Discussion Thread: Toughest cichlid

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Cichlidshady

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This is just a Discussion I thought would be interesting to start to hear everyone's opinions. what is the Toughest cichlid? Not meanest or most aggressive but most a tank like and can handle various issues.
I say Oscars because they grow faster than 90% of everything and they EAT ANYTHING. And they are damn near impossible to kill. I have kept O's with Jaguars, Devils, and a Grammodes and have only lost one, and it was a few inches smaller than the Devil. Point is they can take an asswhoopin. Also my Brother ( Was unaware of this) was mad I wouldn't let him get an O so he bought a betta bowl and had the O in there for a month. Found it when I was his room he had It behind a dresser. He said he got in About a month ago and IT WAS ALIVE AND SOMEHOW HAPPY. Hit him up the head and had him take it back to the LFS. O's are little beasts
 
Convict- no contest hands down. (Except Jags maybe) The only fish I can think of that can go from "feeder" to "father" in a few months. They will breed with the same fish that's trying to eat them and hide in the substrate on their side when you do deep cleans. They've even bred with Dovii. Oscars definitely have a reputation -but I think it has to do with them being the most common victims of cichlid neglect/abuse.
 
I agree. Convicts are bullet proof. That or jewels.
 
Convict are pretty awesome. My votes goes to convicts.

Oscars are so prone to hole in the head. I would say an Oscar isn't a fish for someone new to fish keeping.
 
Btw I doubt that oscar was happy being kept in a bowl for a month behind a dresser lol
 
To me one of the toughest new world cichlids is xCichlasoma uropthalmus.
It can live and breed in fresh water, salt water, brackish water, soft or hard water, even highly nutrient polluted water. I've seen colonies in the ocean surrounding Isla de Mujeres in Mexico 5 miles off the mainland coast.
It has a slime coat that allows it to take temp swings that would make an oscar or convict cry.
And has colonized as far north as central Florida.
As far as old world, Coptodon (Tilapia) zillii and its cousins are in the same boat as uropthalmus.
I have zillii in my pond/pool in Wisconsin that have easily withstood water temps of 50'F
Below uros and Tilapia in central Florida

Coptodon zillii in my kiddy pool.

 
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I dont think oscars would even be in my top ten i think its like friedflowerhorn stated. They are just the most common and neglected. I dont even think they are the beginner fish everyone makes them out to be. Prone to hith and some suggest they do best in blackwater set ups. Plus there aggression is very over hyped. Probably get them in more trouble than they can handle.

My vote would be cons
 
ehh said:
Btw I doubt that oscar was happy being kept in a bowl for a month behind a dresser lol
Click to expand...
Haha probably was happy when I found him in the hopes for food. Never seen a other fish eat like those O's. they might be prone to HITH but other than that IMO they are pretty tough not in as much in an enviormental standpoint but from a being able get neglected (already been touched by other posts)and beaten by other more aggressive species. I agree with the convicts 100% though!
 
duanes said:
To me one of the toughest new world cichlids is xCichlasoma uropthalmus.
It can live and breed in fresh water, salt water, brackish water, soft or hard water, even highly nutrient polluted water. I've seen colonies in the ocean surrounding Isla de Mujeres in Mexico 5 miles off the mainland coast.
It has a slime coat that allows it to take temp swings that would make an oscar or convict cry.
And has colonized as far north as central Florida.
As far as old world, Coptodon (Tilapia) zillii and its cousins are in the same boat as uropthalmus.
I have zillii in my pond/pool in Wisconsin that have easily withstood water temps of 50'F
Below uros and Tilapia in central Florida

Coptodon zillii in my kiddy pool.

Click to expand...
That's very impressive! They are also known as Mayans and false Red Terros correct? Saw some large ones at my LFS when getting my RTM.
 
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