new butti, enough room?

[Salty]

I just bought a butti at 3" for my african 40 g. high. I honestly have never seen one around here anywhere. I hear they get pretty crazy, but I had no idea what pretty cichlids they were until i got one. So far in my 40, I have a red zebra who owns the tank at 4", he's pretty active, and he was free, a yellow lab also at 4" who's very chill, a blue zebra at 2.5", that kinda resembles a rusty top cichlid, purple striped body with fading to gold fins, the very shy, but pretty active butti, and,I also added a 3.5" tinfoil barb, who basically just follows the yellow lab around. Is this too many fish for this sized tank or can I add a few more? I would like to know because, I wanted to do something a little different with this tank. I know its only a 40 g., I just thought I'd give africans a shot, but I dont want to overcrowd either. - thanx, salty

[KNH]

Butti get very large and aggressive, ~16" or larger in some cases. Tins also can may get 14" or so. Watch them closely and plan an upgrade soon.

[straitjacketstar]

Butti's average 14-16". 18" is attainable. They also have a tendency to be hyperaggressive. Some are ok in communities. That's more like exception though. Not the rule. The butti will need a 75gl min for itself, preferably 100gls. In a larger tanks tankmates are feazable. If the butti will have them.

[Honda12]

Keep an eye on him. I tried to raise one up with my large africans 6in and up and I had to get rid of it at 4in. He was a nasty little sucker, killed two fish in one day. Also I had mine in a 90gl and he did this, so keep a close eye on it.

[Salty]

Yea, I know they get big and aggressive. I've just never seen them anywhere. I was wrong he's about 2-2.5" but I do know they get big and I do also have a 65 g. just in case. I actually like this butti alot I may keep him as a single, if he gets large and overly aggressive.

[Honda12]

You will most likely will have to keep it single cause it will get large and overly aggressive but there are always those exceptions.

[Salty]

honda, what is a motoro tank? and knh, do you really have a 750 g. ? that is f----n huge! where do you have it? like in a lvgroom, a basement or what? how do you maintain such a large tank? I'm only asking, cuz i've never heard of anyone owning such a large tank. and do you have pics? man, thats crazy. I thought a 150 was big. I'd like to get a 90, or a 120 but thats probly as big as i'd go. 750 g. man that's fn retarded. I still cant believe that.

[Peanut_Power]

Butti are among some of the more aggressive african cichlids, I know of several people that keep them with their CA cichlids and they still dominate the tank....top that off with them gettin large...you could have issues. The larger the tank, the more space for the other tank mates to get around safely....;) ....probably gettin a breeding group/pair would be disasterour for the other fish!

[Salty]

Ppower, thanx for the info I don't plan on gettin a pair. I just got a new job though so I'm psyched, I saw this incredible 120 g. high, that I really like the other day 189.99, for the tank, top, n light. I was gonna go for a 90, but I'm cancelling that now. I'm not to crazy about mixing my americans with my africans, so I'm kinda unsure what to do with it. but if all else fails the butti will probably over time end up in the 120.

[Rass]

Fish Base says 30cm for Butti's what gives? That is only about 12". Anyone have actual Max. size for them?

[Rass]

It says 30.8cm SL. I guess TL would be longer? Where is "SL" measured from?

[cichlid savage]

Butti are notorious tankmate killers. Be careful he will get 2-3 times the size of your current africans. which probably means they will become LUNCH:eek:

[straitjacketstar]

Fishbase goes by largest found in the wild, I can only assume.
They do indeed get much larger than 12". 14" being average and 16" is not uncommon.

[Salty]

I'm wondering maybe this butti is female, cuz, man what a slow grower. I've had it a month now and it only seems to be maybe a half inch bigger, if that. I'm feeding it hikari pellets medium sized, crushed, twice a day. Anyways I'm definately going for a 90 g. I figure I'd put a few of my larger cichlids in it n go from there. So far it'll be salvini, jd, a couple big cons n maybe butti. I'm not exactly sure what to do with this butti, I like it alot but I'm not to keen on mixing my americans with my africans.

[buddah101]

Fish Base says 30cm for Butti's what gives? That is only about 12". Anyone have actual Max. size for them?
Well, I'm gonna tell ya right now, and I aint no scientist (double negative...I actually am...hehe) mine is approaching 15 inches right now, and only two years old!!
In last months TFH mag. The pic in Q&A!

[jlewis70]

thats big i've had mine for about 4 to 5 months and it seems like it only gron a inch or 2. i have it in a 55 gal. but i have a magnum 350 so i think the filtration should be good enough. ny butti is with a german red and a cylidrucis and he doesn't even mind them at all. she just stays in her cave unless i go to feed her and she can eat alot. but it doesn't seem like shes growin real fast

[Salty]

Yep, that butti is one slow grower. I swear it hasn't gown one bit since I first got it 2 months ago. Its a pretty little fish though, n keeps to itself alot. The red zebra chases it from time to time, but i havent noticed any fin or body damage, whatsoever.

[Timpon]

Yep, that butti is one slow grower. I swear it hasn't gown one bit since I first got it 2 months ago. Its a pretty little fish though, n keeps to itself alot. The red zebra chases it from time to time, but i havent noticed any fin or body damage, whatsoever.

Feed it fresh meaty foods like shrimp or whitebait. I've found that fish raised on fresh food tend to grow alot quicker than if it was only fed dry food.

I had one grow from 3 in to 14 in in the year and a half I had him in a 240 gallon

[Salty]

thanx for the info, would freeze dried krill work?