aggressive cichlid

Question
Hi Lynda,
I have a 50 gallon freshwater tank stocked with only a bristlenose, red african cichlid and a jack dempsey cichlid(all fairly young).  Both cichlids have plenty of hiding rocks however the dempsey is agressive towards the other cichlid.  I feed them once daily with floating pellets and two frozen cyclid pellets every other day.  anyways i wondering what other breed of fish would be safe to join my cichlid habitat and coexist?

Answer
Hi Ian,
These are very aggressive fish,  You have to have lots of hiding places, adding plants, and driftwood to your rock decoration.  The choice is yours, as there are many aggressive fish on the market, such as the Green Terror. The krebensis is a pretty fish, aggressive towards other fish when spawning.   Always read up on a fish before buying them.  Some are semi aggressive, some are very aggressive, and some aren't aggressive.  Setting up a tank with  aggressive fish is always a gamble.  Observation is the key, and many many hiding places.  
I would feed them three times a day.  Cichlids need more than one feeding a day to be healthy.  Hungry fish aren't happy fish, and this could make them even more aggressive.  You should vary their diet too.  A good flake food would be good for them.  There are many different kinds of food at your pet store.  The more your vary, the better. It is very rare that well fed fish get a serious illness.  Do your water changes every week, and there should be no problem.
Getting these fish to get along, is very difficult, so the secret is (and I'm saying it again) many many hiding places, and observation.  Buying them all small is a big help.  When young, they grow to accept each other more.  Keep in mind that these fish grow quite big, so don't over stocked your tank.  The Green Terror grows to 8 inches long.  The Jack Demsey grows to 10 inches, and the jewel up to 6 inches long.  I would say that you could add one more jewel, one Green Terror, and 4 krebensis.  The krebensis grows to 4 inches long.  I wouldn't add more that that to a 50 gallon tank.  Decorations take up lots of room, and they are a must for these type of fish.  If you overstock, you will have problems, they will get sick, and lack oxygen.
Hope this helps, and Good Luck
Lynda