Black Nasty
- Thread starter oscarman2003
- Start date
Nandopsis haitiensis. About 12 inches in length. I've never owned one so I don't know how aggressive they are in comparison to other stuff.
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I thought they got larger than that. If that's the case that's what I'm keeping in my 60
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The black nasty aka Nandopsis haitiensus, is the only endemic cichlid in its natural habitat, the island of Hispaniola. As such it rules and is intolerant of any other similar looking fish, it takes any other cichlid or perciform as a threat, and thus wants to kill it.
It prefers very warm water, high 80s, and usually holds a territory of about the foot print a few square meters, and as such, no normal aquarium would suffice to hold more than a mated pair, or any other interloper.
Any exception to this rule, is just that, an aberrant exception.
what other info do you need?
Here is a great care sheet for the A.K.A Black Nasty Cichlid (Nandopsis Haitiensis). NOT MY CARE SHEET!!!!
Common name: Black Nasty, Haitian cichlid, Odo
Scientific name: Nandopsis haitiensis
Synonyms: Cichlasoma haitiensis
Size: 14 inch / 35 cm, sometimes up to 16 inches / 40 cm
pH: 6-7.5
Temperature: 73 - 82°F (23.0 - 28.0 °C)
The Haitian cichlid is a large very beautiful cichlid that originated on Haiti where it can be found in rivers and lakes. This species is also known as "black nasty" which tells you something about its temperament. It is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive cichlids in the world and is often more aggressive than Jaguar and Dovii cichlids. The Haitian cichlid is often kept as a solitary fish but it will not come to its full glory unless kept with other equally large and aggressive fish. Doing this will however require a very large aquarium and might not be an option for everyone.
Some specimens of this species are extremely aggressive and will kill almost anything else that you put in the aquarium with them, even if the new tank mate is twice or sometimes even three times their own size. They can for instance end up killing jags and dovii cichlids twice their size. This extreme aggression can to a certain degree be reduced by decorating the aquarium correctly with hiding places and natural territorial borders.
The Haitian cichlid is unfortunately somewhat rare in the trade as it is a fantastic fish for those who have the tanks to house it.
[h=3]Aquarium[/h] This species grows very large and will therefore need a large aquarium. I do not recommend keeping this species in an aquarium smaller than 400L / 105 gallons. If you want to keep it together with other species or keep several Haitian cichlids together I recommend a considerably larger aquarium.
The aquarium should be decorated in such a way that natural territorial borders are created. This helps reduce stress and allows for several territories to be formed in the same aquarium. Without natural borders the risk is much higher that one fish takes the entire tank as his and kills everything else in it. Decorate the aquarium using rocks and driftwood and make sure to create some hiding places of suitable size for your Haitian cichlids. Plants are not necessary and this cichlid will eat most plants. If you want to keep plants in the aquarium (it can make creating natural territorial borders easier), I recommend trying hardy plants like java fern and crinum. Try to decorate the tank so there isn't always a clear line of sight from one side of the tank to the other so that the fish doesn't always have to see each other.
Good filtration is important as with all large cichlids as they produce a lot of waste. Aeration is also recommended. This species does best in medium hard water. The temperature should ideally be kept between 73 - 82°F (23.0 - 28.0 °C) and the pH between 6.0 and 7.5. This species is however relatively tolerant to different water conditions.
[h=3]Feeding Haitian cichlids[/h] Haitian cichlids are omnivores and will eat almost everything they are offered. It is important to include vegetable matter in their diet. Make sure you give them a varied diet. They love some live food every now and then but as live food can increase aggression it is up to you whether you want to give them live food or not. Live food is not required to keep or breed this species.
Here are some photos.
Juvenile black nasty below.
Adult black nasty's below
Common name: Black Nasty, Haitian cichlid, Odo
Scientific name: Nandopsis haitiensis
Synonyms: Cichlasoma haitiensis
Size: 14 inch / 35 cm, sometimes up to 16 inches / 40 cm
pH: 6-7.5
Temperature: 73 - 82°F (23.0 - 28.0 °C)
The Haitian cichlid is a large very beautiful cichlid that originated on Haiti where it can be found in rivers and lakes. This species is also known as "black nasty" which tells you something about its temperament. It is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive cichlids in the world and is often more aggressive than Jaguar and Dovii cichlids. The Haitian cichlid is often kept as a solitary fish but it will not come to its full glory unless kept with other equally large and aggressive fish. Doing this will however require a very large aquarium and might not be an option for everyone.
Some specimens of this species are extremely aggressive and will kill almost anything else that you put in the aquarium with them, even if the new tank mate is twice or sometimes even three times their own size. They can for instance end up killing jags and dovii cichlids twice their size. This extreme aggression can to a certain degree be reduced by decorating the aquarium correctly with hiding places and natural territorial borders.
The Haitian cichlid is unfortunately somewhat rare in the trade as it is a fantastic fish for those who have the tanks to house it.
[h=3]Aquarium[/h] This species grows very large and will therefore need a large aquarium. I do not recommend keeping this species in an aquarium smaller than 400L / 105 gallons. If you want to keep it together with other species or keep several Haitian cichlids together I recommend a considerably larger aquarium.
The aquarium should be decorated in such a way that natural territorial borders are created. This helps reduce stress and allows for several territories to be formed in the same aquarium. Without natural borders the risk is much higher that one fish takes the entire tank as his and kills everything else in it. Decorate the aquarium using rocks and driftwood and make sure to create some hiding places of suitable size for your Haitian cichlids. Plants are not necessary and this cichlid will eat most plants. If you want to keep plants in the aquarium (it can make creating natural territorial borders easier), I recommend trying hardy plants like java fern and crinum. Try to decorate the tank so there isn't always a clear line of sight from one side of the tank to the other so that the fish doesn't always have to see each other.
Good filtration is important as with all large cichlids as they produce a lot of waste. Aeration is also recommended. This species does best in medium hard water. The temperature should ideally be kept between 73 - 82°F (23.0 - 28.0 °C) and the pH between 6.0 and 7.5. This species is however relatively tolerant to different water conditions.
[h=3]Feeding Haitian cichlids[/h] Haitian cichlids are omnivores and will eat almost everything they are offered. It is important to include vegetable matter in their diet. Make sure you give them a varied diet. They love some live food every now and then but as live food can increase aggression it is up to you whether you want to give them live food or not. Live food is not required to keep or breed this species.
Here are some photos.
Juvenile black nasty below.
Adult black nasty's below
