General Advice on new 55g Cichlid Tank

[kospades]

Hi all, this is basically my first post here. Just finished getting our new 55g setup yesterday. Mostly looking for advice on what food to put in this tank and how to keep my bigger Dempsey from killing everything else (He is bigger than each of the others by a few inches).

We've had the Dempsey in a smaller tank for a few months, he ate solely frozen blood worms. When I put those in the new tank with the other fish he chowed down as usual but the others were not as thrilled with that type of food. Basic info on the tank is below... looking forward to any advice you all have.

Current Temp: 78F
Current PH: 7.8-8.0

1x Jack Dempsey
1x Electric Blue
1x Blood Parrot
1x Firemouth
1x Plecostomus
2x Pictus Catfish

 

[mikem691]

I recommend New Life Spectrum Thera A + Garlic. as the main feedings Then the blood worms as a weekly treat.

 

[Rivers2k]

Are you sure you have what you think you have? It looks like you have a convict in there and I don't see a parrot. I know petco and petsmart keep there cons and parrots together.

To the question at hand. Food wont keep a JD from killing other fish. They don't go after other fish because they are hunger they do it because of territory. make sure he has a cave or driftwood to himself and you should be fine. You are perfectly stocked at the moment.

 

[kospades]

Are you sure you have what you think you have? It looks like you have a convict in there and I don't see a parrot. I know petco and petsmart keep there cons and parrots together.

Yea.. that's based off of what I got at PetSmart and their labels. I wouldn't be surprised if it's wrong though.

Basically she said that the Blood Parrot is really young and will get it's colors as it get older (that would be the one next to the filter.)

The one that looks like a Convict was supposedly the Firemouth. He only looks black when it is next to darker rocks/background. Again, also is young and will supposedly get his color as he gets older. When we had him out of the tank he was much closer in color to the one that is supposed to be a Blood Parrot.

I don't know a whole lot about fish though, so I definitely will defer to the experts here.

 

[Rivers2k]

Yea.. that's based off of what I got at PetSmart and their labels. I wouldn't be surprised if it's wrong though.

Basically she said that the Blood Parrot is really young and will get it's colors as it get older (that would be the one next to the filter.)

The one that looks like a Convict was supposedly the Firemouth. He only looks black when it is next to darker rocks/background. Again, also is young and will supposedly get his color as he gets older. When we had him out of the tank he was much closer in color to the one that is supposed to be a Blood Parrot.

I don't know a whole lot about fish though, so I definitely will defer to the experts here.

I see the blood parrot now he blended in with the back ground. I never saw a firemouth that dark. Do you have a close up?

These are my firemouths on dark substrate.

 

[kospades]

 

[Rivers2k]

That is a male convict. They are fantastic fish IMO. They really are interactive with owners. You may have noticed him already wagging like a dog before feeding time.They get about 6" and are very tall as well. I have both Firemouth and cons and I prefer the convicts.

This is my little female