mixing jack dempsey w/ african cichlid

[CMC]

I have two african cichlids in a 55-gallon and one of them is very aggressive towards the other one. Plenty of hiding places are available but one keeps chasing the other out of the hiding places. I'm seriously thinking about adding a couple more to the tank as suggested. However my son has a jack dempsey about the same size as my cichlids. He wants to put something else in that tank now and I thought about putting the jack dempsey in the tank with my cichlids. Can african cichlids be mixed with a jack dempsey? I'm a little leery about doing it. Any suggestions?

 

[fish_r_great]

I don't think so because of 1 Ph diference and also that Jack Dempsies are from like South America and Africans are from Africa

 

[lucky62]

the fish can probably adapt to the same water , but mixing is not a very good idea . Are they lake cichlids from africa ? If so , I wouldn't do it [ get more of that kind so as to displace the aggression] . If you had west africans , say Jewel ciclhds , I would say go for it . Make sure they have refuge .Or try trading them off and get something else . Good luck .

 

[Romwhi]

Hi...Not to start something up but your Jack and the other fish are in different water,Im thinking not,also do you think the stores have diff Ph levels in there fresh water tanks,No.While it is not a wise thing to do,people going off on different water peramiters most time's its bunk, unless you are trying to breed.I have 9 tanks from Malawi,Tanganyika,Victorians and Riverine speices,I have Malawi and riverine speices together,also have Malawi and Tangs together, Vics in with Tangs and Malawi ,Riverine and Malawi.I am trying to seperate into lakes but due to xbreeding it is not advisable.The only tank I mess with water is a Crenicara filamentosa speices tank and the reason for that is I wish to bred them (no luck yet).The only real thing to worry about IMO is diet.

 

[lucky62]

Hi...Not to start something up but your Jack and the other fish are in different water,Im thinking not,

You're probably right about the water being the same, but I myself wouldn't have assumed this , because many petstores will recomend additives or people may choose to get them on their own , thinking it's the right thing to do .

Most people don't realize how adaptable many fish are to slight changes in ph and water hardness . For the most part If can drink it and bath in it [ my tap water that is ], my fish can live it . I have various species of fish[AND SHRIMP] , in[8] various tanks, african cichlids[ lake and west ] , central american cichlids , gouramis , tetras , cory cats,fish from India , Austrailia , thialand . their water changes all come from the same tap ,I add stress coat and a declorinator that's it, they thrive .[ IMO]

 

[Romwhi]

Hello...his was not an assumtion,it is what I have witnessed.All the petstore's Ive been to run off of 1 system and all the water in there tanks are the same.Like I said I prefer to seperate the lakes and such,but to be telling someone that they cant mix due to water is still bunk,and Im only stating what Ive seen here maybe someplace else they adjust water but I doubt it.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Water differences are not the issue. I keep my new world and africans in the same water. But I do not keep them in the same tank.

The biggest reason is behavioral differeces. They act differently, are aggressive in different ways, and the fish, even if they can end up living together that doesn't mean the fish is being provided the best environment, and isn't this the reason we keep fish? Well, it is for me.

Diet is another issue. Some of the foods that are best for certain new world fish will kill certain africans. Again, you can balance the diet and make it work, but you can't cater to either type, and all will end up suffering for it long term.

The other thing is stocking levels. Mbuna are generally over crowded to keep aggression well distributed, but most new worlds don't work that way. They are better kept with less stocking levels and more appropriate choices of tankmates, and will live a very nervous life among the spunky africans.

In short, it can work, but that doesn't mean it should be done.

 

[jams.alaskan]

This thread is interesting and informative. I enjoyed the discussion. Great job all.

ALASKA

 

[lucky62]

Water differences are not the issue. I keep my new world and africans in the same water. But I do not keep them in the same tank.

The biggest reason is behavioral differeces. They act differently, are aggressive in different ways, and the fish, even if they can end up living together that doesn't mean the fish is being provided the best environment, and isn't this the reason we keep fish? Well, it is for me.

Diet is another issue. Some of the foods that are best for certain new world fish will kill certain africans. Again, you can balance the diet and make it work, but you can't cater to either type, and all will end up suffering for it long term.

The other thing is stocking levels. Mbuna are generally over crowded to keep aggression well distributed, but most new worlds don't work that way. They are better kept with less stocking levels and more appropriate choices of tankmates, and will live a very nervous life among the spunky africans.

In short, it can work, but that doesn't mean it should be done.

I agree , I keep my africans seprate from the south and central americans .
CMC , you could either get more of the same africans , or if you like the dempsey , trade the africans off and get some suitable tank mates for him . [IMO]

 

[Romwhi]

Hello.. I also agree with the above statements,my comment was on the water.

 

[charliecanskatesome]

pH doesn't matter? that sucks cuz i payed 10 dollars for chemicals that made the water pH 8.2. man shoo

 

[drobbins27]

One word of advice. Dont change pH levels. It's not worth it, and most fish can adapt. Even when breeding.

Thats my two cents, good luck m8

 

[thecichlidaddict]

A box of baking soda costs less then a buck, and will also bring your ph to 8.2

 

[CMC]

Thanks everyone. I've decided not to mix them because I didn't want to take any chances. Instead I went to the lfs this afternoon and bought 2 more african cichlids and a pleco. The new ones are a little smaller than the two already in the tank. The blue cichlid is aggressive towards all of them now. He's a handful . He won't let any of them get into a hiding place, he just chases them out of it. As long as they swim around the middle to the top of the tank (all the hiding places are towards the bottom of the tank, and plenty of them) he'll leave them alone, sometimes. If he keeps this up, I may have to trade him in (I'm assuming it's a male because of the egg spots) or buy another tank to put him all by his lonesome .

 

[lucky62]

whatcha gonna do with the Jack Dempsey ?
I'd get him his own tank , and if that nasty african gets out of line again trade him in for couple of smaller models just joking ,
If you did that the other big one would probably just take his place on the ladder of aggression and start picking on the others . Anyway glad you came to a conclusion . Good luck .