I really like my syndontis cat. He isn't easily intimidated and has lots of personality. He's not armored, obviously, so he couldn't take a lot of hits, but in my experience the other fish leave him alone anyway. Also, he has wicked barbs -like toothpicks! So it's not like he'd make a very good meal. He grows big enough to hold his own in a tank with cichlids, but not so big that he'll ever need a pond 