Schooling fish to go with JD in 55 gal

[rvadog]

Title says it all. I'm getting a free 55 gallon soon and am looking for some advice on a school of fhish to put in with a Jack Dempsey.

I like big fish but feel like a 55gal is too small for any other Cichlid and it would feel baren to just have a 3" JD by its self. What could I put in there with him that would be too big to eat when he's full grown but small enough I could keep a small school. Thanks!

 

[AQUAMONSTER]

Small pike cichlid like a sveni or a bellycrawler along with a school of congo tetras

 

[rvadog]

Congo tetras specifically or any tetras? How about barbs?

 

[jclyde13]

Denison barbs would make a nice addition.

 

[AQUAMONSTER]

Im not a huge fan of barbs unless in a large school. I like the congo tetras because of their finage and colors

 

[jclyde13]

^ Denison barbs are a lot more colorful than congo tetras, imo... to each his own, I guess. lol

 

[rvadog]

Denison barbs would make a nice addition.

I wish I could afford 5 $40 fish...

 

[AQUAMONSTER]

denison barbs



Congo tetra

 

[jclyde13]

Congo tetras specifically or any tetras? How about barbs?

There are multiple species of tetras that would work, but not all (e.g. neons, phantoms, or serpaes might not last long). Congos, black widows, bleeding hearts, silver dollars (Metynnis sp., not Myleus sp.),etc. would all work.

 

[jclyde13]

denison barbs
View attachment 738867


Congo tetra
View attachment 738868

Or, minus the fancy photography techniques:

Denison Barb:
View attachment 738869


Note: To be fair, I used relatively poor quality photos in both examples to demonstrate what they actually look like without special lighting.



Congo Tetra: