Buttikoferi and Central Americans

[Morulius]

Hi there, just arrived this forum and I already love it!

Need some advice regarding mixing cichlids from different continents. Would it be wise to put a semi-adult Tilapia buttikoferi with Central American cichlids (e.g. Vieja maculicauda, Parachromis managuensis, Cichlasoma octofasciatum, etc.)?

Thanks.

[Vitaliy]

I would say its possible if you have big enough tank, I doubt Black Belt (Vieja maculicauda) and Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum) will handle a Butti. Id go with Midas or Devil, Green Terror, or Red Terror.

[Morulius]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The tank where I keep the Central Americans is a 170 gallon. I currently have the buttikoferi in a 125 gallon with other Africans but it is giving a hard time to the Mozambique tilapias, so I was thinking to transfer it to the 170g.

[Vitaliy]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The tank where I keep the Central Americans is a 170 gallon. I currently have the buttikoferi in a 125 gallon with other Africans but it is giving a hard time to the Mozambique tilapias, so I was thinking to transfer it to the 170g.
Yeah, Buttikoferi’s are known for their looks and aggression, I think most African Cichlids are simply too small to handle a Butti. 170 should be fine to mix it with Central Americans, just make sure they are the same size.

[Morulius]

Well then, I think I’ll give it a try.

The CA’s are slightly larger than the buttikoferi so it should be ok. The only problem may be the black belt (female) that has decided to lay eggs and is chasing pretty much everything in its surroundings. The funniest part is that there’s no male black belt on the tank. Go figure these cichlids…

Thanks.

[piranha45]

mixing cichlids from different continents is a great practice, smartest thing I ever did in the hobby was ignore all those blabbering idiots who said it shouldnt be done.

[iheartfishies]

True, my Butti is with a FH and a Polleni.

They all get along great, so far.

[Gebo]

I thought I had gotten a "steal" on a 7" Butt so I brought him home. He seemed so peaceful in the 35 gal in the pet store. Well, after moving him between 3 of my 4 tanks and him terrorizing everyone, I decided to put him in my adult dovii pair tank. I was sort of hoping to "tone" him down a little. After about 5 minutes, I realized he had to go back for a refund. He was the toughest (didn't say meanest) fish I have ever seen in person. He would lock up the the male dovii (11") and slowly push him practically out of the water. The dovii would hit him and the Butt would do the lip lock and "manhandle" what I thought was the toughest and meanest fish I had ever kept.

[piranha45]

man, that would have made for a great video!

[Rui]

I think the Butt is one of THE most difficult to mix cichlids. It seems it doesn't matter what you mix them with, they eventually tear everything apart. The LFS has a 330 display which after much 'pushing' converted to a Central American tank. Someone donated a 11" Butt (still small) and he killed 22 other Centrals in there before the owner finally removed him. He threw him into a tank with 5 9" (and thick as hell) Red Belly pirhanas, as he was just a little annoyed (and big Butts are almost impossible to give away really, at least here they are). Well, you saw a perfectly healthy Butt after a few days, and 5 of the worst looking red bellies you will ever see...I think he just ended up killing it as it is gone after another move into his own 25 gallon tank. Feel sorry for the Butt - just too aggressive to really mix with much, unless they are smaller.

Anyone keep Fossochromis rostratus? These things just don't stop attacking. Males are some of the most beautiful cichlids imo, but they just don't stop chasing fish around, no matter how much you crowd them!

[piranha45]

is this fossochromis a tang or malawi mbuna?

[CentralMayhem]

hey Rui. ????????????????????????????????????dont know man . hard to believe.

[sauroid]

in my experience buttis are impossible to keep in a community even with other buttis. they are the meanest cichlids ever from anywhere. they are usually kept isolated in their own tank til they die. they are beautiful though. their stripes are perfect. i think they should be called CONVICTS, not the other convict. maximum security.

[Rui]

I haven't personally seen anyone keep a large male Butt with anything...I have seen smaller specimens in tanks with larger Centrals, but I have never seen them successfully mixed with anything. I think Sauroid is on to something here..we should just call them 'Giant Convicts'.

Fossochromis rostratus is a large Malawi Hap. You really have to see an adult male if full color to really appreciate it. Highly irridescent - rather spectacular looking. I will probably buy another one again, but I am definitely going to wait until my Centrals grow out quite a bit more, if nothing else just to avoid getting 'scarred up' by such a persistent and lively fish.

[piranha45]

these pics are not mine. These fish were in a 500g tank.

The butti was ~14" TL, the dovii ~20" TL. The dovii ruled the tank with an iron fin. One day, the dovii got tired of the butti. And he got tired of a couple of smaller parachromis species too, now that I think of it.

http://members.westnet.com.au/rodney82/images/pp16.jpg
http://members.westnet.com.au/rodney82/images/pp17.jpg

[iheartfishies]

:cry:

IF my buddy DIEDDD!!!!!!!!!!!

[piranha45]

yeah its like ur the dovii and im the butti, amazing how well that pic parallels

[iheartfishies]

I mean you are an ASS.

I love my DOVII AND BUTTI to Death.....:)

[piranha45]

you dont have a butti anymore, you just ****ing killed it you heartless *****. uhatefishies is more like it.

[iheartfishies]

I just fed him jerkoff...:)


I love him more the penis.

[piranha45]

what a liar! hahahahahahahhaahaha woo **** ur a riot. how drunk are you right now anyway?

[iheartfishies]

BLEH Verr.y

[piranha45]

figured as much, for you to say something as outrageously silly as that

[iheartfishies]

:)

[WckedMidas]

dams thats messed up