Introduction

[Owb51]

Hello all. I am kind of a newbie to keeping aquariums. I used to raise jack dempsy’s and jewel cichlids, but that’s about it. I got rid of my set-up years ago because I was afraid my tank was going to burst (the middle piece that kept it from bowing out broke so I gave it to someone who needed a reptile home). I just got back into keeping fish a few months ago when I came across a deal I couldn’t pass up. Mostly everything in my tank is natural. I have several live plants, and a couple fake ones. The substrate is rocks and sand from the creek in front of my house. I have ceramic decoration’s that I made and natural stones, petrified wood, crystal, and a few plastic figurines. My aquarium is a 55gallon tank that is stocked with 2 blue acara’s, 3 blue gourami’s, 2 killifish, 2 chocolate gourami’s, 2 loaches, 2 pleco’s, 9 cherry barbs, 2 German blue rams, 2 angels and a few snails. Cichlids have always been my favorite fish and I would like to add 2 Jewels but am afraid there is not enough room. I was told on a facebook group about aquariums that these fish should not be homed together. The store that I bought them from said it was fine. I know that blue acara’s are not very aggressive unless they are mating ( tried to pick 2 males, but not good at sexing them). The German blue rams are dwarf cichlids so I know they are not a threat to anything, however, I know nothing about the rest of the fish. Can someone tell me why they should not be homed together or even if the person that told me that is even correct. Don’t want nothing to happen to my babies. 

[Fish Folk]

Well, in time, as Cichlids reach spawning maturity, even a 55-gal becomes a potential “octagon.” 

[Owb51]

😬😬😬 even if it is two males?

I think I accidentally got a male and a female, I’m not sure. My bigger one, which is a male I’m pretty sure, is displaying mating behaviors.