jack dempsey and green terror

Question
QUESTION: i have a green terror and a dempsey in a 55gal. one of them will swim up to the other and stand side by side and in opposite direction bob from side to side. either of them will stop and swim backwards into the other. or theyll smack the back fins like there dancin or giving each other a high five. some times between all this dancing one of them will gently poke the others belly. the dempsey will chase the green terror very briefly, but its a slow chase. the dempsey will flare but its barely. youd have to be right on top of him to notice. the last thing they do is swim side by side and hover next to each other, kinda like one is wondering what the other is looking at. it seems kinda playfull but im not sure. i dont know if i should be worried and find a home for someone.

ANSWER: Hello Jeremy,
These fish are two very territorial, and aggressive fish.  They would need a bigger tank.  The green terror would need a 55 gallon all to himself, and so would the Jack Dempsey.  This means that they should have 120 gallons of water, and more is better.  They are not playing, and I would surely remove one of them.  When buying fish with names like these, we must always read up on them to make sure we have the right amount of space to provide them with a nice home.  They are true to their names, and will kill without hesitation.   There is not enough room in a 55 gallon tank for them to make their territory, and one will surely injure the other.  Please find one of them a good home.  The petshops who sell these fish should inform the customer before selling fish to them.  Most don't care, it is only the buck that counts.  These fish get very big, and when they are kept in tanks too small for them, their growth is staunted, their internal organs have no place to grow, and they die a horrible death.   
No, Jeremy, I'm sorry to tell you these fish are not dancing.   They are displaying anger, and it is a question of territory.  Please find one of them a good home.
Hope this helps
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for your help on this. so i will be getting both new homes. i was looking for some colorful fish with some personality. salt water is too expensive, and africans r way too aggressive. im also downgrading tank size due to landlord reasons. the 55 was a gift so im trading for a 29 gal and the landlord is fine with it. what could i put in my new 29? im kinda limited on a budget and like i said earlier, im looking for some fish with some color and personality, all im finding are mollies and fancy guppies... not really my cup of tea. any help would be most awesome!

Answer
Hi Jeremy,
I'm sorry to read that you can no longer keep your 55 gallon tank. Make sure that your 29 gallon tank is cycled, and has good water chemistry before putting a fish in your tank.  Keep your old sponge, and put it into your new filter. (If you are changing filters) A used sponge is full of good bacteria, and is the best way to start a new tank.  Never rinse your sponge under tap water, rinse it in water that you have removed from the tank to keep your good bacteria.  A sponge is good for a very long time, until it is old, ragged, and falling apart.
(1) Angel fish are beautiful, and you could put three in your tank, along with a school of neon tetras, and a school of white clouds, a botia loach, and a school of cory catfish.  Cory catfish must be kept in schools.  It doesn't matter which colour or which ones you buy, they all get along, play, and it's fun to watch them.

(2) Gouramis are also nice, (Pearl Gourami, Moon Gourami grow to 3 inches, Powder Blue gourami, three spot gourami, and the sunset gourami and are very pretty.)  If choosing gouramis, you should have a floating real plant, and other plants that can be silk that you find at the pet store.  You could also add a botia loach, and a school of cory catfish.

(3) If you want to go with barbs, most of them are fin nippers, and must be kept in group of six or more.  Tiger barbs are pretty, but they are aggressive with other fish.  Because of the experience I have had with the tiger barbs, I would keep only them in a tank.  There are two other colours you could also add.  Green tiger barbs, and the Albino tiger barb.  

I hope this helps.
Lynda