Fish for my tank

[yankees3333]

I have a 125 gallon fish tank. Currently, the only two fish I have in it are a jack dempsey and a parrot cichlid. They get along very well together. The only problem is that I have a 125 gallon tank with only two fish in it. The dempsey is only about 6 inches and the parrot is a little smaller. I have had other fish, but they have died in the tank. Is there any kind of fish I can put in my tank with the two I already have or am I stuck with a big tank with only two fish?

[Lisachromis]

Well... you could add a bunch of other larger cichlids in the tank at the same time. You'd also have to rearrange the decor in your tank. This will put all the fish on the same footing. They'll all have to figure out how everybody fits in the tank. It's going to be tough adding new fish if they are small, since the two that are there will consider that entire tank as theirs. It's going to be tough adding new fish. Your other choice might be to sell the two fish you have, and start fresh with a bunch of younger smaller fish that will grow into the tank.

[guppyart]

you could try convict cichlids they can hold there own pretty well or maybe jewel cichlids but you might want to start over and get a variety of fish you could even try a dwarf cichlid tank those can be very cool looking hope I have helped

[Sly Guy]

I usually check out all of the fish compatability charts i can find.

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/nav/freshwater/index.html

try this it has alot of great choices and his website is a fairly good all around website

[Jason_S]

Originally Posted by Sly Guy @ Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:50 pm

I usually check out all of the fish compatability charts i can find.

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/nav/freshwater/index.html

try this it has alot of great choices and his website is a fairly good all around website

I was just looking around elmersaquarium.com and there is a lot of crap information there. For instance, they say Cyphotilapia frontosa is a Laka Malawi cichlid that grows to 8". Frontosas are from Lake Tanganyika and males grow to around 15". They also say that Irridescent sharks (Pangasius sutchi) grows to 12" when in truth these fish can grow to 36"+ and are a schooling fish. They also say that Cichlasoma festae grows to 8" when males can really reach 16" and females 12". These are just a few examples that I saw in a few minutes. I'd delete that bookmark if I were you.

As for the 125 I like Lisachromis' suggestion to sell the 2 fish you have and start over with juveniles. This will really be the easiest way to get what you really want. Your dempsey is already mature and adding new tankmates will be difficult even in a large tank. If you're really against this idea then I'd try convicts, a green terror or a texas cichlid.

[fishfreaks]

personally i like green terrors!

[oscarfan]

firemouths, oscars, texas cichlids, and a large catfish would be nice

[oscar_lover2005]

what kind of catfish would you be talking about? most catfish are cold water fish. 72degree 78degree won't be tolerated.

should be kept in groups of any amount and is compatible with Blue Jack Dempsey, Convict Cichlid, Featherfin Squeaker, Green Terror, Oscar Cichlid, Pleco (Common), Silver Arowana, Texas Cichlid, Tin Foil Barb,

[flynngriff]

You would likely be ok with some Synodontis or Pictus cats. I've kept both of those with large cichlids before, and never had any problem.

[oscar_lover2005]

Pictus cats would be a nice meal for a 12inc oscar which is a large cichlid. only reaching a size of 5'' and are also agressive toward other fish's. i wouldn't mix it with large cichlids. and if mixed with smaller cichlids like the fire mouth ir convict cichlids the Pictus cats will be agressive towards them i don't see them being compatible.

[flynngriff]

I thought he just had a 6 inch jack dempsey and a parrot? I think a pictus would be fine with those two... It's aggressiveness shouldn't be a problem for either of them, and in my experience, most cichlids are less aggressive towards bottom dwelling fish. The pictus wouldn't spend all its time on the bottom, but I don't think it would cause any problems. My pictus has never shown much aggressiveness at all, but I wouldn't put him in with neons or anything...

My oscars have never bothered my synodontis or my pictus, either... But they might have had an unusual temperament. They never bothered anyone at all in my tank, once their dominance was established. They didn't show a lot of aggression except to fish they could swallow. But I am not an expect on oscars, so I'll bow to your wisdom.

[Cichlid Man]

When adding cichlids to any tank the safest way to do like Lischromis said is to get rid of
the two current cichlids and start with some youngsters that have grown up with each other. The thing to remember with most aggressive cichlids is (especially Jack Dempseys) that they don't get on with other unfamiliar cichlids in their territory.

[FISHFACE]

Are you interested in breeding at all. With that size tank the possiblities are great. You could actually breed several small species. They would all have to be different; where there would be no crossbreeding. Think about that and if that's a consideration, I'm sure we could give you lots of suggestions on direction to go.