50 Gallon South American Cichlids

[vanimal]

Could this stock work in a 50 gallon or would they kill each other?
2 Fire Mouth Cichlids
2 Black Convict Cichlids
1 Green Terror or Jack Dempsey??

 

[rich4297]

Prob not the jack. The others might work. But you never know.

 

[vanimal]

Ok thanks.

 

[rocksor]

If you don't have any agression issues all of them could work with enough water changes. However, a JD can breed with either a convict or firemouth, and a convict can breed with a firemouth. So be careful about getting the right sex cichlid.

A GT won't mate with a convict or firemouth.

If you want to keep to 1 water change of 75% per week as full grown adults, I would only stock it as the following:

1 GT, 1 FM, 1 Con
or
1 JD, 1 FM, 1 Con
or
2 FM, 2 Con

 

[vanimal]

What about a Green Terror and 2 Cons?

 

[chew valley]

What about a Green Terror and 2 Cons?

As long as the 2 convicts are same sex it would be OK. If they breed they may kill the GT.

btw, I am going to do a GT and a JD in a 63 gallon tank. Getting both fish on Friday. I am hoping it will be OK, people say if you do both together from juveniles you have a lot better chance of it not getting nasty later. But no guarantees.

 

[bettaowner]

I would just go with the convicts and fire mouths.

 

[vanimal]

Yeah its actually my little sister's tank, I just care for it and she likes the bigger cichlids.

 

[rocksor]

Go GT. I haven't had any luck in getting a JD who wasn't skittish.

 

[vanimal]

Ok so a GT and 2 Cons or one Fire Mouth?? Will that work or be overstocked?

 

[rocksor]

Measure the nitrates on a regular basis (3-4 days), and do a 50% water change when it hits twenty.

Aggression will determine if you can ultimately keep these combo in a 50g tank.

GT and 2 same sex cons
or
GT and 1 FM and 1 con (same sex as FM)
or
GT and 1 FM

GTs grow real slowly. They don't grow 1" a month. You would be lucky to get .5" a month. So you will be okay with the above. Just use a liquid test kit, never test strips.

 

[vanimal]

Could Cichlids get along with Eels and Knife Fish??

 

[rocksor]

If you have a big enough tank. A 50g is too small to add a clown knife fish. The black ghost knife fish may not be able to withstand the aggression of the stock list you have chosen.

As far as eels, you will have to feed them separately in order to compete with the other fish. And they need their own cave to be able to hide from the cichlids. You will need several hiding spots. Get an eel big enough not to be eaten like spaghetti. I would revise your stock list if you want to get an eel.

 

[vanimal]

Ok I was just wondering. I have a Fire Eel and a BGK in my 150 and might switch to cichlids once I move and i would like to try to take them with me.