# most agresssive cichlid



## fishboy

what do you guys think is the most agressive cichlid?
here's what I had in mind:
flowerhorn
blood parrot
pink convict
malawi eyebiter
oscar
red devil
red jewel cichlid
dovii
Neetroplus nematopus
jaguar cichlid
umbee cichlid
mini dovii
hornet tilapia
green guapote cichlid
black nasty cichlid
Parachromis Motaguensis
Nandopsis istlantus
Herichthys Bartoni
Nandopsis Urophthalmus
Nandopsis Urophthalmus
Amphilophus Trimaculatus
Amphilophus Festae
Nandopsis Tetracanthus
Nandopsis Salvini
Amphilophus Citrinellus
Amphilophus Saggitae
Melanochromis sp.
Amphilophus Zaliosus
Herichthys Cynoguttatus
jack dempsey
green terror
texas cichlid
firemouth
red berry
tinfoil barbs(dither fish)
pleco(algae eater)
cuban cichlid
what do you think about my selection and do you have any suggestions?


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## navigator black

I don't understand your selection. Are these cichlids you think are aggressive?

Flowerhorns and blood parrots are test-tube hybrids that are barely viable as fish. Blood parrots have seriously deformed mouths, which limits their edge.
Pink convicts are territorial micropredators. If you keep them properly, they aren't very aggressive at all.
Eyebiters have gross feeding habits, but they are stealthy loners, not at all confrontational.
I have jewels in a community tank - with room, they are not especially aggressive. 
Dempsies, red devils and opscars aren't really aggressive either. They are animals that need huge spaces to live normally, and that we cram into small tanks. That makes them aggressive in captivity, sometimes, but they wouldn't be as common as they are if they weren't softies at heart.

Try dovii, or some of the big Crenicichlas. Or, for a small fish that has always impressed me with its sheer aggro, Neetroplus nematopus. They are beautiful little psychos that make a dempsey look like a care bear.


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## fishboy

yes, I have heard they can be nasty


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## susankat

What size tank and how many of those fish are you planning on? Better be a big tank.


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## fishboy

yeah, huge 55-75 minimum possibly 200


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## navigator black

Aha, the list has grown since I first posted!

I 'work' (or play) with the following formula. The gentlest cichlids are usually (not always) South Americans. 
Next in line is a sort of tie - the uncommon Asian species, West African river cichlids and Central American species.
North African and South African river species are next up - they can be rough customers.
East African lake cichlids come next - a calm Malawi can usually slaughter a rough Central American.
At the same time, Malawis are social and have complex understanding of the rules of their world. If you keep them correctly, they will seem peaceful. Ditto for Victorians or Tanganyikans - you do your homework, and they work out well.
Madagascans (I saw some in my lfs this morning) are really rough customers.
There are exceptions in every group. My Lamprologus congoensis are territorial African river fish, but they tolerate other species breeding right beside them. It's very cool. 

It's also cool to see why cichlids are in Asia, the Americas and all over Africa. Just as there is a clear ancient DNA connection between African lampeye killies and American livebearers, Cichlids are one of the proofs for continental drift. They have been around for tens of millions of years. If you ever get to see Heterochromis from Central Africa, one of the most primitive cichlids, you are looking at dinosaur times. And you are looking at one seriously aggressive big cichlid! It may be one of the nastiest (and rarest) I have seen.
I'm not just nerding around here though, there is a practical side. Tens of millions of years of continental movement, and evolution has produced different Cichlid languages. Cichlids communicate constantly to mediate disputes, as befits territorial animals from often crowded habitats. Cichlids from different continents communicate very poorly. Their 'languages' (colour, chemical/hormonal and movement) do not translate, and that can lead to vicious fighting. It's not a wise appraoch to mix cichlids from different continents.

If you do no homework and use small tanks, almost every cichlid can be made nasty.


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## navigator black

In one of my 75s, I have a pair of rainbow cichlids and a trio of firemouths, with a herd of Goodeids. It's only four feet along the front - that's full.
Another 75 has a pair of lamprologus congoensis and two pairs of wild-caught Hemichromis lifalilli with Congo River tetras. It is also full.

Not a lot of those fish on your list would be appropriate for a 75, unless you kept one pair.

Gallonage does not matter for cichlids - bottom size does. They are territorial, and a fish the size of a krib holds nine square metres in the wild. If you want multiple pairs of bigger aggressive cichlids in a tank, you have to look to an eight or ten foot tank. A four foot 75 is only two 20 gallons side by side for a 
cichlid...


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## fishboy

yeah, huge 55-75 minimum possibly 200, maybe half the cichlids


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## susankat

Even with half, I would make it the 200 and no less. And really you should keep them from the same lake for better care. Some are herbivores like most malawi's and too much protien will cause malawi bloat. Research your fish to make sure they eat the same kind of foods, how much territory each needs and what they get along with.


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## navigator black

Interesting - replies are appearing before the postings they reply to. It kind of messes up a thread.


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