Green Terror or Oscar

[Jexnell]

The problem I have learned with big fish in small tanks is the amount of work involved to keep the conditions healthy. Where as if you go small you can get other small fish along with it to have more activity and more enjoyable since your not doing water changes every day.

I would go with one of the smaller Convict cousins Honduran Red Points or Nanolutea. Add in 6 or so live barers like Plattys, Molly's a single hoplo catfish or busynose pleco.

Or you could do an African version with Jewel cichlids, Congo tetras or African Red eyed tetras and a smaller Synadonis catfish.

 

[biguebs]

I personally wouldn't recommend a Jack Dempsey, they get far too large for a 44g tank. Usually your looking at a fish that can get anywhere between 8-10in on average. My first jack I had was 10 years old and ended up being 14in, he was honestly a monster compaired to almost any other jack Dempsey but he was also the nicest one I had, all the others were extremely aggressive.

Personally I would either go with a salvini or a convict. They stay recently small but retain a massive personality for their size.

14” !! Wow that’s really a monster JD

I haven’t ever kept a JD in anything less than a 55. I would admit that a 44 is too small if you end up with a larger male. Was trying to suggest something smaller than what he was thinking and different than what had been suggested. Salvini definitely seems like best choice.

 

[Fishnerd360]

What about dwarf pike cichlids, you could get a pair and a school of Columbian tetras with some bristle nose plecos.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

14” !! Wow that’s really a monster JD

I haven’t ever kept a JD in anything less than a 55. I would admit that a 44 is too small if you end up with a larger male. Was trying to suggest something smaller than what he was thinking and different than what had been suggested. Salvini definitely seems like best choice.

Yeah honestly I don't think I'll ever find a jack that's was nearly as big or beautiful as he was. He was such a chill fish too, all he wanted to do was be just left alone by the other fish and be able to sit on his perch. Even had ½in fish in living with him and he wouldn't even bat an eye at em. Sucks I don't have him anymore but atleast he had a nice long life compaired to allot of others.