JD's with Firemouths 55 gallon

[jhullandermn]

Hi everyone,

Right now I have 2 Firemouths cichlids and a rainbow shark in my 55 gallon. I want to add 2 JD's but I'm unsure if they would get along.

I've read many opposing views. Anyone have any first hand experience with this?


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[Fishy Smell]

I've got plenty experience with both, and variations of the species, but I haven't as yet kept a full grown regular Dempsey which I understand can be a handful. My experience so far is that they get along well, but that's me keeping singles. I would say a single of each in a 55 would be ok, but start adding couples in a relatively small space and you could have big problems. Either keep it to one of each or upgrade to 100 gallon plus for a pair of each. The JD will massacre the FM in a breeding environment which is too small.



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[swifty]

Agreed, one of each should be fine. I currently have 1 JD, 1 FM, and 1 Con in my tank. I read of a lot of success with keeping multiple CA cichlids together. It's when you get into pairs that you have to have the largest of tanks and even then it sometimes wont work.

Then there's the whole individual personality thing though, so of course proceed with caution.

 

[jhullandermn]

Yea one of my FMs is a little angry all the time. I'll stick with your guys advice and maybe get rid of one fm and get something else in his place.....or there's a 125 with everything for 300 on Craigslist right now lol


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[Fishy Smell]

Get the 125g and get a singleton tank;
1 FM
1 JD
1 Con
1 Salvini
1 Severum
1 Blue Acara

5 Silver Dollars and a couple large carfish.

Or something like that. Get them all smallish and watch hem grow, you shouldn't get too many probs really.

Just a suggestion



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[jhullandermn]

I'll have to see if I can find space for it lol but I do like that idea!!!


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[CICHLIDIOT]

I have experience with a both fms and full grown JDs my male is 10 inches long for Pete's sake!I wouldn't recommend it firemouths are tough and all but they are all bark and no bite a jack Dempsey could possibly get twice the size of a fm and have large teeth and could easily kill a fm if they wanted to.Find a different tank for the JDs and add more fms to your tank to get them competitive that is when they actually look cool.