What can I keep with this cichlid?

Please could you tell me whether there is anything I can keep in a 1.2m tank with a blue Jack Dempsey. At the moment he/she is only about 7cm in length so I'm thinking it would be best to add any tankmates while the fish is still small.

KAY JACKSON, VIA EMAIL

JEREMY REPLIES: Despite the name, Jack Dempseys aren’t actually that aggressive in the Central American cichlid stakes, and I’ve kept them with dozens of South and Central American cichlid species over the years. If you want to keep it Central American, Nics are quite peaceful, as are Firemouths and Texas cichlids, and they won’t outgrow the tank. Convicts and other

Amatitlania species will readily mix, but bear in mind that any substrate spawning cichlid will become aggressive when breeding. To prevent this, keep singles or make the Jack Dempsey the only cichlid in the tank. Non-cichlid tankmate choices could include Synodontis, Ancistrus,

Filament barbs or Silver dollars, but Jack Dempseys will usually mix with any medium sized tropical fish that are too large to eat and that won’t be seen as a threat to their territory.