Rpokeytruck Messages: 3 Registered: April 2008 Location: Klmath Falls, Oregon
Junior Member
Hi,
I'm new to this site. Ive got a 55 gallon tank,external filter. Well I bought a small african cichlid and a small dempsy.
yesterday the african was just hovering near the bottom of the tank all day,wouldnt eat either. He'd been very active,exploring ect even acting like he was spawing with the dempsy. Can they breed? Well this morning he was dead on the bottom. Ive been feeding flake food morning and evening. Oh theres a apple snail in there too. One thing I was wondering too is I have black granite in there. I boiled the heck out of them before I put them in. Would anything leech out of that? The water is very clear too. And I've got a few live plants in there too. I'm wondering if I was feeding too much, I figured the snail would
clean up what they didnt get. And Ive seen talk about veggies. What and how do you prepare them? Thanks much Rusty
Malawi Mother Messages: 1305 Registered: February 2007 Location: Phoenix AZ
Senior Member
You can't mix Jack Dempseys with African cichlids. They will fight until one is dead. Stick with just african cichlids or just South American cichlids or just Central American cichlids. Don't mix any of the continents.
Do more reading of how to take care of these paticular grouped fish before you purchase more fish.
Please come visit me at www.atozthatsme.com
Rpokeytruck Messages: 3 Registered: April 2008 Location: Klmath Falls, Oregon
Junior Member
The first african cichlid and the dempsy got along well and even acted like they wanted to spawn. However these fish are just an inch and a half long. Id guess you mean adult fish. Ive
gotten another young african and its getting along well with the dempsy too. I found out the problem was bloat with the first, wont make that mistake again. I'll find a home for the dempsy,get another african and 2 oscars. This is a 55 gallon tank and I know that later it'll be too small for 2 oscars when they get big. I'm planning on building a 100 gallon or bigger plexiglass tank later.
How many fish do you think will be ok in the 55? Thanks for your help.Rusty
Malawi Mother Messages: 1305 Registered: February 2007 Location: Phoenix AZ
Senior Member
I'm sorry did you say you were going to get another african and two oscars?
That is the same as mixing dempseys with africans. What you saw (behavior between dempsey and african) was not spawning but more like aggressive behavior. Even as babies they do this. They circle eachother and maybe do the shimmy shake. It's not spawning. It's learning how to fight. One fish becomes stressed out and then one dies because it is the weaker fish.
Please take my advise, do not mix continental fish. You will only be sorry later on.
Please come visit me at www.atozthatsme.com
Rpokeytruck Messages: 3 Registered: April 2008 Location: Klmath Falls, Oregon
Junior Member
I'll be building a large tank soon anyway,then I can seperate them. As for now they're young, have room and arnt attacking each other. By the way, what do peacok cichlids get along with?
I've a friend in Medford that raises them and I'd like one.