Chocolate vs GT.....

[BloodThirsty]

So I have a 4" GT in my 120 with a 6" Chocolate(check sig for the rest of the stocking). Anyway, up until this point I've not had any aggression issues with the GT towards the Chocolate. However over the past two days the two had had a little "dispute" over territory. Nothing major yet but I feel it coming on.

Anyway, I really want to keep these guys together for the long run and I have grow outs currently in a 55. Well the only growout that is big enough to go in the 120 right now is a Con that's about 4" long. My question is do you think adding the con may divert the attention of the GT away from the Chocolate? Or would it just be a trial and error thing?

Also I'm wanting to get as much growth out of the GT as possible so by adding the Con would I be taking away from his growth rate/food intake? I mean it will be more competition for food in the tank.

Sorry so long but I'm usually very conservative when making any stocking changes, I haven't added anything to the tank in over a year.

Edit: once the growouts get bigger I will probably move the Con back to the 55 and the BP is going in the 55 as well. Just an FYI.

 

[japes]

If the Chocolate is male he shouldn't have any problems long term as they're around the same sized fish.

On this topic, I'm thinking of keeping a single Chocolate with a couple of unpaired Severum, are these guys much the same demeanor aka Gentle Giants that can have a mean streak when they need to? Or are they a little more aggressive than Severums.

 

[BloodThirsty]

I've never kept Sevs but I've had Choc's for about 6 years now and never much aggression at all out of any of the three I've had.

 

[deckard_wa]

If the Chocolate is male he shouldn't have any problems long term as they're around the same sized fish.

On this topic, I'm thinking of keeping a single Chocolate with a couple of unpaired Severum, are these guys much the same demeanor aka Gentle Giants that can have a mean streak when they need to? Or are they a little more aggressive than Severums.

A Chocolate is less aggressive than a Severum by far. I don't think you can get a more mild mannered cichlid than a lone Chocolate

 

[japes]

A Chocolate is less aggressive than a Severum by far. I don't think you can get a more mild mannered cichlid than a lone Chocolate

Exactly what I was looking for, thank you.

 

[Cohazard]

I was keeping a 5.5" chocolate with an 8.5" GT, and a 9" oscar and they were fine.

When I added an 8" RTGG, the chocolate was the only one to attack it, so I seperated it temporarily so that the RTGG can get established.

 

[pdbrady]

I think adding the con will be fine. I'd mix the tank up a bit (deco) to keep the gt from focusing on the new guy, set up new territories. I just added a small jag (3") to my 135, and my slightly larger gt has singled it out and harrassed the hell out of it. Buuut, it has leveled aggression towards the other fish he was chasing around.

 

[bolty]

A Chocolate is less aggressive than a Severum by far. I don't think you can get a more mild mannered cichlid than a lone Chocolate

my chocolate when i had it was about 6inches in a 48x15x15 with 2 bigger oscars, the oscars when they went on the chocs side of the tank the choc would give the oscars a pasting so.... they can hold there own if needed

 

[Decoder]

Anyway, I really want to keep these guys together for the long run and I have grow outs currently in a 55. Well the only growout that is big enough to go in the 120 right now is a Con that's about 4" long. My question is do you think adding the con may divert the attention of the GT away from the Chocolate? Or would it just be a trial and error thing?

Yes it may still concenrate on the chocolate. Or the opposite. Just try and see.

Also I'm wanting to get as much growth out of the GT as possible so by adding the Con would I be taking away from his growth rate/food intake? I mean it will be more competition for food in the tank.

He will grow fast as long as he is not stressed. Dont forget that they are very greedy for food. He will defend his feeding area.

Sorry so long but I'm usually very conservative when making any stocking changes, I haven't added anything to the tank in over a year.

If you didnt add any fish for over a year, howcome a male GT is still 4"?

 

[pdbrady]

If the gt was the last fish he added a year ago, then this could very well be right. They grow pretty slow. Plus he might be conservative with feeding.