my 55 gallon!!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ZzoHQa104

Just some constructive criticism, but you really NEED some hiding places. That's why your Jewels are getting stressed. More hiding spots!

yea i know :( i figured the rocks and stuff would be cool for hiding spots for them to go behind, but i guess not...no one is attacking them though, so that's a bonus I guess.

not bad bad looking but i would agree with the hiding places

Ya you need lots of caves! Start with terra cotta pots from home depot or somewhere like it, they are cheap and come in a variety of sizes. If you feel lucky you can some times manage to knock a hole in the side to make a nice cave.
Was your tank cycled?

should be i let it run through cloudy then clear b4 i added fish...i used all gravel from a previous established tank that the guy took down the same day, along with filter media and stuff so it was a quick cycle, had pretty much what it needed.

got rid of 4 of the cutter cichlids and now want 2 or 3 colorful cichlids to add to the mix, not sure what to add... i know i'll be getting some small hides asap before anything.

Fern wrote:

Ya you need lots of caves! Start with terra cotta pots from home depot or somewhere like it, they are cheap and come in a variety of sizes. If you feel lucky you can some times manage to knock a hole in the side to make a nice cave.
Was your tank cycled?

that was what I mentioned in your other post... caves!

and I also wondered about cycling...


they are not 'attacking' each other yet because they are still too new and haven't yet started to establish dominance, or a 'pecking order'. They will.

There is also several fish in there. With caves it will look like less and they will all be safer and more comfortable. Amazing what a hide or lack of can do for the health of a fish.

No live plants in there???

looking good.

live plants cost money... I like the idea, but I don't like the idea of the cichlids tearing them up...

Nice!!

Test your water and see if it is cycled or not..... Better to find out now so you can keep it under control with water changes than to find out by fish dying.....

I would atleast try and get a couple of marimo balls for the tank...The cichlids (mine dont) wont bother them at all and they need really no care at all...Without any live plants your most likely to have fairly high nitrate levels

i forgot plants will help with that! good call! i'll definitely get some asap!

IMO I would not add anymore to the stock until they grow some those fish are going to get bigger and you will be way overstocked. How often are you doing water changes and testing?

nice tank i am the same need more hiding spots

I got rid of 4 cutters so down to 3

what live plants should I get for my tank?

none...the cichlids you are talking about keeping (jacks,red devils ect.) would just uproot and destroy your plants..Go with some plastic ones for the feel of nature. I would weight the fake plants down by putting the base in a small comtainer then siliconing gravel from your tank on top of the base. If you put any large rocks in the tank make sure they are very stable. These cichlids can dig and move all the gravel in your aquarium with ease. Nothing sucks worse than coming home and having a cracked tank because your beautiful cave system was undermined causing the whole thing to fall.

Marimo balls should be ok if the cichlids run into them or anything they will just simple roll out of the way ..just do not tie a marimo ball down just leave it loose

the marimo balls would be an expensive food item for your cichlids. I would not do any plants live or fake with them. Unfortunately we can't have everything the way we want it you have to decorate according to the fish in the tank. As far as your tank it will be impossible to keep a certain aquascape as those cichlid rearrange everything.

here's another video of my cichlids in their current habitat... getting better!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bJZNWZ9x3I