# Ideas for housing lone Cichlid



## S0912 (May 14, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

I am currently in the process of doing some research into what Cichlid I will buy for my new Aquarium.

I have the following set up:

*Fluval 240 Litres*
External filter Fluval 305
4 foot long (120cm)
53 gallons

I would like to house one Central American cichlid in there alone and and wondered what would be suitable for the size of the tank.

Thanks


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## 75505 (Apr 20, 2012)

If you can find a Jack Dempsey with personality then that might be a good option.  Colorful fish. Another one would be a Green Terror. A lot of color and almost always guaranteed to be friendly towards people.


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## S0912 (May 14, 2012)

Yeah I like both - as for Green Terrors, I dont really know what to go for.

So many shops sell them and they all look different to me.

Some have bright orange while others are just plain in colour? I do really like them though.

Would a green terror grow okay in a my tank size?


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## ZeroSystem (Sep 4, 2005)

I think a GT would get too large for that size tank.


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

You could get a green texas (Herichthys carpintis). They're very nice looking, has great personality and don't really grow all that large either.

Note that a green texas and a texas are two different things. A texas (H. cyanoguttatum) will grow larger and isnt as pretty.


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## aggriffin3 (Aug 15, 2009)

If you get a Green Terror, make sure its a female. They don't get as large, and tend to not be as aggressive. I have one lone female in my 55 with 3 pictus cats and one Striped Raphael. This would work and you might even want to get a small school of Beunos Aires Tetras as dithers to keep the GT happy. 
Also for that size tank, Firemouths, Convicts, Salvini's and Blue Acara's.

Art


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## Tiktaalik Owner (Aug 17, 2009)

"You could get a green texas (Herichthys carpintis)."
+1!


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

I'd do a Green Texas. Another option, if you aren't tied to CA/SA cichlids, are one of the larger, predatory Malawi Haps. Most LFS have Nimbochromis Venustus juveniles for sale. Even better, in my opinion, would be it's close cousin, Nimbochromis Livingstoni. These are not the typical African mbuna that most people keep. Nimbochromis reach about 10 inches, are a piscivore (fish eater) with a very unique hunting habit. They don't need live food though. They have a very outgoing personality...once they associate you with food--they come up to greet you. The females of both species retain the juvenile coloration. Males become much more colorful--and are easily mistaken for Saltwater fish. Another interesting Malawi option would be Dimidochromis Compressiceps--they also reach about 10 inches and have a very interesting body shape. They are known as the "Malawi Eye Eater" but are no harder to keep than the Nimbochromis. Unfortunately, only the males are colorful, and they aren't quite as outgoing as Nimbochromis.


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## S0912 (May 14, 2012)

Thanks for all the responses so far - *** seen the Carpintis once or twice, they don't seem to be that common to find but *** also read that they can grow quite large? Or is this only likely in a larger environment?

How would a lone Jack Dempsey fair ? They are very nice looking


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## mattmean (Feb 9, 2012)

Dont get a JD all to often they are shy fish.

Well you arent so limited...

Female amphilophus wont get to big, thats a large grouping. A female friedi, or losselli might work, but if you want personality try a female RD/MIDAS/AMARILLO/TRIMAC/FESTAE

carpint are cool but very common and easy to come by. and personally i think the true texas is much nicer of a fish.


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## mattmean (Feb 9, 2012)

your foot is near that of a 55g? yes? a single female will do just fine


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

S0912 said:


> Thanks for all the responses so far - I've seen the Carpintis once or twice, they don't seem to be that common to find but I've also read that they can grow quite large? Or is this only likely in a larger environment?
> 
> How would a lone Jack Dempsey fair ? They are very nice looking


Carpintis get to about 20cm, slightly bigger if you take care of them well.

Their cousin, the texas cichlid (cyanoguttatum) grows much larger, to about 30cm in length.


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Note that if you do indeed get a carpintis, try to aim for a super green texas (Herichthys carpintis var. Escondido), because they look amazing. Also green texas are notorious for being extremely aggressive tho, so if you're gonna keep dithers, aim for something large or fast, or have lot's of them, or else they'll die.


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## Tiktaalik Owner (Aug 17, 2009)

The Green Texas is becoming one of the most popular cichlids in the hobby. They look like something you'd see on a reef, or in a dream. They have an attitude. The ones from Jeff Rapps are legendary, though he's not currently stocking them. If I had another tank set up I'd have no problem paying overnight delivery for one of his Escondidos. It would be my first choice for a wet pet. Close second would be a polleni, the Starry Night cichlid. But they get too big for a 55.


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Mhm, pollenis also look great, and is said to get along with everything.  Though I agree with the above again, SGT still > polleni.


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## Astronotus Labiatus (Jun 25, 2011)

Let's see, considering these aspects:
You're adding just 1 fish, so it must have a personality, otherwise you and him would get bored together, so forget the jack dempsey, they're too shy indeed, and it must be beautiful, beauty is very relative, what you may like others may not, but anyway, considering a fish with strong personality and who offers a great display of colours, i'd defiantly go with a FLOWERHORN!!!
People may say they get too big for a 53 gallon, but i think that if you plan to keep him by himself he'll be just fine in a 53 gallon.
I have a Flowerhorn and it's the most aggressive and beautiful fish i'ver ever had.
You might even put a Blood Parrot as a tank mate, but than, i'm not sure if a 53 gallon we'll be enough for both when they grow up, maybe if they grow up together it might work.


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## S0912 (May 14, 2012)

I noticed people mentioning Texas cichlids - typically in a home aquarium of this size how big might a Cynagottum get in a 55? Would it top out at a certain size? Same with the Carpintis? I can get some Texas and I do admit they look great and *** heard they are very active fun fish to keep. I just want to make sure it would grow okay in a 55 - 4 footer? I have never seen a full grown Texas cichlid fully filled out, deep bodied and at the 12 inch length they apparently can get to so they must be quite rare to achieve?


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Well carpintis (green texas) usually only grow to about 8 inches in most aquariums, so one'd be fine in a 55g I reckon, but it has to be a green texas. A texas (cyanoguttatum) would yeah, grow larger. Imo green texans are prettier than (regular) texans anyways.


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## S0912 (May 14, 2012)

I like the Carpintis but they are hard to get hold of for me - I can get some Cyanoguttatus at around an inch long - how might one of those grow in a 4 foot tank?

Obviously adhering to all the right maintenance requirements...?


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Should be alright, but I wouldn't recommend it. Again, the normal texas isn't as pretty. If you can't get a green texas, I'd suggest a proper red texas. Otherwise, a Thorichthys ellioti might be a good idea, they are quite pretty as well. But they're small.


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

I single Texas would be fine in your tank. Just feed it lightly and it won't grow as large or fast. The Oscar forum recommends a 55g as a minimum for an Oscar....and they get a lot bigger than Texas cichlids do. I used to work at a LFS that stocked and took trade ins of large cichlids routinely. We only ever had 1 Texas that was close to 10 inches SL (not counting the tail fin). Most were a lot smaller. On the other hand, we often had Oscars that were well over a foot. And they are bulkier fish too.


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## EricTheRed (Jun 16, 2012)

All these ideas are good ones. Get any one of the fish mentioned that you prefer. I personally second the vote for the Flowerhorn. Beautiful fish with LOTS of personality. They also usually kill any tankmates and seem to prefer being in a tank by themselves...a nautral selection for your parameters.


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## Goldsaum82 (Jun 6, 2012)

You could try an Amphilophus Xiloaensis. I just ordered a 7" F1 male from Rapps, and it is very personable, outgoing, and intelligent. It is very similar to a Midas, but will usually max out around 8-10". They are fairly new to the hobby, but are amazing fish.


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