Convict Tankmates?

[ManInAHat73]

I just bought a 55G tank and in a few months (after I get a 75G tank) I plan on using it for a cichlid tank. What other cichlids would do well in a 55G with a mated pair of convicts?

 

[mfdrookie516]

jack dempseys will do well... i actually had a male jack dempsey and a female convict pair... had some interesting looking fry lol

 

[ManInAHat73]

I was thinking about a jack dempsey or two, any other ones I can put in there?

 

[Fishyfriend09]

Not sure if it would work or not so anybody that has had experience just say, but how about Firemouth Chiclids?

 

[ManInAHat73]

If they would work, I would love to have a firemouth or two. I want to have as many cichlids as I can in this tank, with them all being happy and healthy. Could I go with severums as well?

 

[mfdrookie516]

i would think that severums and firemouths would be ok together, but not with convicts and jd's... both are more peaceful... i know a guy who had firemouths with livebearers and other peaceful community fish... i would be afraid to put them with the more aggressive fish

 

[ManInAHat73]

Can you think of anymore aggressive cichlids I could house with convicts and jd's?

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

I have a Male Electric Blue Hap and two females with a mating pair of convicts right now...seems to be working out...in a 55 Gal

 

[mfdrookie516]

its not a good idea to mix africans with sa/ca cichlids... they have different dietary needs, different water conditions, etc... i wonder about green terrors, they might work, they are pretty aggressive... there are also some that look alot like convicts that my lfs has, i just cant remember the name of them...

 

[Liquid_Pyro]

I picked a happy medium between both types of fish for water conditions, (75 degrees, hard 150mg/l, 7.5 pH) and both take prepared cichlid foods and live foods...its not perfect I know, but it works

and its certainly better than some others I have heard of...

 

[ManInAHat73]

I'll have to see if my lfs has some green terrors. When I went there yesterday they had increased their cichlid selection 3 fold. Which is good for me, lol. I'll try to go tomorrow and see if I can get the names of them, might open up options, or at least steer me in the right direction.

 

[mfdrookie516]

good idea... go down there, make a list of the ones you would like, then you can post them and figure out whats compatable, etc...

 

[ManInAHat73]

Sadly I couldn't make it down to the lfs today, but will be heading down there tomorrow so I should have a list by then. I'll also be picking up some filters for my 55 later this week so it should be up and running shortly.

 

[ManInAHat73]

So here are the cichlids that my lfs has. I didn't include any of the african cichlids.

Red Parrot Cichlid
Blackline Pike Cichlid
Red Devil Cichlid
Pike cichlid
Red Dragon Flower Horn Cichlid
Texas Cichlid
Green and Gold Severum's
Curviceps Cichlid

Hopefully I'll be heading to get the other 55 and 38 gallon tanks this Sunday. And in a few weeks can have this tank up and running.

 

[DragonFish71]

We keep firemouths with our JDs and don't have any problems. The only real issue is the firemouths and our jewel. The JDs leave everyone alone and they're the largest in the tank.

 

[ManInAHat73]

I forgot to put firemouths and jewels on the list.

 

[mfdrookie516]

texas cichlids should work also... they are commonly sold as jd's, at least around here.. but so are the green terrors lol

 

[ManInAHat73]

Okay, so at the moment, the possible tankmates for my convicts are:

Texas cichlids
JD's
Green terrors

How many of each should I get?

 

[mfdrookie516]

in a 55g tank? how many convicts are you putting in? just the pair? probably 2 of each, mated pairs... thats the route i would take unless there is some reason im not aware of to not put only mated pairs of each...

 

[ManInAHat73]

I was thinking mated pairs of everything as well. Its about time to go out and find a bunch of rocks for this tank.