First of all, I have to point out that a Butti is Tilapia buttikoferi, not Paratilapia buttikoferi ------ it's not Madagascaran, but rather West African. My own experience with the fish is rather brief ( 1yr- 1 1/2 yrs.) over 25 years ago in a 4 ft. 100 gal. A very hyper-aggressive fish; definately one of the most aggressive fishes I have ever kept. It grew very fast and began challanging for supremacy of the tank after it got to around the 10" size but got killed by a much older female RD/midas of similar size. I think if my tank had beeen considerably larger I may have had more success, as many people have had success keeping them with large CA/SA in huge tanks. A few have had success keeping it with aggressive mbuna. Either way, wether or not it works well, it is a mix, as the fish is not a mouthbrooder and does not come from the rift lakes ---- and there will always be those that find a mix distastefull.
In general (with the exception of a few very huge super aggressive males), glass banging is something you seldom see from fish that are in a community tank. A couple years back, I placed my large male Tilapia zilli in a tank by himself, temporarily. No exaggerration, the transformation in behavoir happened with in minutes. Hitting the glass furiously, trying to bite my finger from behind the glass; flaring his gills continuously back and forth along the glass as soon as I entered the room. The fish never behaved that way before with tankmates. I had him this way for a week and then added some small ,young CA. Although he was unaggressive towards small fish (didn't considered them a threat), his glass banging behavoir instantly stopped the moment I added tankmates. Similar thing I have observed with my RD in the past --- they were only glass bangers when removed from the community temporarily, and kept alone.
IME, auratus is probably the most aggressive species. And ounce for ounce, they are very capable fish. But I have my doubts if they would become a glass banger as a lone fish, though I really can't say for sure, as I have never kept them that way.
Never owned any, (but hope to some day), the 5-spot jewels (Hemichromis elongatus, H. fasciatus, H. frempongi) are considered by many to be the most aggressive, and ounce for ounce, most capable cichlid. But of course that's a west African cichlid, not a rift lake cichlid. I really can't say for sure how one of these would act as a lone specimen I as I have never owned one before. Though I would sort of suspect it could become a glass banger as it's a substrate spawner that claims absolutely huge territory in the wild, and does, according to many sources, reach a fair size (10"), at least eventually.
In general (with the exception of a few very huge super aggressive males), glass banging is something you seldom see from fish that are in a community tank. A couple years back, I placed my large male Tilapia zilli in a tank by himself, temporarily. No exaggerration, the transformation in behavoir happened with in minutes. Hitting the glass furiously, trying to bite my finger from behind the glass; flaring his gills continuously back and forth along the glass as soon as I entered the room. The fish never behaved that way before with tankmates. I had him this way for a week and then added some small ,young CA. Although he was unaggressive towards small fish (didn't considered them a threat), his glass banging behavoir instantly stopped the moment I added tankmates. Similar thing I have observed with my RD in the past --- they were only glass bangers when removed from the community temporarily, and kept alone.
IME, auratus is probably the most aggressive species. And ounce for ounce, they are very capable fish. But I have my doubts if they would become a glass banger as a lone fish, though I really can't say for sure, as I have never kept them that way.
Never owned any, (but hope to some day), the 5-spot jewels (Hemichromis elongatus, H. fasciatus, H. frempongi) are considered by many to be the most aggressive, and ounce for ounce, most capable cichlid. But of course that's a west African cichlid, not a rift lake cichlid. I really can't say for sure how one of these would act as a lone specimen I as I have never owned one before. Though I would sort of suspect it could become a glass banger as it's a substrate spawner that claims absolutely huge territory in the wild, and does, according to many sources, reach a fair size (10"), at least eventually.
