# new setup



## akasa (Aug 18, 2014)

hey just wanted to know if a jack Dempsey a red terror and a Texan go well together in a 80 gallon tank with sand substrate.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!

What are the tank dimensions? Regardless, the Red Terror will be too much in an 80 gallon.


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## akasa (Aug 18, 2014)

hello, the tank is in inches= 46"L 18"D 23"H yeah i will leave the red terror didn't know they grow to 17"  i really want a jack dempsey and the other half wants a pink parrot fish, would there be any more room for any more fish in the tank, i will be buying them all in juvenile stage, but hoping to keep them till fully grown adults.. i like the texan cichlid too, But what other cichlids could i have in the tank with a jd and parrot? if any. and will a pink parrot cichlid and jack dempsey get on well with each other?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

akasa said:


> i will leave the red terror didn't know they grow to 17"


It is a large fish, though 17" is rather uncommon. 10-12" a more typical size, sometimes larger.
In an 80 gal. it likely will prove difficult to house with tank mates, IMO. So definitely a possibility of aggression problems once it gets larger.

Texas cichlid also get's quite large. Males 10" +. IME, males can be quite aggressive at times.

The larger the tank, the better chance of things working out. As a general rule of thumb, the more aggressive the species, the more likely you will require a greater number of tank mates to spread the aggression and actually make the tank 'work'. Large aggressive species in small space, and few tank mates because of the lack of space.....odds are not in your favour. Of course you can never predict the future, but I think you want to start out with something that has at least a decent chance.

With JD and blood parrot in an 80 gal, I would consider at least 3-4 more cichlids. Preferably smaller like a female convict (or other Cryptoheros species) and/or a firemouth. Maybe a jewel cichlid or even less aggressive mbuna like a yellow lab. A blue acara and/or a severum, although these are larger fish. For non-cichlids, maybe a Raphael cat, BN pleco or CAE. Blue/gold/opaline gourami. Giant danios might do O.K., though they could end being eaten by the JD eventually.
Not to say that just 2 cichlid in a tank can never work out, but IMO, very seldom does. There is never any guarantee that any cichlids will get along, but IMO your more likely to succeed with a few more in the tank, then not enough.


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## akasa (Aug 18, 2014)

so it would be ok to mix African cichlids with american cichlids? ^^ i may consider getting a few convicts, so im looking at 5 cichlids for my 80g tank, a jd, blood parrot and then 3 other smaller cichlids, thanks for help


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

akasa said:


> so it would be ok to mix African cichlids with american cichlids?


IMO and IME, yes, dependant on temperament and which particular species are mixed. IME they often make much better tank mates then cichlids of similar type.
Just another option and from my perspective, one shouldn't limit options, when there are few to begin with.


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## JayD976 (Apr 30, 2014)

akasa said:


> so it would be ok to mix African cichlids with american cichlids? ^^ i may consider getting a few convicts, so im looking at 5 cichlids for my 80g tank, a jd, blood parrot and then 3 other smaller cichlids, thanks for help


NO! They require totally different water chemistry I would not recommend mixing American and African cichlids at all. Also the gouramis are very timid fish and will succumb to stress of the aggressive cichlids harassing them. Giant danios would be fine so would convicts and firemouths.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

JayD976 said:


> NO! They require totally different water chemistry I would not recommend mixing American and African cichlids at all.


Lake Malawi: pH 7.4-8.6 dH 5-6. Electrical conductivity: 220-240 ms
Can you kindly explain to me what is so special about that??
Don't think there is much too dispute. It's been measured enough times:http://malawicichlids.com/mw01011.htm
http://www.mchportal.com/aquatic-li...ology-biotopes-mainmenu-151/45.html?task=view
CA cichlids come from very similar pH; though typically from much harder water.


JayD976 said:


> the gouramis are very timid fish and will succumb to stress of the aggressive cichlids harassing them.


Kept them with cichlids for 20+ years and I am far from the only one doing so.
Just a few videos. You be the judge if these gouramis are 'stressed':
90 gal.:http://vid192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/025_zps863f99d5.mp4
http://vid192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/033_zpsbe58d7ca.mp4
180 gal. moonlight gouramihttp://vid192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/014_zps8e63bf1a.mp4
By the way the giant danios disappeared.......female sals had big bellies for a few days :lol: 
Video quality is poor but have dozens more videos and pics of gouramis with cichlids from the past 7 years.


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