Help with GT/JD

[Backfromthedead]

Nice thanks for the info! What tank size are you looking for your JD?



Im looking for a solo JD/GT. Thanks for reply anyway.



Thanks for the info! Would the tank size suffice a GT with a few dithers? How many do you think realistically could go in?

i would really like a 85 tall (36x18x30) but more realistically it will be either a 56 column (30x18x24) or a 65 (36x18x24). any of these would be good for a jd, 6-7 rainbows, and a catfish of some kind in my estimation. i don't think jds require a particularly long tank though i know others may disagree. ive read the whole 4x4x4' territory but that is quite excessive imo for a home aquarium.

ive also considered a 33 long or a 46 bowfront for a single jd and catfish.

 

[Vaskov]

i would really like a 85 tall (36x18x30) but more realistically it will be either a 56 column (30x18x24) or a 65 (36x18x24). any of these would be good for a jd, 6-7 rainbows, and a catfish of some kind in my estimation. i don't think jds require a particularly long tank though i know others may disagree. ive read the whole 4x4x4' territory but that is quite excessive imo for a home aquarium.

ive also considered a 33 long or a 46 bowfront for a single jd and catfish.

Nice! Im not sure about tank sizes really i asked in a few places and they said 120cm min but alot of websites have different requirements so its easy to say buy a massive aquarium but not always practical. Im just waiting to get plenty of rock and driftwood in place before I think about fish. Luckily my other tank is set up and I can use the filter sponges to cycle the new one(old one has spare filter in)

 

[duanes]

It is a myth to say GTs are soft water fish, just because they are S American.
They are not really from the Amazon side, but from west of the Andes, and as neutrino said, comfortable in waters that are harder and more alkaline, like the waters on that side of the Andes.
And I also agree you should be tailoring your fish, to fit your tap water, not the other way around.
There are plenty of soft water species available that would actually fit better in your tank. The Amazonia dwarfs, keyholes, Guianacara,etc etc
As as far as territory goes, footprint is much more important the depth.
Below a couple Guianacara, and a smallish pike cichlids that would better fit the bill, for your size tank.

 

[Vaskov]

It is a myth to say GTs are soft water fish, just because they are S American.
They are not really from the Amazon side, but from west of the Andes, and as neutrino said, comfortable in waters that are harder and more alkaline, like the waters on that side of the Andes.
And I also agree you should be tailoring your fish, to fit your tap water, not the other way around.
There are plenty of soft water species available that would actually fit better in your tank. The Amazonia dwarfs, keyholes, Guianacara,etc etc
As as far as territory goes, footprint is much more important the depth.
Below a couple Guianacara, and a smallish pike cichlids that would better fit the bill, for your size tank.

Thanks for the reccomendation I had a quick look at the suggested species and found they looked quite bland other than some that wouod be too large for the tank. I have a second tank already set up with dwarf cichlids so as far as they go im not really interested in setting up another dwarf cichlid tank.

With this tank im more focusing on the largest fish I can fit with the most color or personality.

Thanks for the reply anyway!

 

[philipraposo1982]

Disclaimer: my advice is based on my own experience with my.gt that I have had since he was 2".

I have a standard 75g and that seems like plenty of space for my fish. Mind you his day if spent at the glass observing and interacting with us. He doesn't just do laps in the tank, like never. My gt is active but not in the sense that he swims.constantly.from.end to
end of his tank, but rather just engaging with us constantly.

It's because of my.experience that I would say your tank size of probably good for a solo gt. Also keep in mind I have rarely seen a gt that is 10"

As for water hardness, I keep mine in hard water 8ph.

I am currently growing out some.clown loaches with him. He ignores them completely. He was also with a group of synodontis petricola before that, again with no issues.

Originally I had bought 6 green terrors to pair up and keep the best male and female. I ended up with a breeding pair but they were extremely hard on eachother during pre and post spawns. To much aggression and one would of got killed in time I think.

So I keep a solo male and I don't regret it one bit. He is an amazing wetpet. Mine love to play around and with some.fake.plants i.put in his tank.

I made him.a nice big cave but he is never in it. Doesn't like too.much flow either.

 

[Vaskov]

Disclaimer: my advice is based on my own experience with my.gt that I have had since he was 2".

I have a standard 75g and that seems like plenty of space for my fish. Mind you his day if spent at the glass observing and interacting with us. He doesn't just do laps in the tank, like never. My gt is active but not in the sense that he swims.constantly.from.end to
end of his tank, but rather just engaging with us constantly.

It's because of my.experience that I would say your tank size of probably good for a solo gt. Also keep in mind I have rarely seen a gt that is 10"

As for water hardness, I keep mine in hard water 8ph.

I am currently growing out some.clown loaches with him. He ignores them completely. He was also with a group of synodontis petricola before that, again with no issues.

Originally I had bought 6 green terrors to pair up and keep the best male and female. I ended up with a breeding pair but they were extremely hard on eachother during pre and post spawns. To much aggression and one would of got killed in time I think.

So I keep a solo male and I don't regret it one bit. He is an amazing wetpet. Mine love to play around and with some.fake.plants i.put in his tank.

I made him.a nice big cave but he is never in it. Doesn't like too.much flow either.

Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to write up your experiences! It seems to be the general census that a GT has a bit more personality from what I can gather based on yours and others' experiences including from other forums.

I have struggled to find another suitable fish of similar size than the 2 mentioned so I think ill check my LFS for stocks when the time is right and the tanks properly set up.

How does your GT fare with plants does he move them and uproot them?

Thanks again

 

[Gourami Swami]

i would really like a 85 tall (36x18x30) but more realistically it will be either a 56 column (30x18x24) or a 65 (36x18x24). any of these would be good for a jd, 6-7 rainbows, and a catfish of some kind in my estimation. i don't think jds require a particularly long tank though i know others may disagree. ive read the whole 4x4x4' territory but that is quite excessive imo for a home aquarium.

ive also considered a 33 long or a 46 bowfront for a single jd and catfish.

Just a bit of friendly advice, 33 long would not be enough space for a male JD. I have a 33 long and have grown a cichlid to 7" in it, and t at which point it was too small. That fish was a skinny juvenile, I can't imagine a bulky adult JD in there. Female would probably be fine tho.

To the OP, some more suggestions for cichlids that would be better in this size tank:
C. Sajica
Salvini
Centrarchus
Hericthys Deppi
Hericthys tamasopoensis

 

[philipraposo1982]

My gt only has fake plants with him. He drags em and pulls em all over the tank. Sometimes just attacks the leaves lol.

You can try some.plants and he may be fine.

 

[Vaskov]

Just a bit of friendly advice, 33 long would not be enough space for a male JD. I have a 33 long and have grown a cichlid to 7" in it, and t at which point it was too small. That fish was a skinny juvenile, I can't imagine a bulky adult JD in there. Female would probably be fine tho.

To the OP, some more suggestions for cichlids that would be better in this size tank:
C. Sajica
Salvini
Centrarchus
Hericthys Deppi
Hericthys tamasopoensis

Thanks for the suggestions. I had a look at the fish mentioned and none of them screamed out to me but I appriciate the suggestions! Had the majority come back and said the tank was too small I would leave it but the mass of answers ive got from forums and websites have all said it would be OK for a single so the chances are now unless something drastically changes and I see a fish I havent before thats big and colorful I think its gonna be a GT most likely and if I cant find a GT thats small, healthy and local then a JD.

Thanks for the advice though.

My gt only has fake plants with him. He drags em and pulls em all over the tank. Sometimes just attacks the leaves lol.

You can try some.plants and he may be fine.

Nice! Thanks for the information I just picked up a few bits of wood to start making the tank something like!

 

[MrsE88]

I have live plants with my gts. Vallisneria is the only plant they haven’t killed by uprooting or shredding. They(mostly my male) pulles a few leaves out here and there but nothing that kills the plant.

I also agree that gts are more lively and active then jds. My jack only ever hid under rocks and in caves. Even when she was alone in a tank she never swam around. Beautiful fish, but very boring.
My gts are always swimming around and active. Plus they interact with me and I love that