tank mate for my mean JD?

[DMD123]

I looked at the syndo cats but they are not CA/SA and I wanted to keep it from that region.

I'm in the same boat. I want to add a cat to my tank but want to stay SA/CA also. A friend of mine has a synodontis cat with a huge Buttikoferi and it does not come near it. The big spines protect it well. But then again thats a perfect African mix. With a bigger tank you might consider a spotted or 4 line pim. Thant is what I'm considering; if I can ever find a store with one.

 

[HrHagel]

I wouldn't add anything else cichlid-wise until you get that larger tank. And if you want your best chance to keep him with another cichlid or two you should definitely go with the 120.

this

 

[eatingleg4peanut]

Everyone is saying upgrade, and you of course should but this may help reduce the aggression of your Jack. Take him out of the tank for a week in a temp tank/container. Do a major water change in the 55, rearrange the entire tank, add long flowy plants to break line of site, have small hiding caves he cant fit in but others can. Put in the new fish first let them be for a few days. Add him and it may work since he is encroaching in there territory and they are not encroaching on his territory. I had a killer male jack 8", killed everything including larger red devils and an equal GT. About 3 months ago i tested him in a 55 tank of juvy cichlids and oddballs. He did not kill anybody, he chased but once line of site broke he gave up, he eventually stopped caring about them realizing they were not threats and they swam together in harmony. He is now in a 125 with some of these same cichlids and is now a big gentle jack. I personally dont reccomend keeping a jack with only one other cichlid in any size tank do to the full focus of aggression being on eachother, but obviosly a 55 is not enough room for several large adult cichlids, so you will need a upgrade in the future regardless, but this may help you with aggression.

 

[Sab_Fan]

the above post is a very good idea, and def. worth trying ... would not add any fish, whether cichlids or silver dollars, as you already have enough stock in that 55G tank ...

wait until you upgrade to add fish ... too often we buy stock for the tank we want to have, and not the one we actually have ...