# best cichlids



## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

If anyoine can help i have a 125gl with exodons and they are kind of boaring...
Looking for some nice looking cichlids ...
was looking into maybe electric blue dempsy maybe red texas cichlids and even oscars?
Any info on nice cichlids would be nice.....looking for ones that get close to 10" or larger.
and can be mixed together..any suggestions will be great!
Thanks
Shen


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## lewis (Sep 13, 2005)

pair of devils at the moment i have a quite a few 6" cichlids in my 125 which include devils, buttis, jags, texas, red terrors all good fish i am planning on keeping only 2-3 in there when fully grown.


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Well I keep cichlids myself usually more than 1 oscar wont work not always but most of the time anyway with 2 of them you might have enough room for 1 more cichlid this is my setup I have a 120 1 oscar 1 dempsey and 2 female salvini and 5 clown loaches. Red texas are really expensive but are sick looking. I would do a oscar,dempsey maybe severum if you like those chocolate cichlids are nice to or the oscar dempsey and a few female cons or firemouths


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

Hmmm, I would just reccomend one aggressive cichlid, such as Jag, Butti, Dovii, Umbie, or the like. All of course, would have to be alone.


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## Cich Ambishionz (Oct 13, 2005)

And the Jag wins!!!

Heres mine...


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Hi thanks
Just ordered these!
2 x Red Texas Cichlid - 2 inch 
2 x Ultra Red Warrior Flowerhorn - 2 inch 
2 x Electric Blue Jack Dempsey - 2 inch

Shen


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## altimaser (Jul 10, 2006)

I think the electric blue Jack Dempsey's are a beautiful fish. Good luck, and post pics.


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

I can see that being reduced to two and then maybe one in short order--I'm not sure how aggressive and hardy RTs are, but BJDs are pretty weak genetically any way--I'd guess that they'd succumb to stress first and probably the RTs next.

I hope I'm wrong, though, if you can't back out of this deal (or don't want to!)

Best of luck!


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## oscar119 (Nov 26, 2005)

I would have went with an odo or jag and made the tank really nice.. I've heard that BJD's are very bad with needing extra good water and not really aggressive.

Why does everyone buy two of everything and overstock?









*Sitting back waiting for the Flowerhorns to annilate everything in that tank, and then each other..*


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## redpiranhas4 (Feb 23, 2003)

the electric jags will get battered to death 
i had 1 before i did my research,there temprement is nothing like the standard jacks and therefore not aggressive at all
i had them in with salvini,convict,texas,firemouth
all where the same size and i think it was the salvini that finished it off
but id put money on one of the red texas that will dominate ur tank for a while then probs fh


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Yup you will be losing fish pretty quick with those tenants what did you pay for the red texas and where did you get them from just curious because some reds are really washed out and junk.


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## lewis (Sep 13, 2005)

Yer i aggree the dempseys wont last long buy them there own 40g but good luck post pics when they arrive.


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

I ordered from http://www.somethingsphishy.com they told me i could mix all these and they would be fine .
they even told me because i asked they said oscars will go with them to!!

Should i cancel my order?
THANKS
Shen


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Yes. If you can cancel at all, do it.


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Well thats why there is these forums because lfs will tell you anything to make the sale and as far as oscars go I have been keeping them for years people say they are aggressive cichlids because they will eat feeders but they are one of the least violent cichs. and as far as dempsey's go me personally dont like the electric blues normal dempsey's are also more aggressive then the electrics. Also check out www.aquabid.com


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Ok i will try!
But what can i keep together all Blue JD? all texas red's?
all oscars ?
You can't mix anything?

THANKS
SHen


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Well you could do one flowerhorn and one red texas both pretty agressive and the tank is good size with those being 2 large cichlids maybe add some convicts or salvini cichlid both are smaller and can hold their own and then add bottom feeder catfish or pleco just put some hiding spots in there for them.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

The red texas and flowerhorns AT TWO INCHES will get along in a 125 for a little while. But, as mentioned, blue JDs are not hardy or aggressive relative to those others. I'd set up a separate tank for them and slowly sell back your most aggressive fish of the final 4 and then go with an African cichlid tank.

I honestly think things might work out longer for those other 4 but you'd have to keep an eye on them. Raising fish as youngsters is a good trick.


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

This is what the on line shop e-maild me back what do you think?

It is frustrating that you take the advice of people who do not know what they are talking about. I have all of the fish that you ordered in a tank next to me as I write this. I will make the refund.

Thanks,

Keith
www.SOMETHINGSPHISHY.com


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## Fargo (Jun 8, 2004)

shenlonco1 said:


> This is what the on line shop e-maild me back what do you think?
> 
> It is frustrating that you take the advice of people who do not know what they are talking about. I have all of the fish that you ordered in a tank next to me as I write this. I will make the refund.
> 
> ...


Translated, the above letter states,

It is frustrating to be a professional fish peddler who lacks competence. Perhaps what sustains me is the fact that I normally get my way in sales by misleading a non-informed public, much like the average car salesman overcharging innocent customers in need of reliable transportation. Alas, the days I dread are those when I have a profitable sale lined up and the customer becomes informed by those knowledgable in the industry inbetween the sale and the transfer of merchandise. It reveals all my insecurities and leaves me no choice but to play the guilt card with the newly informed customer.

Yours truly,
Dickhead.

Come on, Blue Dempseys with Flowerhorns. You gotta be kiddin me. Stay on this forum and you'll do well. You were just saved much aggrivation.

I would figure out whether you want very aggressive or semi-aggressive and go from there. There should be no rush in setting up your tank. Very aggressive, at 125gal leads to one or two specimens or else a large African tank. With semi-aggro you can have a centerpiece such as a JD, Oscar, or Severum, some smaller semi-aggros, medium size bottem feeders, etc. Look at how fish look and behave once they are full grown. My new 125 will have a JD as centerpiece with smaller semi-aggros for balance and color coordination. Tangled up in Cichlids always has amazing stock. If I were going high aggro, I'd get my personal favorite, the Vieja Bifasciatus, although I might want a 7 foot tank for a male. Get your fish as young as possible. Fish introduced later will often never get along. And personally, regular Dempseys, if you know what to look for in a fish, are way betterthan the blues. Their longevity and disease resistance alone are enough evidence of that. Convicts also are very disease resistant. Having Blue Dempsey's are like caring for immune deficient children in a hospital ward.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Saved yourself some drama (except the ignorant whimpering by that dealer). Good call!

Agreed with Fargo, just keep posting here, we've all been keeping fish for decades and there's more of us here AND WE DONT GET PAID. Dont trust that guy when he's getting paid for what he does.


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## oscar119 (Nov 26, 2005)

acestro said:


> Saved yourself some drama


Alot of drama. You made a good move canceling that order. Those fish should never be put together. Follow Fargo's advice, and never take stocking advice from someone selling fish(in general unless you've heard good things)


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

I haven't been at it for decades, but I've been a cichlidiot for a few years now and have read more information than Mr. Keith has in his lifetime, I'd bet. I'm a little insulted by that and would advise against you buying from someone that indignant and pompous--seems like he'd be likely not to honor an agreement and blame misshipping or losses in transit on anyone else he could to get out of the agreement...but that's just a guess; he could be a great guy, but better safe than sorry.


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## Fargo (Jun 8, 2004)

So ChiliDawg, back to the tank. What are you leaning towards?


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Thanks for the info guy's
Well I called Aqua Scape and I know this guy is a nice guy as I got 3 piraya piranhas off him like 5 months ago and they are awesome!

So I asked him I said if I go for the deal on the blue jack Dempsey 3 for $75.00 what can I put in with them he recommended Oscars so I got 3 blue Dempsey and one oscar.
They should be here tomorrow !!
I think i can make this work out...If i can't keep the oscar with them if it gets to agressive..
what other types of fish would be fine with the blue dempsey?

Thanks
Shen


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Fair enough, Fargo...I think the OP is keen on Electric Blue Dempseys, which means that something along the lines of gentle dithers would be a good bet--I'm leaning toward some rainbows as tankmates?


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

ChilDawg said:


> Fair enough, Fargo...I think the OP is keen on Electric Blue Dempseys, which means that something along the lines of gentle dithers would be a good bet--I'm leaning toward some rainbows as tankmates?


Hi thanks for the help.
do you have any links so i can see what the rainbows are ?
Thanks
Shen


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Contents.htm


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

Thanks for the info.
Well i got the fish and put them i9nto my 125gl oscar ok and the 3 JD ones ok but for some reason 2 of them keep locking lips together and seem to be fighting??....I think i may have a problem here!
Thing is they are only just over 1 inch long and i thought at this size they did not show aggression yet?








Will they stop this and aventually get along or will it get worse to the point of one killing the other?

Thanks
Shen


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

they will do this dont be suprised if the oscar get involved to they are establishing thier territories just make sure you have ample hide outs for them and the beatings dont get to severe then you might have to remove one but they are young bucks with alot of tank and they all want to be the landlord just keep a eye on them


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## shenlonco1 (Jan 16, 2006)

bigboi said:


> they will do this dont be suprised if the oscar get involved to they are establishing thier territories just make sure you have ample hide outs for them and the beatings dont get to severe then you might have to remove one but they are young bucks with alot of tank and they all want to be the landlord just keep a eye on them


They just stopped now!! looks like the daker blue one of the 2 won because now the other one who was fighting with him just swims away from him now if the darker one gets near him and looks like he wants to battle him again.

Crazy fish ..
Shen


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