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A friend of mine bought a 3" adult male Kenyi cichlid at a local pet store for $4. He currently has had it in a 10g (yes, way to small for the fish) tank for the last two weeks and it seems to be doing great. It is probably the most entertaining freshwater fish I've ever seen because of its tendency to dart around the tank like a robot, and dig little hiding spots in the gravel (it actually carries gravel in its mouth around the tank). Not to mention that it is a beautiful solid orange/yellow in color with cool spots on its fin.

Anyway, can anyone recommend tankmates for Kenyi cichlids? Will corys work? Some sort of schooling dither fish like tetras? Other cichlids?

If he isn't planning on moving the Kenyi, i.e. Maylandia lombardoi, to a much larger tank like a 75G very soon, he should consider taking it back.

This is an extremely aggressive Mbuna from Lake Malawi, Africa. It also prefers a higher pH than most general freshwater fish (Malawi ranges from ~7.7 to ~8.6, depending on the area) and should be housed in a large aquarium with other compatible rift lake fish. Common community fish like cories, tetras, etc. are very unsuitable tankmates.

At 3" his male is not fully grown, as it is not unusual to have a Kenyi reach between 5"-6". As true behavior emerges with time and size, the Kenyi's attitude will likely become more aggressive. This fish absolutely cannot be kept in a 10G, due to it's size and its territorial nature.

He had a rainbow shark in the tank prior to the Kenyi, and the Kenyi doesnt seem to mind the shark too much. He did however, nip off the fins of a silver gourami, which is now in another tank.

I'll advise him to upgrade the tank, at least to a thirty.

Actually, after looking at that link you provided, I'm not so sure what exactly his fish is.

It was sold as "assorted african cichlid", so it could really be just about anything on that page.

This is the closest picture to what it looks like: http://cichlid-forum.com/photogallery/images/May_estherae_03.jpg
but that is a "Maylandia estherae" or red zebra cichlid.

It also looks much like the Maylandia lombardoi or Kenyi seen here:
http://cichlid-forum.com/photogallery/images/May_lombardoi_09.jpg

Kenyi are usually one of the common ones found in the assorted tanks, so I would not be surprised if that is what your friend has. The color in that link I posted seems a little off, as that picture looks almost yellow, and adult males are orange (females stay blue-barred).

The assorted tanks are also notorious for housing hybrid mbuna, which are usually some cross of Kenyi or something else. I also see Auratus (another very aggresive mbuna) in those tanks from time to time. Ironically, some of the most unsuitable mbuna for beginning fishkeepers are stocked in the assorted tanks.

even if it is a red zebra(estherae) it should be in another tank. i wouldnt recommend anything smaller than 55g. 55g tanks are small for mbuna in my opinion. others will say that 29g are ok, but they really arent. he is a mbuna, so he will need more roon to stretch out. i dont recommend any other community fish except giant danios or large congo tetras. if it a lombardoi, be very carefull with tankmates. he will need a larger tank most likely. somewhere around a 90 or larger. these things stake out a very large territory and will murder any other fish, including cichlids that get in its way. or, you may have a mellower one. who knows. this is all based on generalizations anyway. we dont even know what kind of fish it is.

Would it win in a fight vs. a 3" Jack Dempsey?

it will win that fight guaranteed.

Yes - it is common to see Kenyi sold as assorted cichlids. They are also a bright blue when young and then as they mature they turn bright yellow. Agreed, a very bossy fish however, most other fish mind their own business. The Kenyi I have seen are mostly territorial but not too much of a chaser unless fish swim into the territory.

I have seen them with Auratus which are also bossy fish. They seem to get along fine.