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Hello, I am new here so sorry if I should have posted this somewhere else. I have a 40 gallon tank with a lone jewel cichlid. It has some plants, lots of rocks and places to hide. I used to have what I think was a Malawi Golden cichlid too but it just disappeared one day. I was given the fish by a friend who couldn't have them anymore. The jewel is afraid of me and the golden used to come out from hiding when I came to the tank (yet hid when others came by.)

Anyway, the jewel is all alone now and I think I would like to get more friends for him/her. Is it best to get another jewel? Or would another type be better? How can I tell if the one I have is male or female? Would it be best to get it a mate?

The lady at the fish store I was in today said I should get some schooling fish in the amount of 5 such as Congo Tetras. I don't know what to do. Someone also told me I should get a pelco since it wouldn't get in the way of the jewel and would get the jewel used to having a tank mate.

Please advise. Thank you in advance.

~Andrea

Hi Andrea and welcome to Fish Profiles!

Here is one of hundreds of sites that favor your fish and how to keep it:

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/jewel.php

The idea of the Congo Tetras was to provide some active, and attractive, fish that would ease the tension in your fish.
If it sees them swiming around unconcerned for their safety then it too would soon join the fish in swimming
around the tank. Keep in mind that when it gets its sea legs and starts venturing around the tank, the plants could soon be dug up and floating on the surface. It would become a never ending battle. These fish are constantly on the look out for others of their kind, looking for enemies, and also for food. The plants are in their way obstructing their view of their world and could be hiding a problem.

Frank

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