Green Terror in 55-Gallon

[Deadeye]

It’s specifically the mbuna africans I wouldn’t put with them. The African riverine should be okay (with some exceptions like buttis).
My del is with 2 kribs, a convict, and a dempsey in a 125. The kribs may be an issue when he’s full grown though…
Given the size of a sen, smaller African riverine cichlids like Buffalo, jewel, and kribensis should work well along with smaller CA and SA (basically nothing that will eat it or is extremely aggressive).

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

So, how does this setup sound?:

1 Convict, 1 Firemouth, 1 Striped Raphael, 1 Pictus, and one appropriate Bichir (whatever is available, though I want a platinum)

I want to go to the fish store tomorrow, so I want to decide quickly.

If the Firemouth doesn't work: 2 Convicts, 1 Bichir, 1 Striped Raphael, 1 Pictus, and some dither or a fish that stays in the upper/mid levels.

And then finally: 1 Festivum, 3-4 Angelfish, dithers of some sort, a Striped Raph, and the Pictus.

Please let me know what y'all think; I want something good.

 

[Deadeye]

I’d go for the convict pair - firemouths like groups and can suffer against the convict beating.
Try to get a male and female con, or if you find a similar species (rainbow, hrp, nanolutae), go for it.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

I think I like that idea too Deadeye@. Would a bichir work with the convicts? Also are there any top/mid dwellers that can go with convicts? I know that cichlids generally stay in the bottom region, and I want something that will go more mid and top.

 

[dmyersWv]

Option 1 should work. Try to avoid 2 convicts if the pair up they will take over aleast half of your tank.

 

[Deadeye]

Cichlids are usually pretty good at avoiding bichirs, there shouldn’t be any issues with them imo.
I tried a con and fm in a 55 and at less than an inch the con harassed the fm. That would only get worse with age.
Any large bodied tetra or livebearers like mollies or swordtails would be good to occupy the top.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

Cichlids are usually pretty good at avoiding bichirs, there shouldn’t be any issues with them imo.
I tried a con and fm in a 55 and at less than an inch the con harassed the fm. That would only get worse with age.
Any large bodied tetra or livebearers like mollies or swordtails would be good to occupy the top.

Wait I can livebearers with convicts and a bichir? I've been wanting to get livebearers so badly! I just thought they would be food for my other fish.

 

[dmyersWv]

They will/could be as the bichir grows.

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

They will/could be as the bichir grows.

Yeah that's what I figured...

 

[Deadeye]

Fry would be easy snacks, but full grown swordtails and mollies are practically the size of a convict - a captive bred senegal shouldn’t get large enough to eat an adult.
Convicts, like many Central American cichlids, naturally live with larger livebearers.
I wouldn’t go mixing guppies or platies with them though.
Matth05 currently has a con pair with swordtails, and Jexnell kept some hrp’s with livebearers as well, just to name a few cases.