Nervous cichlid parent (me)

[Chelsa1969]

I'm super happy to find a nonjugdemental place to get some advice. I have always had the normalgoldfish, guppies, bettas, etc. I am about to embark on a new adventure to be the care giver of jack dempseys. I've read until I'm almost blind. They will be about 4 weeks old. I have a 26 gal (I think) tank I've had running for about 2 weeks with a goldfish in it. He's doing well but I am so nervous about raising the babies. Any pointers?

 

[King Fisher]

What size tank do you plan on putting the Dempsey's in?

 

[Chelsa1969]

Big

Eventually I plan on a 75 gallon tank. I read somewhere they need their space. If it's a male and female. I'm getting 6 babies and starting asap to get a tank for each pair. Do the same sexes get along? Should r could I put females with females and males with sales?

 

[King Fisher]

They will need space for territory. You can put males with males given sufficient space. Females and females would also work. If you go male and female, a pair can get aggressive during spawning......and you have to deal with fry. Be prepared for different personalities with cichlids. Some can be mellow and some can be terrors.

 

[Chelsa1969]

How young do you start to see their personalities? And how young can you distinguish between male and female? Sorry for asking so many questions, I just want to be prepared.

 

[King Fisher]

Cichlids have pretty good personalities starting as juvies. The easiest way to tell male from female is by the fins. Males have pointed tail, anal and dorsal fins while females are rounded.

 

[Chelsa1969]

Thank you so very very much!!!