# Can A Firemouth Live With Peacocks?



## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

I just picked up a free 55g:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/ ... C_5707.jpg

And it came with 4 tiger barbs, 5 lemon tetras, a 6" pleco and a Firemouth Cichlid.

I have other plans for this tank, so these fish can't stay for long.

I have a 20g that will house the barbs and tetras, but I don't know what to do with the Firemouth...I have another 55g with 12 peacocks(mostly juvie), 5 yellow labs, an immature green terror(will probably be pulling him/her eventually) and a Keyhole.

Assuming there are only going to be two species in the tank(peacocks and labs), would a firemouth live in there with them?


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i wouldn't, i just don't mix lakes/continents


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

cjacob316 said:


> i wouldn't, i just don't mix lakes/continents


For the Firemouth or Peacock's safety?


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

generally speaking, yes my africans seem to be much more aggressive than my firemouths, but i mean, i'm the type that just likes to keep it as natural as i can


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Ok...so people have mixed opinions on this. 
But, Central American cichlids have more similar water requirements (pH, hardness) to Africans (South Americans are totally different--soft water, slightly acidic).

So the Green terror--as a SA cichlid should *not* be with Af. cichs. I would remove this one fast. I think the keyhole is also SA? If so, that should be removed too and put with the GT in their own tank <- Most likely another 55g (4ft).

As far as the firemouth, it's doesn't seem too aggressive...and Peacocks (I've read, I have no experience) can be more peaceful than Mbuna, so it might be OK depending on what species of peacocks you have <- I would find this out and ask more specifically. But, I wouldn't keep the firemouth with labs (though general consensus is that they are less aggressive, mine are just as aggressive as my red zebra). I'd also wait for people with more experience with peacocks to chime in.


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## barbori (Aug 16, 2010)

I have a Fire mouth I saved from a Pet store, and he was getting chewed up and I took him home. He's fine and I have all types of lake malawi cichlids. Granted most are not mature but they are cool and his fins are fine and no nicks on it.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Ok...so people have mixed opinions on this.
> But, Central American cichlids have more similar water requirements (pH, hardness) to Africans (South Americans are totally different--soft water, slightly acidic).
> 
> So the Green terror--as a SA cichlid should *not* be with Af. cichs. I would remove this one fast. I think the keyhole is also SA? If so, that should be removed too and put with the GT in their own tank <- Most likely another 55g (4ft).
> ...


I have Ngara Flametail Peacocks...12 total, 2 confirmed males.

I may just take the GT and keyhole back for some store credit...I hate that though, I love that GT.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I know my GT is gorgeous--3-3.5 inches (so half its full size). And every time I pass the bedroom (it can see me at the doorway) it swims over to say hello and beg for food. But it hides from my boyfriend :lol:

You might be able to trade them too, for a more suitable fish...


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

toume said:


> (South Americans are totally different--soft water, slightly acidic).


Don't generalize about entire continents!!

Green terrors come from very basic, hard water. 
http://translate.google.ca/translat...acara&hl=en&sa=G&rlz=1R2SUNC_enCA355&prmd=ofd
Here's a link to Alf Stalsberg's website, where he lists the actual readings taken from the waters he has collected Andinoacara stalsbergi, a very closely related species to the common green terror (Stalsberg is calling the common green terror A. aequinoctalis) and found in a fairly similar and adjacent area to the common green terror; rivers flowing west ward into the pacific ocean. Note the pH 8.2, dH 31!

Anyways, were talking tank raised, not wild caught fish. Usually, local tap water, declorinated, is more then adequate for most LFS strains. From the LFS, they are all coming from the same water. Of course there are always the few odd delicate fish that just don't do well in either extreme, but in general, hardy LFS strain cichlids are not amongst these fishes.

Can't say from any personel experience whether or not a GT would work out well with peacocks in a 55 gal. though I would think that an FM would have a lot better chance of working out well with peacocks in this size of tank. A keyhole, IMO, is usually just to shy and timid to be with ANY of these fish.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Hm, you may be right (especially about the generalization, sorry about that).

All I noticed is that my attentiveness to pH and water hardness affected the color of my GT. 
He's much more colored up in softer water (whereas out of my tap it's extremely hard).

I was only going by my experience, but you're right that species from SA could have different water parameters.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

bernie comeau said:


> toume said:
> 
> 
> > (South Americans are totally different--soft water, slightly acidic).
> ...


This is kind of what I was thinking...

Although the only fish that messes with the Keyhole is the GT.

I think I'm just going to return the GT and keep the Keyhole for the time being.

How many Green Terrors could I put in a 55g? Is it just one male and one female(or several females until the male finds his mate)?


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## simo1973 (Jul 22, 2007)

1 male only/


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

simo1973 said:


> 1 male only/


Why not 1 female only?


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## mbuna77 (Aug 25, 2010)

I would think adding a female would cause the male to become more aggressive.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

mbuna77 said:


> I would think adding a female would cause the male to become more aggressive.


Aggressive towards her?

I'm asking how many GTs I could put in a GT-exclusive 55g.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

One Firemouth would do okay, and might do fine.

If you cater the tank to the Malawi cichlids, the Firemouth will be fine. Water or food are hardly big issues here. Now if you had 5-6" rowdy Mbuna, I don't know if the Firemouth would do well.


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## mbuna77 (Aug 25, 2010)

I apologize I had misread the post. I thought you asked why you couldn't add a female with the male. So scratch my last post, I read all this in kind of hurry. I'll slow down next time :lol:


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

noki said:


> One Firemouth would do okay, and might do fine.
> 
> If you cater the tank to the Malawi cichlids, the Firemouth will be fine. Water or food are hardly big issues here. Now if you had 5-6" rowdy Mbuna, I don't know if the Firemouth would do well.


Good to hear...The tank will have 12 peacocks(thinned down over time to the proper ratio), 5 yellow labs, a BN and a Firemouth. I'm also going to leave the Keyhole in there and see how he does; if he gets picked on, I'll pull him.



> I apologize I had misread the post. I thought you asked why you couldn't add a female with the male. So scratch my last post, I read all this in kind of hurry. I'll slow down next time


Haha, no problem...I'd still like to know about the number of females I could put with 1 male in a 55g.

Here is the tank the GTs would go in:










I just got it(FREE!), so I'm still working on the aquascape...It looks much better in the dark.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

GT's get to what--11"?...though I've heard people having them get up to more like 13". IME, females top at about 8". In a 55, I wouldn't do more than 2 GTs (you'll probably have a dither fish, right? Barbs, or the like). You could maybe do 2-3 females if you have no other fish (besides bottom feeders). Even then, I think, as they grow, you'd have to seriously consider a 75g upgrade. <- I would repost at the SA thread to get a more experienced answer.

And I'm not surprised the GT picks on only the keyhole. IME, my CA/SA cichlids only see each other as threats and leave all other fish be (even my 2" barbs which are similar-sized). My GT beats up my Con like no other, but I don't know what their conspecific treatment would be (only have the one GT).

In my 55, I have one male GT, one male Con (removed the female b/c it was too much having them breed in the same take with the GT), and a school of 6 tiger barbs. It's fully stocked this way. And actually, I've considered removing the male Con as well.

Good luck with everything!


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

always gotta go with the black or blue paint for a background man


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> GT's get to what--11"?...though I've heard people having them get up to more like 13". IME, females top at about 8". In a 55, I wouldn't do more than 2 GTs (you'll probably have a dither fish, right? Barbs, or the like). You could maybe do 2-3 females if you have no other fish (besides bottom feeders). Even then, I think, as they grow, you'd have to seriously consider a 75g upgrade. <- I would repost at the SA thread to get a more experienced answer.
> 
> And I'm not surprised the GT picks on only the keyhole. IME, my CA/SA cichlids only see each other as threats and leave all other fish be (even my 2" barbs which are similar-sized). My GT beats up my Con like no other, but I don't know what their conspecific treatment would be (only have the one GT).
> 
> ...


You can have tiger barbs with green terrors? What about when the GTs are full size? The TBs could fit in their mouth.

I'd absolutely love to have some tigers in with a couple of GTs(I already have 4 in the tank), but it just seems like once the GTs are 8+ inches, the TBs will start coming up missing.



> always gotta go with the black or blue paint for a background man


It will be blue...The tank is brand new, so I haven't gotten one yet.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

When I put my barbs in the tank--I just wanted something to fill it out, you know? They were all smaller than an inch. My GT was 1.5 (it's now 3+). The barbs normally nip and fight amongst each other, but I've found putting them with something bigger makes them school together (they're always in a cohesive cloud now).

They've been this way for over 6 mos, so I cannot say what will happen long term...but I have other tanks I can move them to, if need be (if you have Af. cichs too--you'd probably have a grow out/hospital tank that could house them for a long enough period for you to locate either a new home, or their own tank, worst case).

From what I've seen, occasionally they nip at my GT, and he'll chase them away. However, like I said, for the most part, the GT completely ignores them (doesn't see them as a threat). I like them as a dither fish because they aren't so peaceful a species--they have a pecking order that they're always fighting over and they'll defend themselves against the larger fish. Honestly, I worry move about my pictus cats swallowing them whole while they're sleeping...

They'd do best in a pack of 5 or more (I had 9, but 3 weren't eating enough and got eaten by the other barbs--took the eyes, pretty gruesome)). A few barbs might not last individually, but a pack of them would be fine IME/IMO.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> When I put my barbs in the tank--I just wanted something to fill it out, you know? They were all smaller than an inch. My GT was 1.5 (it's now 3+). The barbs normally nip and fight amongst each other, but I've found putting them with something bigger makes them school together (they're always in a cohesive cloud now).
> 
> They've been this way for over 6 mos, so I cannot say what will happen long term...but I have other tanks I can move them to, if need be (if you have Af. cichs too--you'd probably have a grow out/hospital tank that could house them for a long enough period for you to locate either a new home, or their own tank, worst case).
> 
> ...


It seems like the barbs would be fish food, but I kind of want to give it a shot.

I want to switch out the GT with the firemouth tonight...Is that too soon since I just moved him this weekend? The chemical balance in both tanks are almost identical.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Also, my GT is about 4 inches long...

I have 5-1" lemon tetras in that tank and a 5" pleco. Would they be able to survive with the GT until I found them a new home(it would happen in the next couple of days)?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I would get a few more barbs (you have 4 right?). I usually mix green tiger barbs in with the normal ones. I would keep upwards of 6. I can't say how they'll do though, sorry. I had mine in their own 20L--let me tell you, they were so happy to have the extra room to swim 

I'd like to know if you have problems...so keep updating, especially on how the mixing goes (haps?/keyhole).

And, as long as your tanks are cycled, and the fish seems to be swimming around fine (not in shock from the move), I don't really see a problem. But that's a judgment call.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Tetras are pretty hardy. I think they'd be okay. I've kept tetras with barbs also.

PS- You certain you have a GT, and not a false GT (<- false ones can be more aggressive)?
Fish stores often mislabel them...the true GT--Aequidens' sp. "Silversaum--is not often imported.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Tetras are pretty hardy. I think they'd be okay. I've kept tetras with barbs also.
> 
> :lol: But I am soo lost....can you tell me where you have what?


55g: 12 Flametail Peacocks(2 confirmed males), 1 BN, 1 GT and one Keyhole. This would be the tank I'm moving the Firemouth to.

55g: 1 Firemouth, 4 Tiger Barbs, 5-1" lemon tetras, 1 5" pleco and an unknown fish that will also soon have a new home. This is the tank I'd move the GT to.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I'd add 2 barbs (maybe see how the 4 do first though) and it sounds fine


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Alright, well I added the GT in with the 4 barbs and pleco(I removed the tetras).

So far, so good...The GT is basically just ignoring the barbs.

He/she lost it's color for about 5 minutes, but it's pretty as can be again, which I hope is a good sign.

I'll look into getting a couple more barbs of the same size...Once the GT gets big and aggressive, I'll just take them back to the LFS or give them away.


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## simo1973 (Jul 22, 2007)

benny71 said:


> simo1973 said:
> 
> 
> > 1 male only/
> ...


i had 1 female and 1 male in 85 gal, they were about 5 inch in size, i got a batch of fry from them, was all good then a few days later the fry had gone and the female was dead.
i have tried a pair of gt`s in this tank a few times and failed. the male will always beat up female and 2 males will fight.
what about a male gt and a male convict , that would work.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i use spraypaint for my background,and can't do that while the tank is full


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

simo1973 said:


> benny71 said:
> 
> 
> > simo1973 said:
> ...


Really? That would be perfect...Convicts are cheap and abundant at the LFSs around here.

Is it only 2 males and not 2 females?

How big do both a GT and a Convict have to be before you can tell the sex? My GT is about 4 inches right now and most of the convicts they sell are between 2-3 inches.

Would it be a good idea to just buy a few of each and get rid of them once they mature?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Simo: Why didn't you remove the fry? If the male tries to eat them, the female will defend...and she's not guaranteed to win...you should have moved them to a grow out tank. Sorry for your loss 

And Benny: You should be able to tell about your GT by now. It's really easy to tell by the coloring b/c GT's are dimorphic. You can post pics to the SA thread, and they'll tell you.

And with convicts, the females have a copper body color--males are mostly blue/green/purple, but do not have the copper across the middle (by the fin). 
Exception: My male con has the female coloring...so it's not always definite, but that is a pretty solid way to tell.

I still think you'd do alright with 1m:1f GT in a 55, but you do have to remove the fry or they'll fight over them. The mom will eat her babies if there isn't enough room in the tank--I figure she'd rather eat them and save energy for the next batch of eggs than let other fish in the tank eat them. So, even if I only keep the babies as feeders, I'll always remove them once they can swim on their own (still very very small--1/4 of a pinky nail approx.).


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Simo: Why didn't you remove the fry? If the male tries to eat them, the female will defend...and she's not guaranteed to win...you should have moved them to a grow out tank. Sorry for your loss
> 
> And Benny: You should be able to tell about your GT by now. It's really easy to tell by the coloring b/c GT's are dimorphic. You can post pics to the SA thread, and they'll tell you.
> 
> ...


I am HORRIBLE at taking pictures of fish...I have a really nice camera, but it looks like I'm using a disposable when I take aquarium pictures.

Can you tell m/f from this picture?










Also, when I go to the pet store, how will I be able to tell m/f if they are small?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Hm, it's hard to tell. The pic is too small...and I'm no good with pics either, so I understand.

In the store, they are all *so pale*. My boyfriend first proposed the GT in the lfs--I was like but it's so ugly! :lol: I love it now though. It's hard to tell, but maybe you can get some suggestions for this in the SA section--I see you posted there too :thumb:


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Hm, it's hard to tell. The pic is too small...and I'm no good with pics either, so I understand.
> 
> In the store, they are all *so pale*. My boyfriend first proposed the GT in the lfs--I was like but it's so ugly! :lol: I love it now though. It's hard to tell, but maybe you can get some suggestions for this in the SA section--I see you posted there too :thumb:


You can click on the picture to enlarge it.

Hang on a sec, I'll try to get a close up.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Ok, so normally a male is very brightly colored--greens and blues that are increased/decreased depending on fish's mood (usually brighter when being fed or asking for food).

Males also have a big forehead, a nuchal--it's a bump. Yours doesn't seem to have that... and it's 4in right? So it should by now...Also, the male's finnage should form into a point (esp. end of dorsal and anal fin--the tail obviously won't)--but I can't really see this in your pic.

Also the fins of males are much longer--the dorsal almost overwhelms the tail fin. Females either don't have the orange/red trim to their tale or it's not as thick. The female will usually not have red tips to the dorsal fin. Also, the center black dot on females is usually solid--where with males you see the stripes through it (but again this fluctuates based on mood).

Going by this, I'd say female. But I'm not certain.
I would feed and try to take pics then because the color would be most vivid.
I believe venting is still a reliable way to sex a SA cichlid.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Ok, so normally a male is very brightly colored--greens and blues that are increased/decreased depending on fish's mood (usually brighter when being fed or asking for food).
> 
> Males also have a big forehead, a nuchal--it's a bump. Yours doesn't seem to have that... and it's 4in right? So it should by now...Also, the male's finnage should form into a point (esp. end of dorsal and anal fin--the tail obviously won't)--but I can't really see this in your pic.
> 
> ...


4 inches including the tail fin...He/she isn't wanting to cooperate right now and is hiding.

I also can't find one of my tiger barbs and they never stray away from eachother...Uh oh.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Haha, false alarm...I guess everyone is still a little skittish from the move and they haven't gotten used to the food god yet. :lol:

Dang. It was sitting perfectly still and this is still the best I could do(Don't forget to click on the image to enlarge):


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Ok, this ones better though--the fins are clearly pointed, it's very colorful (red on dorsal) there's no head bump (though it may not have formed yet--it can take longer, but it should start showing up soon; usually when the fish is 4-5")...looks male (sorry, the fins and red on dorsal was hard to see before).

I'm wondering about the black dot in the center--it looks like more a stripe? Is that the cam or does it have black in more than one spot?


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Ok, this ones better though--the fins are clearly pointed, it's very colorful (red on dorsal) there's no head bump (though it may not have formed yet--it can take longer, but it should start showing up soon; usually when the fish is 4-5")...looks male (sorry, the fins and red on dorsal was hard to see before).
> 
> I'm wondering about the black dot in the center--it looks like more a stripe? Is that the cam or does it have black in more than one spot?


It's a black stripe...The stripe gets darker when it's stressed.

So you think it's a male? There are no signs of a bump yet.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Yeah, the GT might need another inch of growth. You saw some of the pics in the SA thread? See how big a forehead it gets?  :lol:

The only clear way is venting (it's harder to determine for substrate spawners though)--I've seen females with male attributes (not the head bump, but the coloration). If you're thinking about buying a mate for it, you should vent it to be sure. It's scary, but try it. *Or wait for others opinions on the sex.* You don't want to end up with two males in that size of tank--it will end badly.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Yeah, the GT might need another inch of growth. You saw some of the pics in the SA thread? See how big a forehead it gets?  :lol:
> 
> The only clear way is venting (it's harder to determine for substrate spawners though)--I've seen females with male attributes (not the head bump, but the coloration). If you're thinking about buying a mate for it, you should vent it to be sure. It's scary, but try it. *Or wait for others opinions on the sex.* You don't want to end up with two males in that size of tank--it will end badly.


Well, dang...I don't know the first thing about venting, so I'm kind of screwed there.

I was really hoping to be able to find out today, because I want to get another one for the tank.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Yeah, sexing monomorphic cichlids is a pain. But GT's are supposedly dimorphic--as profile says. Buut it's definitely not as easy as dimorphic Mbuna.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> Yeah, sexing monomorphic cichlids is a pain. But GT's are supposedly dimorphic--as profile says. Buut it's definitely not as easy as dimorphic Mbuna.


Say I just chance it and go pick up another GT(I've got a 50/50 shot, right? :lol: )...How quick will I see the aggression?

If it is immediate, I could pick up a tank divider until I can return it for another try.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I'm not sure how fast, but a male might chase a female around...and be careful--the new one will be much smaller right?

Good luck :thumb: Hope you get some second opinions


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## simo1973 (Jul 22, 2007)

that gt looks male to me, i stii dont think a 55 gal will work for a pair of gt`s though, when the tough gets going she wont have much room to get away.
here is a rubbish pic of my pair when young.








male guarding eggs








together









a pic of an old 10 inch male i had


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Simo:

That 10" male is awesome!

And see...GTs are supposed to be dimorphic--I don't see it?? 
Except the forehead, but that takes a long time to form...I prefer to raise my mating pairs up together from juvies--not get fully grown


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## simo1973 (Jul 22, 2007)

you can sex gt`s from about 3 1/2 inch very easy.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

What do you look for? I know there's the coloration, fin length and shape, the red color on fins, the black spot, the nuchal. But my female GT is very colorful....with red on the fins.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

simo1973 said:


> that gt looks male to me, i stii dont think a 55 gal will work for a pair of gt`s though, when the tough gets going she wont have much room to get away.


Yeah, I keep hearing more and more of that...That's definitely unfortunate, because my downstairs tank would look great with a pair of GTs in there.

Do you have any suggestions as to what could live in there with him? I'm still open for ideas.



> I'm not sure how fast, but a male might chase a female around...and be careful--the new one will be much smaller right?


I have no idea what size the new one would be. I went to the LFS yesterday, but they were completely out of GTs and said they don't carry Convicts because "two turns into a thousand."

He told me to give them a call on Tuesday after 4 and they'll know what they'll be getting in for the week.

I don't know what direction I'm going to go now...I really don't want to get rid of him, but I don't want to keep him bad enough to dedicate an entire tank solely to him.

I will tell you that leaving the LFS empty-handed was TOUGH, considering I went in there to get a new fish. 

OK, I got a really sharp looking blue background for my new tank and a 250w Marineland heater for my tank, but other than that I left empty handed.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Yeah, a 55 with a solo GT is lonely...  
The problem with Cons is like the lfs said--they breed like rabbits, and when they're in breeding cycles, they get much more aggressive--and could cause problems with the GT (when I had my mated pair with the GT, they took up the center of the tank, and the GT had nowhere to go...it was always being chased around by the female con).

I would at least put a dither fish in. You're worried about barbs, so maybe not those. You could get some tetras--they're some awesome looking ones--Rummynose or Cardinal tetra...Tetras are pretty hardy and small--GT shouldn't eat/bother them. You have a lot of choices on this.

And some bottom feeders. For a 55g, I like pictus catfish--they get 5in, and even though they're nocturnal, they're pretty active during the day. Mine each pick a pot/cave and just turn in incessant circles over and over :lol: They do best in groups of 3 or more (I have 3). I wouldn't do cories--they're too gentle to house with a GT IMO. You could get a bristlenose pleco also (GT's aren't as bad as Mbuna with these).


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

I have 4 Cherry barbs already(at first I thought they were tiger) and want to get a couple more, but haven't found any big enough.

Do you really think when the GT is ~8 inches he's not going to try to eat the barbs? They just seem like such an easy target.

Also, what about a rainbow shark for a bottom feeder?

I may just end up growing the GT for awhile then trading him in at the LFS.

I still really want demasoni; I just wish my tank was bigger since I need so many of them to curb the aggression.



toume said:


> Yeah, a 55 with a solo GT is lonely...
> The problem with Cons is like the lfs said--they breed like rabbits, and when they're in breeding cycles, they get much more aggressive--and could cause problems with the GT (when I had my mated pair with the GT, they took up the center of the tank, and the GT had nowhere to go...it was always being chased around by the female con).
> 
> I would at least put a dither fish in. You're worried about barbs, so maybe not those. You could get some tetras--they're some awesome looking ones--Rummynose or Cardinal tetra...Tetras are pretty hardy and small--GT shouldn't eat/bother them. You have a lot of choices on this.
> ...


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I think barbs do OK in a school. But if you don't think so, then don't get them. Cherry barbs are a little more peaceful--I don't know how they'd do (never had them).

You can do dems in your 55g after you remove the GT. You'd need 20, and then remove extra males (aiming for 15). You could get some labs (1m 4f) and possibly another species (normally you'd have 3 species in a 55, but you have so many more dems so I don't know how the numbers change). You could start a new thread, and ask about stocking the 55 with Mbuna species.

In your 55 right now--don't you have tetras, barbs, and the GT? What will you do with them?


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> I think barbs do OK in a school. But if you don't think so, then don't get them. Cherry barbs are a little more peaceful--I don't know how they'd do (never had them).
> 
> You can do dems in your 55g after you remove the GT. You'd need 20, and then remove extra males (aiming for 15). You could get some labs (1m 4f) and possibly another species (normally you'd have 3 species in a 55, but you have so many more dems so I don't know how the numbers change). You could start a new thread, and ask about stocking the 55 with Mbuna species.
> 
> In your 55 right now--don't you have tetras, barbs, and the GT? What will you do with them?


I gave the tetras to a friend.

The barbs will go in my 20g community and the GT will go back to the same LFS that he came from...I'd love to keep him, but I think he's just a bit too much for me.

I'm sure I'll end up getting another one when I get a bigger tank. Right now I just have 2-55g and a 20g.

What other bright(leaning towards yellow) fish could you put with dems? I have labs in my peacock tank.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

There are so many yellow species!! :lol:

But you should start a new thread, so other will chime in on this.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> There are so many yellow species!! :lol:
> 
> But you should start a new thread, so other will chime in on this.


Yeah, I'll do that when I order the dems.

I know there are a lot, but not all of them are compatible.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

A lot of people do labs and dems...You have to be careful mixing two aggressive species such as auratus with dems because they're both really aggressive and fight. Dems have a higher conspecific aggression and fight within themselves more. Good luck :thumb:


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

toume said:


> A lot of people do labs and dems...You have to be careful mixing two aggressive species such as auratus with dems because they're both really aggressive and fight. Dems have a higher conspecific aggression and fight within themselves more. Good luck :thumb:


OK thanks...Here is the tank I'm planning on stocking BTW:


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## Libbzter (Jan 23, 2016)

In my 60 gal tank I have a single male firemouth with various other african/lake malawi cichlids (with the exception of one bossy molly and a pleco) and, honestly, the firemouth has become the fish in charge. This doesn't mean he terrorizes everybody in any way, but he's just the bossiest. For now this might be just because they've all got plenty of room to spare in my 60 gal (considering i've got only 9 fish in there right now - 1 female peacock, the firemouth, 2 polystigma, 2 kenyi, a 6-7" pleco, and a ~4" molly that thinks she's a full blood-ed cichlid) But aside from the time-to-time chase/gill flare from the firemouth, they all get along, well, swimmingly :lol:


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