Help with JD setup.

[Vaskov]

Hello all.
After much help and advice and many hours looking up different fish I have my eyes set on getting a JD for my 240l roma tank. The tank is 120cm x 40cm x 55cm LxWxH.

I was wondering if I get a JD for the tank is there room for any other fish and what would be good suggestions? What fish could live for life in this tank with a JD?

Is there anything specific to know about JDs its my first.

Cheers!

 

[dan518]

If you can get 6 juvi jd and let 2 pair up.
I think in that size tank a nice breeding pair would work best.

 

[Vaskov]

If you can get 6 juvi jd and let 2 pair up.
I think in that size tank a nice breeding pair would work best.

How difficult is it to get them to pair and sex them? Would they pair early?

Thanks for the reply

 

[dan518]

Very easy to pair, group of six or more juvis, lots and lots of hiding places in the tank and you will normally get a compatible pair when they get about 4 inch, then remove the rest.

 

[Hidan]

If your not looking to breed them, you can try one other semi aggressive cichlids as his tank mate. Check out what you like.

Though nobody can give you fail safe names of which fish would work out as each cichlid has a different personality and sometimes you get the friendliest fish from a species known to not live with others and other times you get very aggressive fish from species who are known as being relatively peaceful.

 

[Vaskov]

Very easy to pair, group of six or more juvis, lots and lots of hiding places in the tank and you will normally get a compatible pair when they get about 4 inch, then remove the rest.

Id have to look into local stock and if I could get rid of the others then! I think id struggle to get rid but I can ask the local fish stores if they would help, they can only say no! Thanks for the help!

If your not looking to breed them, you can try one other semi aggressive cichlids as his tank mate. Check out what you like.

Though nobody can give you fail safe names of which fish would work out as each cichlid has a different personality and sometimes you get the friendliest fish from a species known to not live with others and other times you get very aggressive fish from species who are known as being relatively peaceful.

Thanks! If I cant get rid of the extra fish I would have to look at other cichlids. I didnt think the tank was big enough for 2 being only 4ft but its great that it is! As a general reference sake what maximum size should I look at for fitting in that tank to live alongside a JD?

Thanks!

 

[Hidan]

I'd say look at Oscar, Firemouth, Severums, Texas etc. (others may have better suggestions) Basically something that won't grow too huge or are just too aggressive (like Jaguar, Dovii, Red Devils)

Again there is no guarantee any of these fish will get along with the JD as it often depends on the temperament of each individual fish.
I had 4 grown Oscars living peacefully in a tank while many here have stated that its difficult to keep 2 together (all 4 were best of friends).

In short that JD may turn out to be a bully who won't be willing to live with anyone else (in which case remove the other fish), or may be a pacifist who doesn't mind company (perfect for you) or may well be the one getting bullied(remove the other fish and try a different one).

Key for you is providing these cichlids plenty of hiding places (early on) as well as obstacles in the tank that block the direct line of sight of the fish, so the fish can run and hide when one of them gets aggressive.

 

[duanes]

In nature, JDs live surrounded by shoals of live bearers (Velifora mollies, Gambusia), usually the population of mollies is about 10 to 1 JD. They also share habitat with Rhamdia catfish, although a 240L is probably too small for JDs to tolerate any tankmates.
To me, a 240 L is too small for the adult size of JDs, healthy males will reach @ 10", females slightly smaller.
A friend of mine was able to keep a males with a harem of 3 or four females in a slightly larger tank, because the availability of more than 1 female spread out aggression.
below a video I shot of JD habitat in Mexico, few other cichlids there.
Eden2
and another below where they share habitat with other cichlids, and don't do as well, because the other cichlids dominate
027 zps4b102ffd

 

[Gourami Swami]

I agree with Dan, this tank size would be best for a pair of JDs. Most fish stores will take in fish on donation, some will even give you a couple bucks credit.
Or a single JD with some livebearers like swordtails would be a good natural-looking setup (they live together in the wild). It's only 65 gallons, forget the Oscar or texas or other large cichlid with the JD's, it's not enough room.