Advice needed on starting cichlid tank

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Buenos aires tetras or Congo tetras or giant danios would do ok w a single jack maybe. Australian rainbow fish too. I like serpae tetra too but whatever you get - get the jack very small and the school of fish (5-7) as large as you can find. Don't want them to be lunch!
 
One of the local stores has baby electric blues for sale but I hate the lady that works there she is a b**** and thinks that anyone that doesn't know as much as her doesn't need to own fish
 
They're very pricey and are so sensitive to everything that I'd say pass them up and save the money. Rarely do they live long enough to get past 3 inches. Need lots of care. I have never tried them due to their rep as they're always $30 for a baby. It stinks cuz they're beautiful
 
A baby jack and a school of tetras/rainbow fish/ giant danios along w a smaller type of pleco/sucker like clown pleco or bristle nose pleco. Would be good for a 55. Reduce the temptation to get another big cichlid as when their small you THINK you have the space but when he gets 8 inches you'll be sorry!you could donmultiple smaller cichlid bit I see your set to get the jack due to your cool name!!!
 
I really am not that interested in having any other cichlid. I just want my jack Dempsey.... I'm a little too obsessed with my name sake.
 
erikmoseley said:
A baby jack and a school of tetras/rainbow fish/ giant danios along w a smaller type of pleco/sucker like clown pleco or bristle nose pleco. Would be good for a 55. Reduce the temptation to get another big cichlid as when their small you THINK you have the space but when he gets 8 inches you'll be sorry!you could donmultiple smaller cichlid bit I see your set to get the jack due to your cool name!!!
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This is good advise. May I suggest that if you look around you most likely can find a 75 for not much more than a 55 and this will help tremendously with water quality and the extra 6" in the foot print will make for a happy jack. 55's by me are about 75.00 us and 75 are 99.00 so def worth the extra $25.
 
Agreed. Bigger is always better! If your local to Massachusetts I have a 72 bow front with stand I wanna sell!
 
Def shop around when the time comes. if you go to a lfs and dont see a 75 ask if they can get them and how much. My lfs has them for 99 and petsmart wants 219.00 same tank same manufacture.
 
Craig's list is the spot to get a tank cheap! There was a guy giving a 180 gal for free his tenant left!
 
The boyfriend and I are going to check it out tomorrow.... Fingers crosses it's a nice one! If it is jacq may soon have her jack!
 
IShallNtEatFish said:
The boyfriend and I are going to check it out tomorrow.... Fingers crosses it's a nice one! If it is jacq may soon have her jack!
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Make sure he has a good luck and doesnt turn it down because it looks scruffy and dirty. Tell him to look for deep scratchs, chips and cracks. Ive almost turned down a tank that i thought was in bad shape but once cleaned it was a stunner! Just a thought.
 
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Cichlids like rock caves to hide in. The substrate is not what he ment by rocks, they like rock work similar to coral reefs. I would do at least 1 lbs per gallon or a little less
 
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