# How many fish for my tank?



## cshelton78 (Jul 13, 2008)

i currently have 1 tiger oscar, 1 jd, and 1 red devil.

i would like to add some more fish to the tank. i like the green terrors. and suggestions or advise on my current stock and help with fish to add would be greatly appreciated.

thanks, 
cs


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## xrockx (Jan 17, 2005)

What size is your tank?


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## cshelton78 (Jul 13, 2008)

47 gal


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

You posted the same question in two threads :wink:



> Hello,
> 
> Sorry to say but the tank is already overstocked. The red devil and the oscar are both recommended for a 55 or 75 for a single fish tank. Are you interested in having several fishes you could rehome the oscar and the red devil, then add some others. Two JD's one green terror, and a couple same-sex convicts would be heavily stocked, but would likely work as long as you over filter.
> _________________


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## NYjets51 (Feb 10, 2008)

Yeah, Cshelston, you cant add anything more to your tank. Your first step would to at least get rid of the oscar


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## cshelton78 (Jul 13, 2008)

are these fish south or central american? the store i bought mine at said they were south american. is it safe to mix south and central american fish?


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## cshelton78 (Jul 13, 2008)

i have a 47 gal (taller than long) and have 1 tiger oscar, 1 jd, and 1 red devil. i have been told numerous times in this forum my tank is not big enough. i see lots of people on here that list there tank size and amount of fish, and it seems that some people have a 50-75-100 gal tank with tons of fish. i saw one that had a 100 gal tank with 48 fish. what am i missing? thanks!


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## NYjets51 (Feb 10, 2008)

The tank is TOO SMALL!!!!!!


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## NYjets51 (Feb 10, 2008)

What you are missing is the Oscar gets big, mix that with the JD and Red devil and you have a huge bio load, and a lot of aggression, and miserable fish


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Both are Central American. Yes it is safe BUT you need to do plenty of research in order to get a good idea of the temperments(generally speaking) of the species you want to mix. A red Devil for instance won't mix well with most cichlids from any continent due to its high territorial agression, where a JD generally will mix with many cichlids from CA or SA due to a more laid back temperment. Doing your homework is key as well as using a little common sence ,ie a fish with a common name that includes the words devil or terror usually have been named that for a very good reason. Hope that helps some.


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## NYjets51 (Feb 10, 2008)

Im guessing your aquarium is 36". No this is not safe because of how small it is. Oscars get really big and red devils arent the smallest either. Please just stop making threads about the same thing, everybody on here is going to tell you it cant work and it is just cruel to the fish


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## mathas (Jul 18, 2008)

cshelton78 said:


> i have a 47 gal (taller than long) and have 1 tiger oscar, 1 jd, and 1 red devil. i have been told numerous times in this forum my tank is not big enough. i see lots of people on here that list there tank size and amount of fish, and it seems that some people have a 50-75-100 gal tank with tons of fish. i saw one that had a 100 gal tank with 48 fish. what am i missing? thanks!


You need to take into account the size, aggression, and waste production of the adult fish.

I'm by no means an expert on red devils or jack dempseys, but speaking as a former oscar owner, 47g is not enough room for one adult oscar, let alone an oscar and two other large fish. An adult oscar can get upwards of 12" in length, and if you have a 47g tall (I'm guessing, based on your "taller than long" comment), the dimensions are probably 20" x 18" x 31". An adult oscar in that tank wouldn't even have enough room to swim it's own body length if it were by itself, let alone adding a red devil of the same size and a 10" jack dempsey into the same tank.

All three of those fish can also be moderately aggressive (the name _red *devil*_ alone should give you a hint), and there's barely enough room for them to move without running into each other, let alone establish territories.

On top of all that, oscars, at least, are very messy fish. A 47g for just one oscar would need some excellent filtration and frequent water changes, and you're planning to have two other 10+" fish in there as well?

The fish _might_ all coexist in that tank, and that's by no means a given, but they won't be happy in that setup.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Each of the listed fish will out grow that tank even if kept singlely. A JD can get by in a 55G if kept alone or with a few Dither fish but a Red Devil needs more like a 75 for starters and will kill most anything you put in with it . Oscars are the tankbusters of the group and can easily hit 12 inches in length and a 75 is considered by many here as the absolute minimum sized tank to keep one in long term. What you have at the moment is bomb with a very short fuse. You really need to reconsider your current set up and find some fish more suited to that size of tank. Like I said in your other post, Do "plenty of research" then buy your fish.


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

The "inch per gallon" rule is about as useful as measuring by palms.

You are seeing african tanks that have tons of fish. SA/CA fish are different world. They are much, much larger; much, much dirtier; and can do much more damage.

Unfortunately your tank is not suitable for oscars or RDs.

I know, you get fish and think at their small size "what is the problem". Unfortunately the fish you have grow quick and will become very destructive. Further, you will need tons of filtration for these fish in the RIGHT size tank, let alot a tank with no room to run.

I hope you will take back he bigger fish. I think you could do two JD's in this tank, though it is pushing it. This tank is perfect for Firemouths. You could do firemouths with some great tetras like buenos aires tetras.

We have all been here before and while I don't think that everyone is approaching this right, you have been told over and over and I hope you really understand. Collectively there is a LOT of experience here--I have been keeping fish and breeding sa/ca cichlids for nearly 15 years.

Keeping fish is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable--right now you have set your tank up for failure. PM if you have any questions.


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## haibane (Jun 2, 2008)

You are going to want to remove the Oscar and the Red devil. Red devil will outgrow that tank and he will kill anything in that tank anyhow.


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## haibane (Jun 2, 2008)

Its safe to mix SA/CA, but not in the size tank you have.


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## haibane (Jun 2, 2008)

Hey sir, it seems you are creating 4-5 threads in each section till you hear the answer you want. You aren't doing anything wrong. Fish aren't all cichlids and cichlids aren't all the fish in the world. A person can keep that many fish in a 100gallon tank, but not that many sa/ca cichlids.


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## jgentry (Jul 3, 2008)

Hi cshelton78,

Unfortunately you have been given some bad advice from a fish store when you purchased your fish. It happens all the time (mostly in chain stores, but it even happens in dedicated stores too). The three fish you have when adults will need at bare minimum a 125g and even then the red devil will probably beat the **** out of the JD and oscar. Right now your fish might get along and seem to fit in your tank, but you have to remember that the oscar if well cared for will be at least 12 inches and be very thick and tall. It alone will be to large for your tank. Add in the red devil which will itself get huge if properly cared for a long with a JD that will get 8 inches your begging for trouble. Most likely if you leave everything as it is you will end up within one year with only a red devil because it killed the other 2 and it will not have the proper growth rate because the tank is to small to keep up with its bioload.

The other tanks you see that have 100 fish are not large very aggressive CA/SA cichlids. You also can in no way shape or form compare african cichlid tank stocking to CA/SA tanks.

I know this is not what you want to here, but my advise is to take all 3 fish back. When you see a fish you like go home and research it first. If everything says the fish will fit in your tank and get along with what you have then go back and purchase it. If you keep your current fish none of them will live long, all three of your fish with proper care and housing should live 8+ years. I don't give any of your fish other then the red devil more then 1 year and the red devil will never grow like it should and prosper.


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

under_control: 


> The "inch per gallon" rule is about as useful as measuring by palms.


 :lol:



> You could do firemouths with some great tetras like buenos aires tetras.


 That would be an awesome set-up for you cshelton78.


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

cshelton78 and I have talked via PM about some great suggestions. He is interested in africans too so I told him to spend some time looking at the profiles, the cookie cutter setups, and asking in the african forum.


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

cshelton78 said:


> i have a 47 gal (taller than long) and have 1 tiger oscar, 1 jd, and 1 red devil. i have been told numerous times in this forum my tank is not big enough. i see lots of people on here that list there tank size and amount of fish, and it seems that some people have a 50-75-100 gal tank with tons of fish. i saw one that had a 100 gal tank with 48 fish. what am i missing? thanks!


just because a lot of people like to stuff a lot of big fish in a little tank doesn't mean its a good idea. these fish will not last in the long term. i personally like to do what's best for the fish, and not what i want.


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