Congrats on the tank! I too have a 55, I currently have a dempsey and a convict in there, (both female) with minimal aggression between the two. I will soon be doing a switch after I grow out my electric blue jack dempsey so it's just the two dempseys in the 55. If you are going for a solo fish in that tank I would recommend any of the medium sized cichlids mentioned, or a good quality EBJD if you can find a healthy one. They are beautiful fish if you like the way Jack Dempseys look. As for a community set up I used to keep a severum in there also but with the help of MFK I decided to sell it back to the LFS, so all I can say is be careful with your choices for a community set up, my convict is vicious, but won't even touch the Dempsey, so you never know how fish behave around each other. But good luck with whatever you decide.
55 Gallon South American Cichlid Tank Help?
- Thread starter Ewmf
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you could do a Oscar or flower horn but they would be happier in a 75 gallon so smaller Cichlids would work better a large male jack dempsey would do fine a pair of jack dempseys would be pushing it but it would work a 55 gallon tank is not the best first tank but if you put hardy fish in it like jack Dempsey it would work you could do 2-3 servems or 4 female convicts but 2 pairs or more than 1 male would be cayous you could do 5 fire mouth cichlid
I also wouldnt suggest Geophagus for a 55 Gallon, the majority of them grow to 8-12". However you could try a smaller species (Tapajos, Steindachneri). Convicts would love the 55 gallon and fill it with their children withen the month, agressive (glass banging) too.
For medium sized American cichlids there's basically two main options for a 55G. First there's the CA option, which you have had several suggestions for. tHese fish (COnvicts, Firemouths, Salvini etc) are pretty boisterous and usually rather aggressive. SOme folks love that type of setup. However, if you're not sure that is what you are looking for, then consider a more SA setup.
Species such as the severum, acaras (of all types), angelfish, festivum etc. are all rather calmer and less hectic than their CA cousins. SOme individuals can sometimes also be quite pugnacious but, on average, the aggression levels will be considerably less than with the CA cichlids.
Then you have to decide (with either CA or SA) whether you want a pair of cichlids or a cichlid community, or a singleton wet pet. I would advise a beginner to get a small community, with no pairs. Breeding cichlids can be VERY aggressive and can destroy their tankmates overnight if the mood takes them. Also, with a community, you can have several characters to enjoy in the tank. If you add them whilst young, and all at the same time, aggression levels between them should be relatively low also.
If I had a spare 55G, I would go for 1 x severum, 1 x acara and 1 x angelfish as the cichlids and then fill out the space with a few swordtails and/or larger tetras (remember that most cichlids will eat any fish that they can get into their mouths). The cichlids I have suggested are all very tolerant of different water pH's and hardness, and are usually pretty hardy too.
It's great to see that you are being wise enough to do a fair bit of research before getting your fish.
I would also suggest that some species, such as JD's and GT's are simply too big for a 55G. Personally, I would never consider putting any fish that had the potential to grow over 10" into a 55G, unless I knew I could upgrade the tank when the time came.
OK, that's the end of my Christmas morning thoughts. Have fun stocking your tank !
Species such as the severum, acaras (of all types), angelfish, festivum etc. are all rather calmer and less hectic than their CA cousins. SOme individuals can sometimes also be quite pugnacious but, on average, the aggression levels will be considerably less than with the CA cichlids.
Then you have to decide (with either CA or SA) whether you want a pair of cichlids or a cichlid community, or a singleton wet pet. I would advise a beginner to get a small community, with no pairs. Breeding cichlids can be VERY aggressive and can destroy their tankmates overnight if the mood takes them. Also, with a community, you can have several characters to enjoy in the tank. If you add them whilst young, and all at the same time, aggression levels between them should be relatively low also.
If I had a spare 55G, I would go for 1 x severum, 1 x acara and 1 x angelfish as the cichlids and then fill out the space with a few swordtails and/or larger tetras (remember that most cichlids will eat any fish that they can get into their mouths). The cichlids I have suggested are all very tolerant of different water pH's and hardness, and are usually pretty hardy too.
It's great to see that you are being wise enough to do a fair bit of research before getting your fish.
I would also suggest that some species, such as JD's and GT's are simply too big for a 55G. Personally, I would never consider putting any fish that had the potential to grow over 10" into a 55G, unless I knew I could upgrade the tank when the time came.
OK, that's the end of my Christmas morning thoughts. Have fun stocking your tank !
You can go with a Salvini if you want something that is aggressive when another fish tries to enter their hiding spot.Convicts are nice, but I think overall a Salvini has better colors, especially the female Salvinis.
i don't want to start a fight but i disagree that you can not put a or gt in a 55 gallon tank they uassaly get 8 inches but sometimes 10 inches and female gt only get 10 inches and males only get 12 inches jds only get 8-10 inchesFor medium sized American cichlids there's basically two main options for a 55G. First there's the CA option, which you have had several suggestions for. tHese fish (COnvicts, Firemouths, Salvini etc) are pretty boisterous and usually rather aggressive. SOme folks love that type of setup. However, if you're not sure that is what you are looking for, then consider a more SA setup.
Species such as the severum, acaras (of all types), angelfish, festivum etc. are all rather calmer and less hectic than their CA cousins. SOme individuals can sometimes also be quite pugnacious but, on average, the aggression levels will be considerably less than with the CA cichlids.
Then you have to decide (with either CA or SA) whether you want a pair of cichlids or a cichlid community, or a singleton wet pet. I would advise a beginner to get a small community, with no pairs. Breeding cichlids can be VERY aggressive and can destroy their tankmates overnight if the mood takes them. Also, with a community, you can have several characters to enjoy in the tank. If you add them whilst young, and all at the same time, aggression levels between them should be relatively low also.
If I had a spare 55G, I would go for 1 x severum, 1 x acara and 1 x angelfish as the cichlids and then fill out the space with a few swordtails and/or larger tetras (remember that most cichlids will eat any fish that they can get into their mouths). The cichlids I have suggested are all very tolerant of different water pH's and hardness, and are usually pretty hardy too.
It's great to see that you are being wise enough to do a fair bit of research before getting your fish.
I would also suggest that some species, such as JD's and GT's are simply too big for a 55G. Personally, I would never consider putting any fish that had the potential to grow over 10" into a 55G, unless I knew I could upgrade the tank when the time came.
OK, that's the end of my Christmas morning thoughts. Have fun stocking your tank !
i don't want to start a fight but i disagree that you can not put a or gt in a 55 gallon tank they uassaly get 8 inches but sometimes 10 inches and female gt only get 10 inches and males only get 12 inches jds only get 8-10 inches
That's fair enough, and yes, I was talking about the maximum size (i.e. large males) of each species.
Ultimately, I know that I prefer to give fish a little more space than many others do. That'll come down to what each aquarist is happy with though.
Gold Saum, can't go wrong! Beautiful fish.
^^ +1 Gold Saum Green Terror with a pair of blue acaras would look amazing in a 55g
Gt's are slow growers anyways..It took over a year for my female GT to grow 5 in half inches, so yes you can get away with having a GT in the 55 gallon, but if you wanted other tank mates with that GT, then you're looking for trouble.My female GT may of been the best cichlid I owned out of any of the others I have right now, but she didn't hesitate to shred my male Texas for territory.
