Preaching to the choir. If I wanted an 8-10 inch cichlid, I'd plan on a 6 foot tank. Sajica might go in a 55, but that's pushing it, too--and they're like 4 inch fish? A 55 gallon tank is very small.I had a pair of Nosferatu bartoni, that I kept in a 100 gal,where they spawned 3 times copasetically, both parents raising broods together, no problems. After the 3rd spawn, I gave them to a fellow aquarium club member, who put them in a 55 gal. Within 24 hours the female was dead. Of course there may have been extenuating circumstances, but I believe cichlids need much more space than the conventional aquarium practice suggests as adequate.
It really just doesn't feel right to me to keep that large of a fish in that small of a tank, I think most people on this forum would agree with me. What about a green spotted puffer maybe? A 40 seems small for one of them too though..What about a female Freddy or Loisellei? From all I have read females don't really get over 8" and have typical Parachromis owner response....so one of these would really fit my bill of an attractive "wet pet".
I completely agree with you on tank size.It really just doesn't feel right to me to keep that large of a fish in that small of a tank, I think most people on this forum would agree with me. What about a green spotted puffer maybe? A 40 seems small for one of them too though..