HELP MY JACK DEMPSY!

Question
I have an 80 gallon tank, my needlenose is only a small baby, my 30 gallon tank houses all his feeder gold fish.  My ciclids do great together.  The water is at 0 for pretty much everything.  I think I might have to get my Jack a female since he seems lonely.  Do you think I should get him a partner?

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Even if your ammonia and nitrites are 0 ppm, your nitrates have to consistently be under 20 ppm or you will begin to see problems such as growths, loss of appetite and a general lack of health. You don't mention what levels you tested for exactly, so I wouldn't know what your nitrates are.

It is my opinion as a lay fishkeeper, and that of many respected, educated experts in the field, that feeding feeder goldfish is a bad idea. If you have to wean him off feeders, rosy reds are a better choice, but ideally the fish should be trained (perseverance!) to accept dead foods. There are lots of reasons for not feeding fish to other fish. One reason being that it makes the fish "meaner" and the most substantial being that the nutritional value is small, and the risk of introducing disease/parasites high. It sounds like you have them quarantined and are hopefully "gutloading" them, but nevertheless, have a read here...

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/goldfshfd.htm
http://www.bestfish.com/tips/042199.html

And here, for other feeding ideas besides feeders:
http://fish.mongabay.com/food.htm

Putting another Jack Dempsey in the tank is really pushing it. If they pair off (which is not always the case with a single female) your bottom dwellers are in peril at spawning time. JDs are substrate spawners and extremely aggressive during this time. Catfish tend to be "nosy" and love a treat of cichlid eggs, so they're usually first to be thrashed.

Performing a water change, filter maintenance, and vacuuming of the gravel now - and on a continuous basis - and feeding more of a variety of fresh, frozen and dried foods is likely all you need to do besides watching very closely for signs of aggression. I do understand that they are getting along now, but these relationships between cichlids tend to turn sour sooner than later. I am still concerned for the safety of the African when your needlenose grows to mature size.

So, in my opinion, he isn't lonely and you shouldn't get another Jack Dempsey female. These aren't highly social fish like schoolers and fish don't need to mate to be "fulfilled" - especially when it isn't a practical addition. A breeding, species tank would be another story. Also, I would suggest you trade in the African for a larger American cichlid such as a Firemouth, for the reason stated above. You can find more information about this and other American cichlids http://www.cichlid-forum.com - lots of info there, including profiles, care requirements, even reviews of products!

Have a nice day, Jessica, and take care.
Nicole