i just picked up a 5n. red-head cic. for a pretty cheap price. didn't even know what he was at first. they've never had these kinda of fish here before, so i picked one up. can anyone give me some info on them? temperment, max size, etc..... will they get along with oscars and a GT of similar size?looks like he's gonna have some really nice colors when he gets bigger.
Cichliasoma synspilum (red-head)
- Thread starter KurseD
- Start date
I have 5 of them in a 90g. They are around 7" and share with a 10" Crenicihla Semifasciata, 13" Black Shark, 13" pleco and a 8" Cloudy Doradid.
They are not agressive, get chased around by the shark and the Crenicichla all day long.
Fight a little bit among themselves. Eat a lot. They are the least picky fish of all. Eat sinking pellets no other fish wants. Hardy but slow growers.
I did not have a chance to try them with an oscar, because the oscar did not get along with the Crenicichla, but I am sure the oscar would chase them a bit to a lot. GT might kill a Synspilum. But I am just speculating here.
They are not agressive, get chased around by the shark and the Crenicichla all day long.
Fight a little bit among themselves. Eat a lot. They are the least picky fish of all. Eat sinking pellets no other fish wants. Hardy but slow growers.
I did not have a chance to try them with an oscar, because the oscar did not get along with the Crenicichla, but I am sure the oscar would chase them a bit to a lot. GT might kill a Synspilum. But I am just speculating here.
KurseD said:
depends on tank size. once full grown these fish will need plenty of room of their own so I'd recommend a 125 to keep them happy and to make sure there are no major fights between them.
otherwise, synspilum are on the lower end of aggression as far as Vieja/Paratheraps are concerned. They can still be a handful sometimes, but they shouldn't go too far out of their way to pick a fight like a zonatus, fenestratus or bifas would do.
MaJiKTeRRoR said:
that is true...all fish (even of the same species) will have varying temperaments. another thing I thought of that I really should have mentioned (I posted late last night and was pretty tired) is that if you're getting these fish from an lfs then most likely they are some type of synspilum or bifas hybrid. the only way to be sure of getting a true synspilum is by a reputable breeder or Jeff Rapps. I got mine from Rapps so I know it's a true synspilum and the info I gave in my first post should be what I'd consider the norm for a pure synspilum's temperament. again though, even with pure syns temperament will vary and you may come across the occasional psychotic male. anyway, with lfs synspilums being hybrids of a synspilum and the much more aggressive bifasc there is a much greater chance of seeing higher aggression than normal out of an lfs synspilum. also, temperament will vary much more widely among hybrid synspilum simply because they're hybrid and no way to tell for sure which species is more dominant in the particular fish.
so the best thing to do is grow the fish, have a large enough tank, hope for the best and have a backup tank ready to remove one or more fish to if necessary.
Synspilums turn into really colourful fish and are not too aggressive. except when breeding. i keep one with a oscar, jaguar, pearsii in a 6x2x2 and they are all adults.
i have had two synspilums on was a psyco and died when it picked a fight with a smaller festae. the other is male is a relatively peacefull on and is quite friendly with the pearsii
i have had two synspilums on was a psyco and died when it picked a fight with a smaller festae. the other is male is a relatively peacefull on and is quite friendly with the pearsii
I had to get rid of mine. They started picking fish off one by one. Mine were shipped in from Gunkel in Florida and were pretty aggresive. My female even killed her mate to be.
well, he's adjusted very well...at first the GT and Oscars picked on him. but he eventually decided to pick back. now the oscars leave him alone, he still gets in fights with the GT. but now that my red-head is adjusted, he goes head on witht he GT and they just do the cichlid bluff and back off from ecah other. thanks of all thie info.
426Hemi, you have a very nice looking pair. where did you get them? I ask because while the female looks like she could be a pure synspilum, the male definitely looks to have some bifasciatus in him.
where did you get them? I ask because while the female looks like she could be a pure synspilum, the male definitely looks to have some bifasciatus in him.