What Predator would do well in a 20 gallon long
- Thread starter Characin Man
- Start date
By predator I’m not necessarily referring to Piscivores but to fish that will willingly take other fish or that are aggressive by nature
Some of the most aggressive cichlids, are vegetarian, or at least 50% so.
Their aggression comes from the fact that they defend large areas of turf (often for the algae they eat that grows there, and defend it vigorously.
Many will defend an area of about 250 gallons in size,(4ft x 4ft x 4ft) against any other cichlid.
In the video below taken in a Cenote in Mexico, a Jack Dempsey, not even a ft long chases away all other cichlids at about the videos one minute mark. Note, it does not seem to notice the live bearers within its boundary. (use full scene, it happens very quickly)
JDs and Catfish of Cenote Cristalino
although JDs will eat live bearer fry, I have noticed that they miss at least 9 out 10 attempts in nature, so get most of food from algae, fallen insects, and detritus.
One other thing that should be mentioned, if it your intention to feed, feeder fish, ......this is generally thought of as "not " good practice.
In order to keep feeder fish affordable, they are often raised cheaply in less than ideal conditions, often making them carriers of disease and parasites, these can easily infect the fish they are fed to. All it takes is one infected feeder to wipe out all the fish in a tank.
Their aggression comes from the fact that they defend large areas of turf (often for the algae they eat that grows there, and defend it vigorously.
Many will defend an area of about 250 gallons in size,(4ft x 4ft x 4ft) against any other cichlid.
In the video below taken in a Cenote in Mexico, a Jack Dempsey, not even a ft long chases away all other cichlids at about the videos one minute mark. Note, it does not seem to notice the live bearers within its boundary. (use full scene, it happens very quickly)
JDs and Catfish of Cenote Cristalino
although JDs will eat live bearer fry, I have noticed that they miss at least 9 out 10 attempts in nature, so get most of food from algae, fallen insects, and detritus.
One other thing that should be mentioned, if it your intention to feed, feeder fish, ......this is generally thought of as "not " good practice.
In order to keep feeder fish affordable, they are often raised cheaply in less than ideal conditions, often making them carriers of disease and parasites, these can easily infect the fish they are fed to. All it takes is one infected feeder to wipe out all the fish in a tank.
- Dec 2, 2018
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Woah...nice rockHmmm....... Rock? Darn auto correct.......
