# Tank mates for Convict, Firemouth and Jack



## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

I am debating on getting rid of my female Convict because I already have about 200 babies growing out. Other tank mates are a Jack Dempsey, Firemouth, male Convict and Giant Danios. Any suggestions on another CA cichlid I could add if I was to replace her. Looking for something along the same size as the Convict or Firemouth but with some good color. Thanks.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

What size is the tank?

And IF you're looking to match the size, hands down female salvini. Though I'm biased


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

id try and stick with either all male or all female, cichlids like to cross breed.


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Ok looking through the profiles I have narrowed it down to maybe a Geophagus genus fish. Any suggestions on these. Being the Salvini is in the same Genus as the Jack I already have I don't think that it will work.


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Here are a few I was looking at :
Geophagus sp. "Tapajos Orange Head" 
Geophagus sp. "Rio Are" 
Geophagus sp. "Pindare" (Parnaiba)
Geophagus sp. "Araguari - Orange Head"

Anybody know if this will work and if they are available?


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## Morcs (Jun 1, 2009)

Keyholes?

I have two in with my cons and firemouths and get on fine, although they are South american...

There isnt a huge choice of centrals.


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Thank you I will see if I can find one. I have been up the Rio Orinoco where they are from so it would be a very cool addition to the tank.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Best eartheater for your current set-up would be a G. Steindachneri for 3 reasons;

1). Males typically get to 6" in aquariums.
2). Can be kept as single specimens (some of the other geos you listed prefer to be in groups of 5 or more)
3). They are robust enough to resist the pressure that a Convict, JD, or FM may exert on them. I have heard that other geos can be more sensitive to aggression.

Another reason why an Steinie may be a good fit but it has in common with many other eartheaters is that they are maternal mouthbrooders - so males typically control territory as a way to attract mates... Where as with open spawning and cave brooding cichlids the male (or more often both parents) defend a territory against inter-lopers. It's this indifference for 'territory' that makes a G. Steindachneri a great match with your current stocking.

What size tank by the way? 55g or less and I would say that a Jack, male Con, and FM along with dithers is about right... With a 6 foot tank you could comfortably add at least a trio of G. Steindachneri (1m : 2f), maybe as many as 2 trios with same ratio.


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Well my LFS has gone to stocking mostly Frankenstein fish so no luck finding any fish. I took out the male convict and put him in with my African haps and peacocks. The other LFS had some electric blue jack dempsey's, what's the recommended size for keeping a pair of them.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

for the EBJD's I would recommend a bare minimum of a 55g, because they typically don't grow as large as regulars, which I recommend a bare minimum of 75g for.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

If you get another JD or an EBJD that turns out to be of the opposite sex of your current JD you may find yourself in the same boat with JD fry as you were in with Convict fry when you started this thread...


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## Morcs (Jun 1, 2009)

illy-d said:


> If you get another JD or an EBJD that turns out to be of the opposite sex of your current JD you may find yourself in the same boat with JD fry as you were in with Convict fry when you started this thread...


ah but young dempseys are sellable!


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

At my LFS Jacks, Convicts and Texas all sell for 3 to 4 dollars so none of them are going to make me rich, lol. Advice on the EBJD may be what I need. Do you breed them with a regular JD or another EBJD. Would I be able to add a 2 inch one in with a 8 inch regular Jack? How do you sex the EBJD? Any more questions I may need answered?
My selection of American cichlids really got limited with the recent switch to Hybrid fish by the one LFS and not many online stores I know keep Americans. 
Thanks


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

If you are seriously considering getting a Blue Dempsey I highly suggest you do ample research on them first. They are amazingly beautiful fish but are not very easy to keep. If you do the research and are willing to invest the time/resources, they are well worth it. But to just buy one and toss it in a tank hoping for the best... is pretty much a waste of money.

If you put a baby (Blue or otherwise) Dempsey in a tank with a mature Dempsey... if they are the same sex then the smaller Dempsey will most likely get harrassed, if they are opposite sex it is likely the smaller one will be harrassed as the breeding ritual begins. Either way it will be a stressful and dangerous spot for a little Dempsey to be in...

If you check the review section you will find many online retailers such as Ken Davis, Jeff Rapps as well as online stores that sell SA/CA Cichlids...


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Um, I thought a thread going for over a month with many different questions would be considered research. If you could answer a few of my questions instead of lecturing it would greatly help in my research.
"Advice on the EBJD may be what I need. Do you breed them with a regular JD or another EBJD. How do you sex the EBJD? Any more questions I may need answered? "


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## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

Um, I thought a thread going for over a month with many different questions would be considered research. If you could answer a few of my questions instead of lecturing it would greatly help in my research.
"Advice on the EBJD may be what I need. Do you breed them with a regular JD or another EBJD. How do you sex the EBJD? Any more questions I may need answered? "


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