Large cichlid aggression levels/Help me plan my big tank

Quo Vadis

Gambusia
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I am currently growing out or (buying to grow out) the fish for my big tank, but it is hard to find definitive info on aggression levels or various fish. I know this is partly because each cichlid is an individual and you can get unexpectedly peaceful aggressive species, or and unexpectedly aggressive peaceful species. But, with that in mind, are the following cichlids fairly well matched in terms of aggression? As adults they will go in the a tank about 78"x 40" that I am building in my basement, but would be growing out in a 75g, 90g and 160g. Also, most of these fish would be singletons, but I would have a few pairs, probably of the more peaceful species

Astronotus crassipinnis (should be pretty similar to regular Oscar, but they stay a bit smaller)
Hypselecara temporalis
Heros Notatus
Hoplarchus psittacus
Acarichthys heckelii
Paratilapia "Large Spot"
Paretroplus dambae (MAYBE, may just keep them in my West African tank to encourage them to breed)
Vieja synspilum
Paraneetroplus regani
Paratheraps heterospilus
Amphilophus lyonsi
Herichthys/exCichlasoma pearsei
exCichlasoma bocourti
Chuco micropthalmus
Herichthys carpintus (this is a female, and I know tend to be more aggressive, so she will be removed if she is too aggressive)

I would also be interested in:
Festae (female)
Caquetaia Kraussii or Spectabilis
Parachromis Loiselle
But I am unsure how they would do with this mixture, since there would also be smaller CA cichlid "dithers" (Cryptoheros, HRPs, Rainbow cichlids, etc.). Thoughts?


I also really like:
Herichthys deppii,
" " bartoni
Cuban cichlids
But I assume even a singleton of any of these would probably be too aggressive for this combo?



Any of the SA cichlids that are too peaceful could be removed to my fairly peaceful SA tank, but all my CAs would be moving up to this tank.

Thanks!
 

DMD123

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I have a large Pearsei, regani, red bay snook in my 210g and they do extremely well together due to their temperament. I will be adding a heterospilus to the mix soon. I tried the bocourti/pearsei mix in the tank but those two did not get along and I ended up keeping the one with the better personality.... the pearsei.

I have had Hoplarchus psittacus in with an Oscar before and it was the more aggressive of the two for sure but mine was so shy it was just not worth having in the tank.
 

duanes

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Normally I find Central Americans to be much more aggressive than South Americans, and would hesitate to house them together, but in a 300gal, you may get away with combinations that don't work in smaller tanks.
That said about S Americans, they seem to have much more subtle aggression techniques to deal with each other.
I have for the last 3 years been growing out a group of Acarichthys heckelli together in harmony,

but just lately, 2 have paired up, started dredging sand, and without so much as a broken scale, or any minute sign of irritation, caused all but the pair to end up dead one by one. I have read accounts of this sudden snap, but very subtle... very subtle indeed.
 

Quo Vadis

Gambusia
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Thanks! I may have to rethink the boucourti/pearsei thing then. I also like pearsei better, so if I do only get one, that'd be it. In general I tried to avoid fish that were too similar, even though I have several that are in the "Vieja" clade.

Any input on which ones would be good as pairs, and wouldn't get crazy aggressive? Also, If I provided lots of shelter, would the small cichlids be able to raise babies in the tank this big?
 

Quo Vadis

Gambusia
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Duanes, yes I know that the CA tend to be more aggressive, but the CAs will be grown out in a seperate tank than the SAs, and won't be together until they are in the big tank. Would that make a difference? That is also why I am trying to pick very mild (for CAs) cichlids, and only having bigger, robust SAs in there. Are there any specific SAs you don't think will work? If one really seems to be too mild I will keep it on my SA tank, but I'd love for the bigger SA cichlid to have more space. Only the Parrot and C. Oscar would for sure need to go in this tank.
 

duanes

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I agree with DMD about not combining bocourti and pearsei, both being very similar, and both being vegetarian puts them on a very competitive crash course.

But my experience may be totally different than yours. i have found Vieja regani to be psychopathic, others find it timid.

That's probably why many of us end up with 20 tanks, and as far as I'm concerned, that's what basements are for (and in my case, my entire house).

 

DMD123

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I got my Regani from someone who kept it with more aggressive fish and it came in pretty timid. I had a smaller red isletas in the tank and it bullied the poor thing to the point where it would not eat, even though the regani was bigger. I took the red Isletas out and the regani is fine and has opened up. My pearsei dominates the tank and will occasionally push at the regani but the regani is not stressed and will eat and sneak food. So far my combo is working. I have four small het's that I plan on adding and keeping the one that gets along the best. Who knows how the dynamics will change in that scenario.

So far in my mix of fish this has been the best. Ive kept various amphilophus and pretty much all have not worked out well with my less aggressive tankmates. Though I never tried a lyonsi which are supposed to be the milder of the amps. Ive kept Loiselle and certain 'vieja' types like Fens and bifa and had problems with their aggression levels also.
 

Quo Vadis

Gambusia
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Yeah, I guess you give it your best shot, based on what information you have, and then adjust from there. That is so interesting about your Regani, Duanes, because everything I have read says Syns, Heteros, and Reganis are the mildest Vieja types. I'll probably scratch the Boucorti then, or maybe get just one to raise up with the others and see how it does, but be prepared to remove it. I have a place I could rehome it if it doesn't work. Did you find the Bocourti to be more aggressive than the Pearsei?

DMD, what kind of aggression did you find from the Loiselle? Did it just pick on everyone, or was it a killer?

How many would be best to get of the fish I only want one of in the end? I was only planning on buying one or maybe two, and then keeping only one.

Yeah, the Amph Lyonsi is supposed to be by far the mildest, and smallest of the Amphs, but that is not necessarily saying much. I would love to hear from anyone who has experience with them.

Any thoughts on how either of the two smaller Caquetaia I listed or a Festae would do?
 

ryansmith83

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I would ditch the severum and the chocolate cichlid if you're looking for something robust. My psittacus gladly harassed my chocolate cichlid until I had to separate them, and notatus are some of the most passive severums I've kept. I don't see them doing well with most larger CA fish.
 

DMD123

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Did you find the Bocourti to be more aggressive than the Pearsei?

DMD, what kind of aggression did you find from the Loiselle? Did it just pick on everyone, or was it a killer?
The Bocourti was smaller but a male and it would bully my larger female Pearsei.

The Loiselle had issue with my fens. At the time I had a big midas in the tank and no pearsei. So really not a fair comparison of aggression.
 
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