55 Gallon Tank, medium size cichlids?
- Thread starter CichlidFan779
- Start date
^^^ you just never know until you try...
here's my take on it.....it's going to be trial and error and just because it works this week, doesnt mean it'll work next week. With cichlids, you never know. i have a 90 gallon that i'm having a hard time keeping a 3"convict, 4"firemouth and a 4" white saum. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to have to rehome somebody, because the firemouth is just an ass. Every fish is different and every combo is different as well.
Ironically enough, this same tank at one point housed those three fish plus a 5"jd and a 5" Midas and even though it was less problematic, it was far from a relaxed and easy going tank. Cichlids require space and some fish of the same species will require more than others. Personally, I think if you try to house any other fish with a salvini pair in a 55, it's eventually going to be a war zone. Pound for pound, salvinis in breeding mode are some of the most aggressive cichlids going. just my 2c of course.....
Id pick a pair of something you like and add some other non cichlid fish to the mix....
here's my take on it.....it's going to be trial and error and just because it works this week, doesnt mean it'll work next week. With cichlids, you never know. i have a 90 gallon that i'm having a hard time keeping a 3"convict, 4"firemouth and a 4" white saum. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to have to rehome somebody, because the firemouth is just an ass. Every fish is different and every combo is different as well.
Ironically enough, this same tank at one point housed those three fish plus a 5"jd and a 5" Midas and even though it was less problematic, it was far from a relaxed and easy going tank. Cichlids require space and some fish of the same species will require more than others. Personally, I think if you try to house any other fish with a salvini pair in a 55, it's eventually going to be a war zone. Pound for pound, salvinis in breeding mode are some of the most aggressive cichlids going. just my 2c of course.....
Id pick a pair of something you like and add some other non cichlid fish to the mix....
The rds are around 5months old, the jag is 3 months old the cons are roughly a year old. The Texas was a second hand rescue fish of unknown age but I have had it around 8 months. Territory is something that can be dealt with. With nothing to claim in the tank besides open water, the cichlids in my experience just dig pits in the sand and wait for me to feed them. The fish are all active and aggression is not an issue with nothing to fight over.
@JC he is planning on a single male salvini not a pair
@OP i would stay away from adding the bp, i think that would put your bioload way over the top and since they cant actually close their mouths properly it wouldnt be able to properly defend itself against the others
@OP i would stay away from adding the bp, i think that would put your bioload way over the top and since they cant actually close their mouths properly it wouldnt be able to properly defend itself against the others
ahh...i see
well, I can tell you i had a salvini in the same 90 about a year ago. Firemouth terrorized the salvini so bad that even after i removed the salvini, he died in qt about a week after. i'm not saying not to try it, just pointing out it might not work based on my personal experience.
I say go for it, but be ready to move somebody if things get weird.....
at the pet store the blood parrots are sold @ 4 inches long, convicts @ 1 or 2 inches long, firemouth @ 2 inches long, and salvini @ 2 or 3 inches long, the senegal bichir are @ 3 inches long, will they all be compatible right away at those sizes? and will the blood parrot have an easier life because he started out and got the largest? and will a convict be too aggressive for the parrot? would the parrot be a better idea or would an extra firemouth be better? another issue is i don't know if i should have a gravel bottom or a sand bottom, thanks!
no blood parrot imo. they are ugly hybrids and the tank will be very very full with what you wanted before. its really up to you but once those fish get bigger the tank will start to look smaller and smaller. i have my 10 inch umbee in a 6 foot 150 and hes already starting to make that look small.
thanks, i like parrots, but i'll decide if i want a parrot at the time i get the tank, and should i have gravel or sand?
It depends on the situation. I had adult pair in a 70. Granted larger footprint and 10 more gals. The pair was constantly breeding and was causing havoc in my larger tank. Never piss off a mama jag btw.... Adult male Red devil found out the hard way.
