# cichlids for 55



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well where to start, my name is phillip im new to the forum, but *** been keeping fish for about 12 years. *** mainly always kept cichlids, but i stop keeping fish for about a year now im ready to jump back into it. so *** pulled my 55 gallon out of storage and am working on setting it up. so im here for some ideas, *** always kept the more common cichlids jds, cons and such, but now i would like something not so common.


----------



## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *iknowjack*,

Welcome to the forum. There are many less "popular" cichlids in the Archocentrus family that would do well and breed in your 55 gallon, http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/results.php.

However, if you look around and give us a better idea of what you want to do with your tank many people will be able to help.

Keep us posted on your thoughts.

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well, what i would like to do is 1 green texas 1 jd and 1 con, does this have any chance of working longterm if not other cichlids i like are, blue acaras, green terrors, salvinis, nics, firemouths, cutteri. also would sand be better than gravel, and would an ac110 be enough filtration for a 55 gallon.


----------



## thinking_fish (Aug 13, 2007)

Do you plan on doing any breeding? or show tank only?


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

show tank only no breeding, but i was also wondering if a single blackbelt could work longterm


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well, let me clear a few things up, the tank is a standard 55 gallon, next, the fish i like are green texas, con, jd, fm, sal, gt, reg. texas, blackbelt, nics, cutteri, labridens. i would like to have either the green texas and 1 or 2 others, or a single wet pet blackbelt, or reg. texas if possible


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

I'd say go for the wet pet cause in a55 your opoins are pretty slim IMO on a community Long term. 
Here's a few opions I would try

1: Texas with giant danios or rainbows
2: firemouth and cutteri community
3: Male NIC and Male or female cons community. Females stay smaller and have better colors so thats the way I would go.
4: Blackbelt grow out until around 9" then a bigger tank.

Just some food for thought a long term black belt in a 55 is not going to work just because of size. as far as texas and other cichlidsd your asking for trouble because the tex will almost max out the bio load and the usable space for this tank.

Good luck and keep us updated as things progress.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

thank you for the advice. thats what i thought about the blackbelt too, since in only looking to have this 1 tank set up ill skip on the blackbelt until i have a big enough tank to properly house it. so i have a few ideas

1) texas with dithers
2) texas by itself
3) smaller cichlid community cons, fms and such
4) would a green terror be doable in this size tank as a wet pet for longterm


----------



## Leucistic Guy (Jul 8, 2009)

Texas & cons work for me.
I've had them spawn by accident so make sure it's all males or all females.
A GT would be nice too. How about a GT with a bunch of female cons?
I really don't think the GT will try to spawn with the cons.(@ least mine never tried)
I use cons as dithers, they're quick & feisty enough to fend for themselves.
They were meant as feeders but the ones who make it turn into dithers.


----------



## fishluvr12 (May 11, 2007)

Gt will get too big even by itsself and even a lone texas is really pushing it. Since You like black belts look into a v heterospilis. Very nice looking viega but stays smaller and less agressive


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well, im thinking i want to have a wet pet in this tank, although the idea of having a few smaller cichlids looks pretty good, im leaning more towards wet pet, so i would like to have either a single texas or green terror but im not sure if its a good idea. another fish i like is a. robertsoni. im sure im probably forgetting some fish that could work as a wet pet so mabey yall could throw out some ideas. also please feel free to say what you would do if this was your tank, although im leaning more towards wet pet im not ruleing out a community of smaller cichlids.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

just a little update, my new filter will be here tomorrow, so ill be setting up the tank this weekend. *** decided to go with gravel, and plenty of driftwood. now i do have a couple of questions.

1) since the tank is starting up from stratch, which method of cycling would be best.

2) stocking wise i think im gonna go with a texas cichlid, so can anyone share the experiences with texas cichlids, and which one would be a better choice, carpintis, or, cyanoguttatus.


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

As far as cycling I haven't doneit in such a long time , other then putting an old filter from another tank on the new one, that i would not be much help here.

As for the texas I think the carpinte would be the best for this set up. how do you plan on keeping the ph and hardness up? Just a thought a little crushed coral works wonders for me.

I have kept carpinte in a 55 several times and always had a nice wet pet experince with it. They are active and aggressive and with males they don't hide much once they hit 6". They grow fast to this point so it would be great. I suggest so dithers though. Giant anios or rainbows are nice and fast. Be ready to remove the drift wood though witin a year cause the texas is going to need the room. Mine got to about 8"-9" in this time and they look crapped with a lot of decor.

Well hope it all goes well for you and post pics as you progress. you know theres nothing we like more then following a good story unfold


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

Oh ya, by the way go with black gravel. The colors will be just beautiful on your texas.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

thanks for the help, i am going with black gravel, i think im gonna go with the carpinte, i do like the cyno, i kept one years ago and it was an awsome fish but i think a cyno may get a little to big.

as far as cycling goes, i dont have any other tanks to pull anything from, so ill have to cycle from stratch. i was looking at a product called terta safe start has anyone used it before and does it actually work.

oh and i do have another question if i dont go with a texas, would a robertsoni work out as a wet pet longterm, and if so could anyone share thier experiences with it.


----------



## Jason_S (Apr 4, 2004)

robertsoni would work fine, imo, in a 55 gallon as a single fish. males will max out around 8-9" though slightly larger is possible. however ime they are not much of a wet pet as they aren't as personable as other medium-large cichlids. I think the carpintis or green terror would be the best bet.

a male salvini would also work but i don't have any experience with them to know how personable they are.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

okay guys even though im pretty sure im gonna be getting a texas, im still throwing around ideas, some ideas i have are,

1) single texas with giant dainos or rainbows.

2) single green terror

3) robertsoni with or without tankmates

4) jd and salvini

out of these i leaning more towards number 1 but i really would like to have a gt if it can live in the tank for life with no problems. so which has the best chance of working long term and which would you do.

also has anybody used tetra safestart to cycle a tank and does it work


----------



## jms2010 (Feb 4, 2010)

If you want a personable, active, beautiful, and less common wet pet then you should try an Electric Blue JD.  Great fish, works comfortably long term in a 55.

If you have your heart set on the green texas then dont mind me, I've just been pushing this fish because of how much *** enjoyed mine


----------



## jms2010 (Feb 4, 2010)

This fish is also more mild than the regular JD so you may be able to pull off a salvini with it. and the giant danios as well.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

ok guys im back with a couple of proposed stock list and questions, first stock.

1) single texas with dithers

2) single green terror with dithers

3) jack dempsey or electric blue jack and blue acara with dithers

now for the questions

1) will a ac110 be enough filtration

2) whats the best way to cycle the tank ( i dont have any seeded material to help cycle either)

3) has anybody used tetra safe start and does it work


----------



## Jason_S (Apr 4, 2004)

imo any of your 3 proposed stock lists would work so it's just a matter of which you prefer.

as to your questions...

1) yes it should be...just keep up with water changes, but I'd tell you that no matter what filtration you ran on it 

2) without any seeded material your best bet would be to get the dithers first and let them cycle the tank....get them small and only around 6 or so. it's going to take a while for 6 small fish to cycle a 55.

3) nope *edit to rephrase...your question was has anybody used it. I can't say nope because I can only speak for myself which is what i meant but didn't want to leave it ambiguous. :lol:


----------



## sunan (Apr 9, 2010)

In 1954, perch - a large carnivorous greed bass, can grow to 70 kilograms - were introduced in Victoria
Elijah Lake, they eat and drink of the Lai poor fish, more than half of Korea fish extinct. But the perch is excellent eating fish, they become local money tree, fish processing factories have established them as the savior of the local people.

Victoria shoreline deforestation led to soil erosion, lake eutrophication, the situation is even worse, in turbid water where fish can not distinguish between Korea and began cross each other, worse, too much algae consume oxygen , leading to a large number of fish died.

Evolution is such a miracle in the hands of destruction, when, after the Earth upside down, perhaps we will realize that there is no cichlids amazing adaptability. :fish:


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

ok guys another update( sorry no pics) i got the gravel and filter today, but didnt get anything done to the tank cause i didnt get off work till 7 pm but i should be able to get the gravel in the tank tomorrow after i get off. so im thinking im gonna go with 1 gt and some dithers. now if i get the tank setup by monday should i go right out and get the dithers to cycle the tank or should i wait.


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

I still think the texas with dithers would be the best IMO. 
But since your going with a green terror now I say get a know male, he will max out your tank but maybe you'll get lucky and get one with some attitude. All the ones I have had were whips who hid a lot. so from personal experence I don't have a fondness for them other then the colors. But who knows you might get one that you love a lot, hope you do.

As far as cycling I say try some "cycle" I recall using it many years ago and it did help the cycle proccess, I didn't loose any fish any way. But start out with your dithers so your not out a lot if they pass away prematurly.


----------



## Blademan (Sep 20, 2008)

I recommend fishless cycling. You can start right away, sacrifice no fish, and it works great. Each time I've done it, the tank cycled in 10 days. Get a good test kit. Use ammonia with nothing added,
(ace hardware). One drop per gallon/per day, or keep the waters am. level at 5ppm. Monitor the water for when the nitrate spikes, and cut the amm. in half, but still adding every day. When your amm. level is 0 for 2 days, do a 50% water change and add fish. You can maintain your cycled aquarium as long as you want, by adding amm. daily.

Day one-55 drops, day 2-55 drops etc... till the nitrates start to spike (probably around day 7).
Then 27 drops per day till the amm. reads 0 for two days. Don't add amm. the day you want to add fish, but instead, test for 0 amm., 50% wc. Add all fish you want. Obviously, don't add anymore amm. :thumb:


----------



## Bkeen (Mar 13, 2009)

I'd suggest what someone stated early in the thread- a Thorichthys species and cutteri community, maybe some mixteco gold with some cutteri?



















If you do a texas- get an escondido or a turquiose: :drooling: :drooling:


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well first of the tank is now set up and running, so now i just gotta cycle it. so now lets get to the stock, i was gonna get a green terro but after seeing alot of pics and videos of some real brutes i dont think a gt would be that wise of a choice for a 55 gallon, i think it would look to cramped, when it reaches adult size.

so now im rethinking the stock, i think i want to have more than just one cichlid, so out of these which ones would work out best together, nic, jd, con, cutteri, blue acara, fm, vieja heterospilus, sal, im sure there are some more im forgetting.

also what would be some good dithers, and if i cycle with fish should i get the dithers first


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

I would go for a combo of females. Nic, Con, and Sal. All have goos colors and about the same aggression.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

well bigjaglover that is a pretty good idea, but i do have a few more ideas, so

1) grammodes, can it live in a 55 and could it have any tankmates

2) robertsoni and tankmates

3) amphilophus alfari and tankmates

or 1 of these 3 fish with no tankmates


----------



## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

This is sad  I just got a new 55g that i thought was 60.

Its 48 x 15.5 x 17

I wanted to get some kind of community tank going but as i see here it might just be impossible unless i go African. I am not a fan of African cichlids and i already have a ram angel tank. so another one would be redundant.

A friend of mine suggested:

5 firemouth's 3 females 2 males. ( im thinking 1 male 4 females )
6 congo tetra's 
2 bushynose pleco's

Does this sound possible?


----------



## BigJagLover (Oct 25, 2006)

Well with the new info you have provided i'd have to say the robersoni and grammodes jump out at me the most as i don't have any experence with alfari's.

A 55 would be big enough for both of the other 2 for sure. I do see a problem though. The grammodes would not let any other fish live in his tank long term and they can, not very often, but they can get to around 11" for males. The rorbertsoni will do great depending on his temperment with dithers like giant danios or rainbows. The grammi could have dithers or /and a mate for a while as they grow slow but it will not work out in the very long term as they are super aggressive for the most part IMO. I've had a couple 5" male push around 7" jack dempseys in my 125 and push around an 11" female flowerhorn in my 75 gallon. But i would try it out and see if you can make it work for you. A lot of tall thin leaved fake plants on the back and sides would go along way for the dithers, as far as life exspectency goes.

Keep us updated and we'll keep giving you opinions.


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

first off i want to thank everyone that has helped, now im still not sure what i want to do with the tank but since it just started cycling i got plenty of time.

now all of the fish i like are, blue acara, dwarf acaras, pikes, green terrors, rams, all of the archocentrus, amphilophus alfari(pastel cichlid), robertsoni, jack dempsey, salvini, mayan cichlid, texas, rainbow cichlid, nics, neets, theraps lentiginosus(big blue), elliots cichlid, firemouth, thorichthys pasionis, grammodes,

some of thesee im sure will get too big, but thought id ask anyway, now what would be the best stocklist, basically what would you do if this was your tank.

keep in mind my tank is only a standard 55 gallon,


----------



## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *iknowjack*,

Although i have not tried it, I have been contemplating using a 55g for a female salvini and a pair of cons. With cons i much prefer female cons, and having con fry is not that lucrative or important. So i was also thinking rather than a pair of cons, to do three female cons with the salvini. It depends if you want to see breeding in your tank. As for non cichlids, i would add a school of 8 giant danios and a pleco.

This is what i have been contemplating doing with my 55g once it frees up.

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

vieja heterspilus anybody keep these any info on them, most of what i read says they get about 9 inches would 1 be good in a 55 gallon for life with tankmates


----------



## iknowjack (Apr 5, 2010)

whats up everybody, after speading today reading about different cichlids i like, i came up with a list

robertsoni
jack dempsey
blue acara
nic
con
firemouth
hrp
cutteri
sal

so out of these what would be the best stock for my tank.


----------

