Gold Saum and Jack Dempsey

[trashcan]

I'm trying to find the right combination of cichlids for my 55 gallon aquarium. I know that once these fish are full grown, they will obviously need bigger tanks. However, for compatibility reasons I may need to move them to either separate tanks or a bigger one sooner. I currently have in my very overstocked 55 gallon:

3 jaguar cichlids (one @ 2", 2 @ 1")
2 *male* Jack Dempsies @ 3.5"
1 gold saum (might be male) @ 3.5"
3 Jurupari (sp) @ 2"

All of these fish get along great except for the Gold Saum and the Jack Dempsies. There used to be just one Jack Dempsey in this aquarium, but since recently the GS and JD have been fighting, chasing each other around the aquarium (the dominant one seems to change every day). I added the second JD to help even the odds since the the gold saum has a bit more weight even though they are about the same length. All the second JD does is hide and display submissive colors though.

Can there be peace in this aquarium? Would taking the fish out and reintroducing them at the same time help? I understand there will always be some aggression, but I hate to see the fish hiding all the time or with torn fins. Or would introducing a female JD help encourage the dempsies to be more assertive? Or maybe replace the male jack dempsies with femalse and move the male ones to a different aquarium.

Sorry for typing an essay. Until recently these fish were getting along great, so if can peace can be restored please let me know. Otherwise I suppose its time to upgrade to a larger aquarium.

 

[HiImSean]

with those fish in that sized aquarium, no. do you have alot of hiding spots and different areas in the tank, rockwork, plants driftwood. they could just be trying to claim the same spot in the tank. i would upgrade now or spread them out in a few tanks until you can upgrade

 

[trashcan]

I think it has a good amount of hiding spots. Here is the current setup and one of the JDs at home. Sorry I haven't quite mastered fish photography.

Also behind the fake sword plant is a little cave I made from the cover of the APR test kit, heh.

 

[Dmaan.]

the 2 fish are fighting for dominance right now.
sounds like the gt is winning.
the fish are still young though and things may change over time.

 

[hailmike]

i agree with sean and once you upgrade get dithers. i've found that that works a lot with shy cichlids.

 

[Dmaan.]

nice tank btw.
that tanks look much bigger than it is lol.
the little jags give it away though.

 

[Dmaan.]

i agree with sean and once you upgrade get dithers. i've found that that works a lot with shy cichlids.

DOLLARS

 

[trashcan]

I personally hope that one of the JDs ends up being the dominant one. It seems like the GS is much more aggressive when its dominant. Plus it has very nice dominant colors.

I just looked up silver dollars. They look like they get every bit as big as the Jack Dempsies. Are they ever aggressive?

 

[Dmaan.]

dollars?
they get about 6-7".

silver dollars aren't aggressive at all.
community fish!
many use them for dithers, others just like them in their tanks.
i'd get like 5-7, they school and they can handle aggression pretty good.

i have 2 that i'm growing up, i'm trying to get more.

 

[HiImSean]

from your FTS, all 9 in that tank are getting too big. i would seriously consider upgrading or selling of some of your stock. the fighting will get worse and someone will eventually die from the fighting. just wait till the jags get froggy.