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I have a 55 g tank .What should I stock it with
A Red Devil or a Jaguar cichlid by its self

To be honest, I think that a jag will get too big for a 55g. A red devil could fit in a 55 but if you could offer any bigger it would probably be better.
Good luck

Any closer to making a decision? Sounds like an upgrade down the track will be in order. but I guess you can cross that bridge when you come to it.... what size fish were you thining of buying? Agony is having a fish you are really attached to that has outgrown it's tank and space/finance dictate you cannot upgrade. Then what?

Good luck with whatever you decide. I have not kept either of those breeds so cannot be of more assistance with knowledge (only moral support)

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

a single female red devil might work but really would be pushing it. There are other more suitable cichlids. If ur set on an RD try getting a 75G. A jag is best in a 6ft tank IMO, but definitely nothing smaller than a 90.

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates-
I happen to have become a philosopher

Jaguar Cichlid? Whoa ... take a look at this photo that I took of a 13 inch male ... he is in an 8 foot tank all on his own because he fell out with his mate (the female is now in an 8 foot tank of her own too). That's the kind of space that Jaguar Cichlids demand. A 55 is a temporary holding pen for a juvenile Jaguar Cichlid, NOT a permanent home.

I wouldn't put a Jaguar Cichlid in anything under 150 gallons. 200 is closer to the mark.

Red Devils have slightly less capacious demands, but only slightly. A Red Devil is a candidate for a 90, preferably a 125 or upwards.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

ok I will get a red devil and hope its female

take a look at this photo that I took of a 13 inch male

..........takes ages to load up, once loaded hard to get an idea of scale. Tank isn't kept that bare always is it? Was that at house moving stage? It would be a very boring life if the tank was always that bare. Where's my digging opprotunities, hiding spaces, plant shredding sessions?

Babyhova1309... besides asking about appropriate size tank how much research have you done? Have you kept cichlids before? They are personality plus but all fish have requirements for water and decor, feeding etc. I know you are new to the site but you may not be new to the hobby so excuse me for asking. I just want to make sure you know what you are in for with a big ciclid.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

What you're seeing there is the aquarium about 2 hours after the emergency segregation. Plus, it's at a dealer's (Maidenhead Aquatics at Bold Heath). The furnishings were in a separate basket waiting to go in once the guy who segregated them worked out which fish was going to get what toy to play with.

Believe me, that fish is big and muscular. I've had whole trout served up to me in posh restaurants that were smaller than that.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

to be honest even a female rd can outgrow a 55gal,if you look around you can get a 75gal,for just about the same price,and this would open up your choice of fish,i mean the rd,or the jag will be ok in a 55gal,for a while as long as your filtration is great,and they were only small fish,and very temparary,however you would be surprised how fast a rd or a jag will outgrow your 55gal,anyway let us know what you decide on...,
ps.if you like red devils and jags,and fish of that personality,have you cosidered a green terror,man these guys are the coolest wet pet out there,my fella isnt even half as big as he can get,and he oozzess personality,plays with my hand,bites me,i also have a fake plastic fish,attached to some fishing line that i used to play with my flowerhorn with,now,my green terror loves chasing it around too,a great fish...and i almost forgot,all the fish mentioned above,would eventully HAVE to be moved to a much bigger tank,if you do get any of the above fish for a 55gal,as i said b4,they would have to be smaller rather than larger..and like cali said above,a 150gal should be ok for most of the fish above,but a 200gal would be the best permanent home for them....good luck

I would have to agree with the Green Terror. Mine was 5 or 6 years old and tons of fun, not to mention pretty. He never got much more than about 8" long and lived in a 55. I miss my big guy. Lost him one night when my heater malfunctioned and cooked my fish. I woke up the next morning and everything was floating except for my 10" pleco.

.mitch.

yeah you are rite they are a nice looking fish i forgot to mention that...also they are greedy little buggers too

I had Red Devil, and it was a really cool fish def something different. They grow very fast!!. And mine use to dig up all the gravel in the tank and actually make mountains of rocks. My friend was over one day and he flanted all the rocks and by the next morning they were all built back up!! Crazy fish lol