cichlids that just wayy to fiesty

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candidpets

Candiru
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May 24, 2015
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question tank mates for cipokae!?!?! in a six foot tank mine has totally terrorized all mbuna. Can kenyi and or aratus handle them?!?!? THe only fish that can live with them are five star generals, hemichromis elongatus. Other than that they rip up everything. Anyone else kept them? how about northern blues? These fish are so beautiful but wow the trouble.

Would grammodes be possible in a six footer? I am getting a 180 for the others.
 
Currently your Chipokae sees the whole tank as his territory and will attack anything added to the tank. Pound for pound 1 of the most brutal fish to keep. They are relentless
 
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You could try adding some Labeotropheus fuelleborni to the tank. They can handle most mbuna their size. Most fish won't pick a fight with them. Another tough fish is the pseudotropheus elongatus.
 
Melanochoromis species are crazy man. Definitely one of the most aggressive genus in my opinion. Grammodes are mean as hell too, but not that well built for dealing with mbuna, as they are bulkier and slower, and the mbuna go for quick strikes. The way that CA cichlids fight is different, mostly flaring lip locking, wheras mbuna flash around a target with a bunch of bites. Also, grammodes are shy fish until adults, so putting a juvenile grammodes in there will probably end up with a dead grammodes. If you do find an adult grammodes, and it doesn't get beaten by the quick strikes of the mbuna, it might be large enough to eat or bite the mbuna in half. I think your best bet is multiple mean, smaller Africans like the hemichromis.

The chipokae has already established the tank as it's territory, so adding anything is going to be a challenge. If you do add, I would completely change around the décor as you do.
 
Five star jewel is smaller and he leaves her alone in a40 long I think they both are scared of each other but either goes into a big tank they shred even big Central Americans. I have done so many decors changes these two are relentless.
 
Kenyi are a good mix with them because they are equally crazy. If your two problem fish are fine sharing a 40g together and that eliminates your problems in the big tank, I'd say let them have the 40.
 
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