# Stocking a new 55



## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Well I would be placing a 3" JD, a 3" firemouth, and a 1.5" convict. I have them in a long 40 gal hex right now, but after reading a bunch decided it just wasn't the right thing long term.

I plan on adding a school of buenos aires tetras. 
A small pleco possibly. Something that doesn't get large.

But I wanted to get a jewel as I have noticed my LFS actually has them. Since I'm new to the whole thing I was just wondering what the more experienced might think. I'm not looking for a breeding pair of anything in this setup.


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## Morcs (Jun 1, 2009)

Id get a Salvini over a jewel.

Personal taste, but id ditch the JD and have a Jewel, Sal, FM and Con, with a bristlenose plec, and a shoal of tiger barbs 

Try to get all Female cichlids too if you can. They are smaller (sub 6'')and generally have better colour.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

i also have a breeding pair of JD's but they r still small..... would it b posible 2 put a sal in?? the tank is 55g and the JD's r both 3"-4" give or take


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

seems a little young for jds to be breeding how long have u had them?...didnt u just get them?


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

yeah i just go them but still they r like baby makin machiens they r always doing this lip lock thing so they seem like they r goig to have some littl guys to take care of.... but they still seem a little un easy about the fm in the tank... i am going to get a 3 footer for him and gonna get him a girl... so would it b possible 2 have a sal or a jewl in there??


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

not sure on the sal or jewel sorry....its always hard to tell when ure tryin to have mating goin on in a tank of this size


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

kk thanks i think i might just keep with the pair =] and might con mum into letting me by another tank HAHAHAHA :thumb:


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

another tank is always good :thumb: shoot for a 6 footer.....so many possibilities with a tank this big.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

yeah but remember i am only 15 and have just got a part time job.... i broke a window so i am broke at the moment.... but u know pokemon card i found a stash of those in my coubord and have like 800 and can sell them on e bay for $600+ =] so maby it is just up 2 mum i might b able to get her to help me get it 4 my bday but no promises...


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

didnt know pokemon cards were worth anything especially that much....sounds like a plan tho see how much u can get for em......what i would do is just save up some money and keep ure eye open for a good deal.....*** got people around here always trying to get rid of complete setups for big tanks anywhere from 200 to 500 dollars.....theres a gotta be a deal for ya out there somewhere just be patient.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

kk well in the land of aus people rn't totally crazy about fish.... but i will have a look in the trading post


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Jewels are west african.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Well thank you for the thread hijack

I have never seen a sal in person...so it would be hard for me to decide to go with that route.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

A male sal would not tolorate tank mates in that small of a tank once fully grown. Females will have a darck splotch on their dorsal fin... They stay smaller but can still be nasty...


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Thank you TFG for the info. I understand a Jewel is african but I have seen some used in central tanks. I already have the Jack dempsey, firemouth, and convict I'm not going to ditch anyone. I do like the pictures I see of female sals. But I would have to switch out some fish maybe. I'm not so sure what the firemouth is.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

those jewels can be quite nasty for their size as well :wink:


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

I sayu your fully stocked at the three you have. I had the same set up and I loved it.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

well i am def not getting a jewl then i didn't know that they were afrcan...... thanks for that... i think i might get a 3 fter for the FM and try to get a 5 or 6 fter (if mum lets me, and if i can find a good deal


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

the jewel are west african living in the river and streams.....so not from the lakes although im sure there may be some there......however i had for a long time these fish mixed with my mbuna and got along just fine for quite some times....*** also seen them in various CA and SA setups as well.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Yeah I just really like the color of jewels. I have seen some people mention them for ca tanks so I figured it could be an option. I appreciate all the response though. I seem to be having issues acquiring my 55. Petsmart is out and they were the cheapest around. Maybe its a sign to get the 75. Oh well I'll figure it out then there will be pictures...


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

hahaha maby it is a sign  u should get the 75


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

ever look around on e bay or craiglist?.....*** got great deals on tanks all the time in my area.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Never, ever buy new tanks... there's too many used ones out there!


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Well I understand there are a lot of good deals out there on used tanks. My area of craigslist never has any aquariums and the biggest area from here is st louis. Which is like a 2 hour drive. So I am reluctant to drive up there to spend 100 on someones used 55. Seems a lot of used tanks are very pricey anyway.


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

I totally understand. In my area you are going to spend a couple hundred bucks for a set up. Whether it's a 55g with a stand or a 125g with a stand they are all about the same minimum price. If I have the time I wait for Petco's twice a year "buck a gallon" sale.

If I drive to Phoenix I can get better deals on smaller tanks but four 4-5 hours of driving is time consuming and expensive. With the going rate of $150 for a complete 55g set up at Petsmart that you are guaranteed doesn't leak and you don't have to scrub the **** out of it's hard to pass it up.

Not that I ever plan on having another 55g, but I see what your saying.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Yeah, well I'm all about trying to find the best deal for the money. But since a new 55 is around 130-160 it seems and all the used ones seem to be going for around the same rate from people on craigslist it doesn't seem like its worth the time all the time. I imagine I'll grab one thing or another here in a week. I would like to have a bigger tank like a 125 or so, but I have no means to actually get it to my place since I drive a sedan a 75 is about all I can fit.


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Do the 75g if you can. So many more options. Even my 8in GT looked cramped in the 55g.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Stop encouraging me to go bigger your only aiding my problem... well that's just what the little voice in the back of my head says too

Some pics just for fun.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

how far is carbondale from rockford?.....plenty of deals on tanks up here


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Well it is around 6 hours. My dad lives in Rochelle area actually.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

well there you go....have him get you a deal up here.....i always see em in the paper and on craigslist


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

hay nice little boy fm u got there


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Yeah I don't think I would send my dad driving around looking for tanks for me. But it's worth a try next time I am visiting which really isn't to often. Just mail me one and stamp fragile on the side I'm sure nothing will happen to it.


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Does my jack look male or female to you? Picks on page 2.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

it has heeps of colour on it's gill plate but it isn't like one big blodge.... normally females have little colour in the body and have really bright colour on the gill pl8s so i am not sure but i will have a look at it when it is enlarged


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

if posible could could u try and get a pic o the breeding tube (just infront of the anal fin)


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

Well I have read on here that females normally have color on the gill plates and a darker blacker body. Also they seem to tend to have smeared looking speckles along the lower gill plate. I guess assumed that it was a male with the speckles running down the entire body. But I am by no means any sort of expert on the subject. I just saw an EBJD one day and decided I wanted one. Then I found out they were 40 bucks and died fairly easily so I got myself a regular one to have a go at it.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

i have a breeding pair of JD's but they seem prety stressed in this 55g tak with the firemouh.... i think i am going to remove him.... i really enjoy having the JD's they r really cool fish my two r really easy to tell appart because one has really colourful gill plates and the other has colour all over... and the female has it breeding tube out so that is also a big give away  so if possible if u could get a pic of the area it would give alot of help


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## Morcs (Jun 1, 2009)

salukicichlids said:


> Thank you TFG for the info. I understand a Jewel is african but I have seen some used in central tanks. I already have the Jack dempsey, firemouth, and convict I'm not going to ditch anyone. I do like the pictures I see of female sals. But I would have to switch out some fish maybe. I'm not so sure what the firemouth is.


Jewels go perfectly with the smaller americans. From my experience they are big eaters, never seem to bully though dont react well to being bullied. Beautiful if fed well and happy. Most adults I see at pet stores are a very faded pink. Mine was a brilliant red with lots of blue


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

I enjoy how they look. I saw some at the pet store and thats what has started this thread basically. Plus I now have my 55. If they dont like to be bullied perhaps they are not right for the other fish I already have.


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## jamesman_1994 (Jun 23, 2009)

oh man this sucks.... i think the bond between my small juvie JD's has broken 
the male is dark as night but the female has now gone as white as a ghoste... he chases her a bit, there is a slight tatter on her right fin but otherthan that she if fine. i think he is trying to get her to liplock with him but she is seeing him as a threat, then he gets pissed off and chases her around the tank


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Since he has already said this once...


salukicichlids said:


> Well thank you for the thread hijack


Put this in your own thread. :thumb:


jamesman_1994 said:


> oh man this sucks.... i think the bond between my small juvie JD's has broken
> the male is dark as night but the female has now gone as white as a ghoste... he chases her a bit, there is a slight tatter on her right fin but otherthan that she if fine. i think he is trying to get her to liplock with him but she is seeing him as a threat, then he gets pissed off and chases her around the tank


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## salukicichlids (Apr 16, 2009)

So as discussed before male sal in 55 everything else dies?


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Probably.


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