well iv wanted to get a red devil for a while now but for one i hadnt seen any for some time and two i was always worried about compatability with the fish i already had. Anyway seen as i have a very understanding mrs iv been allowed to get a few more tanks recently, one has just been built to house a pair of jags and that will leave another tank free so iv been out today and came across some red devils and i got one, not only one but the brute of the bunch, he was 1/2 inch bigger than the rest and even though he is only 1 1/2 inches long he already has a little hump. So my question is as iv never had one of these guys before is there anything that i can do to bring out the best in them apart from the normal good water paremeters, lots of clean water, good space and a varied diet, e.g. special food or best temp to keep them at?..And are the horror storys about these guys true, are they as mental as people say or are they a bit exagerated..He is in with a few other guys at the moment but they are a bit bigger than him and there is a tank waiting for him should he need to be put on his own..look forward to hearing your experiences and advice..cheers
1st red devil
- Thread starter clayton1985
- Start date
Most RD prove to be as aggressive as their reputation suggests. But with proper space and the correct tankmates, they can be kept with other large fish. Most of the time you will either see them alone or as a mated pair just because they can be highly intolerant of tankmates and of anything else that ventures too close to their aquarium. If you plan on keeping yours with other cichlids, make sure that you have them all in a very large aquarium to increase your chances of them living together. The types of other cichlids that he's with will make a difference too. Feed a quality pellet, maintain good filtration and water changes and your RD will grow very fast and be healthy. Just don't be surprised one day to find your other fish shredded, dead, or hiding at the surface. Even after a long period of living relatively peaceful with other fish, RD can flip overnight, killing everything including their mates.
thanks very much, i gathered that most of there keep was pretty much common sense so im going to keep in a 100g with a few other centrals to grow him out, then il have to decide whether to put him in a 100g by himself or into the main display tank, il just have to see what his temperament is like..iv got to admit iv always been put off by there reputation but was kind of hoping it was exagerated..My friend had one a few years back and he said with the tank it was in it was either going to get killed or kill everything as it wasnt the most able but definately the one that was spoiling for a fight all the time and pretty much relentless..so do most people keep them on there own or in large tanks with a few others?
iv got to say im really fond of this little guy already, he isnt even 2 inches yet and he is already having a go at a bp of about 7 inches (this bp hates everything aswell and if he was more able e.g. his mouth could close i would put him up against any other cichlid lol) got to say i wasnt keen on bp's for obvious reasons but since my friends outgrew his tank and gave it to me iv kind of changed my mind. this rd is charging everything then running off, i think i might have a few problems in a couple of months, glad iv got an empty tank for him
His behavior won't get any better. It will get worse as he matures. A cute little chase and nip is nothing now. But in a few more months of growth, the chasing and nipping will be a lot more dangerous for the other fish. I doubt he will want any tankmates if he's already this assertive so soon after being introduced and at such a small size.clayton1985;5109755;5109755 said:
to be honest gruff master i think your right, any other fish iv had, whether it be big, small, old or young have pretty much hidden or stayed a bit reclusive for the first couple of days when first introduced, this guy hasn't hid once, he has been mid level at the front of the tank since the minute i put him in, he has also just eaten a medium sized hikari pellet that i put in for the bp which if i hadnt of seen it i wouldnt of thought it was possible, that pellet was bigger than his head. I was hoping this fish's temperament was an over exageration but now im thinking i might of been a bit nieve! Anyway i still think this was a very good purchase as i dont have any experience wuth this species but now have the space at least, i can understand why people rate them so highly now
i've got a RD devil that was with another one and a green terror ,he is now by himself, he hates anything else in the tank including my male bristlenose which i've just removed before he killed it.
he is about 4" and is turning into a bit of a psycho , he will chase your finger all day and bangs into the glass and flares if you look at him, he has loads of character and is the best fish i have ever had.
mine is feeding on NLS medium sinking pellets, earthworms and meal worms and is growing really fast
he is about 4" and is turning into a bit of a psycho , he will chase your finger all day and bangs into the glass and flares if you look at him, he has loads of character and is the best fish i have ever had.
mine is feeding on NLS medium sinking pellets, earthworms and meal worms and is growing really fast