chocolate cichlids with geophagus orange heads...

[japes]

Well to give you an example of how safe you're probably going to be, my 4" Male Chocolate gets bullied up by my little Keyholes

The drab colours work if you've got a natural tank, they're a really beautiful fish in my opinion. Be sure to provide plenty of cover from the lights as mine spends most of it's time hiding on a 45 degree angle under wood looking at the surface, you'll see there colours improve when they're in the shade as I'm presuming it's much more natural for them. Mines still quite small but he turns quite pale when hes out in the open begging for food, then goes to his usual garb when eating and returning to 'sentry' for bugs.

They're also funny fish and when they're small they can camoflage extremely well. They certainly interact with you and have a distinct character. Sometimes I have to point him out to people looking for him

 

[StripeGirl]

mine are nasty but they are a couple and breed every three weeks.In the Tank you see here.

 

[dirtyblacksocks]

I'm told that their aggression between their own species and breeding aggression are pretty rough, but that they generally ignore anything that is conspecific.

Nice looking FM.

 

[itsalmosteasy]

Yeap!

Fairly rare in the hobby from what I've experienced =)

That's why I asked.

 

[Burtess]

I picked up a 3.5" chocolate and an oscar of about the same size within a couple days of each other, put them in a 35gal till I get the 75gal ready. The chocolate started beating on the oscar somewhat, nips and charges, so I put up an eggcrate divider.

The chocolate proceeded to nearly rip the face off the oscar through the divider.

This chocolate is definitely not very docile!!

Burt

 

[dirtyblacksocks]

Chocolate's and oscar's share the same body type - you can't keep them with same species or fish that look similar, or you can expect aggression.

That's what I've gathered, anyway.

 

[warfrik]

I have a 6 inch female chocolate with my geos. Doesn't bother them at all and minding her own business. It should be ok as long as you don't have a breeding pair.

 

[DasArab]

I'm told that their aggression between their own species and breeding aggression are pretty rough, but that they generally ignore anything that is conspecific.

Yes that is true, i found out the hard way and lost the nicer looking one

Heres a pic of mine.

 

[hypselecara]

mine 3/4 " six juvies are mild mannered,but sometimes the dominant one chasing the others big as him/her.

the smaller is not bullied.
I noticed that the black horizontal stripe is typical of a sub dominant chocolate; when it's not showed up the fish is the dominant one.

have u got any clue for sexing them??

 

[japes]

Males have much thicker and extended dorsal fins as well as growing larger and having unpronounced but definitely visible nuchal humps.

At around the 4" mark you'll notice the longer fin streamers beginning to form and their heads will beef up. Mines a touch over 4 1/4" with tail included and his streamers have become quite prominent over the last couple of weeks (quick growers). Here's some shots I took today, by chance

And my favourite shot of him, because this is what he generally does all day, sits in the shade of my driftwood tangle and watches the surface.

The first photo shows the streaming dorsal fin the best, with it now extending past the top edge of the caudal fin. I'm 95% sure this is a male because of this, but I believe you can see the beginnings of a lump on his head with a slight notch becoming visible in the forehead. Rescued my guy from a terrible store where he was beaten up enough to begin with BEFORE the employee dropped the open bag from chest height and he ended up on the floor. Didn't think he'd make it but after Day 3 his recovery has been amazing. Bought at 2 1/2" on February 1.

Edit: As for the black lateral stripe mine gets it when he's curious, but not stressed. For example he'll always have it on when I'm doing a water change, but if he is being bullied or pestered by other fish he'll either defend himself and turn very dark, or scamper and become a pale cream colour. I've also noticed that he will occasional have the lateral stripe visible when he is lurking in the shade, perhaps as a form of camoflage.

And of course, if you haven't noticed it, when Chocolates sleep/are incredibly stressed.