what u posted i am thinking you will say no


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## Eraserhead (Feb 1, 2007)

Gourami Swami said:


> Actually, this may come as a surprise to you, but i DO know something about SA cichlids!I actually know a bit. A female JD will, on average, reach about 8" . You CAN keep a jd quite comfortably in a 55. I have done it, very happy and healthy fish. You opinion is obviously different than mine and since its just an opinion i will not try to argue with it. All i will say is that i have seen MANY JD's live long, happy, Healthy lives in a 55 galon tank. ANd now that you got a 75 you can sock some tankmates as well.
> 
> (PS- Many people keep oscars in a 55 as well(though i dont recommend that))



My roommate has a JD in a 55, he has had it for about 4 years, and it is happy as can be and can turn around and maneuver just fine. He's even in there with a cobalt that is a few years old and some other African that I'm not exactly sure of. They don't have any trouble at all in there. I'd guess that the JD is around 8 inches, as Gourami Swami said.


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## 38special (May 15, 2007)

my fish stores only have small jds at what size can i sex them what is the best way.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

JD's are extremely easy to sex. Females have spangling on the gill plates and males dont.









FEMALE









MALE

Hope that helps


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2007)

i have a green terror, dempsey, albino oscar all in my 55g they are small but its going to be a prob when they begin to grow more.


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## shade2dope (Jan 21, 2007)

We have a Jack and it does have a hard time turning around in the 55g tank... The person i got the tank and fish from had them in there for 5 years in the 55g with no filter and its still alive my point being that even if its alive and looks good dont mean alot. i felt so bad from it i thought i was going to get a diese from cleaning the tank anyway i would say no to the jd in tank there are alot of african out there that in my opion have better color look for some peac o cks


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