ex Cichlasoma grammodes?! Seek of knowledge

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R

Runitis

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2011
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Winnipeg,MB, Canada
Hi MFK my favorite fish importers in suppose to get some juvie Grammodes at 1.5" and i'm looking to possibly buy one, and in seek of you're guy's knowledge, experience and opinions. I've been researching and all i really found was fish profiles but didn't say much just basic stuff temp area aggression and size. So here's what I got is 70gallon tank (48x18.5x18.5) with a female jag 4" a 3.5" JD a 3" convict (most aggressive) 2.5" Severum now the only fish i care about is the jag so if the other three got to go then they'll go. Now the real questions what are you're experience with them really aggressive, the growth rate and are they active? Would one go in a 70? The stock i would like would be a SA/CA cichlid or two (jag and grammode) bottom feeders maybe a pictus clown/yoyo loach and bichir, and possibly some SDs, now would the grammode work with these fish specificity the bottom feeders? They are called mini Dovii and the dovii is my favourite cichlid but since they grow big so thats why i want one of these guys! SO let me know what you think anything grammodes related or to my questions or possible stock thanks MFK

and i know aquamonster has a pair do hoping to hear from you :)
 
Yes, grammodes are very aggressive and if your only keeping the grammode then a 120 is perfect. Of course you can add dithers. But if your looking for a community, then your gonna need at least a 180 for what you have now. That 70 isn't gonna last very long with what you have. Of course grammodes are slow growers so that 70 will be good for a couple years just for the grammode. I'm guessing what you have now are all little? If that's the case I'd say you have 6months to a year before you'll need to start moving fish to different tank.
 
Lol ok I just read the sizes. If the grammodes only 1.5" then I recommend growing it out in different tank first as your JAG will see it as food right now and most likely take it out.
 
It is quite easy to sex them... red spot on the body means male. Their growth rate is very slow but great personality. I was not able to keep my male in the community tank after he was 3''. I am a Dovii fan as you are and I totally agree with you in that keeping Grammodes is much more logical mainly when you do not have enough space for Dovii. By the way they are one of the best sneaky american cichlids I have ever seen...
 
I keep a pair of grammodes in a 75 gal, they allow no other tank mates. They are a bit shy, so I tried dithers, the small dithers were either eaten, or killed and left to rot. When they were small they would allow large Vieja type cichlids, but any cichlid with the same body type were promptly attacked.
046.jpg

The above is a male, beside the red, females are shorter and less torpedo shaped.
I agree a 75 is too small for the jag with a grammodes.
 
Okay thanks for the info :) Looks like i may have to try to get a larger set up or most likely loose the jag. All the fish are still tiny anyways and the grammodes will be even tinier so i have some time! and no one really mentioned bottom feeders? yes i will get a growout tank for them then. Hopefully it'll all work out in the end and i have sometime since they are slow growers :) nice pic also duanes.
 
Also afishionados just got them in today so I'm probably going to check them out he now says they are 1.75"-2.25" for $9 cdn is that a good deal?

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I would say that's a good deal. Understand that at that size it will be a long time till it can be housed with a jag if ever since they grow up so slow. I have had mine for about 7 months and my small male has grown maybe a inch or a lil more and the same with the female. They are very cool fish but will be skiddish for a while. I would say 75 is fine for a single or a pair. For tankmates I would say nothing less than 125 6 foot tank so the fish have some distance between them.

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I have male Grammodes that is now around 9 1/2 inches that I have had for about a year and a half.When I got him he was about 2 1/5 inches and was in a 125 gallon with 4 Myersi,2 Synsplium,and two Ornatums which he soon dominated.I had to move him in a 75 gallon tank where he is currently at in which he excepts no guests including any dithers that I have tried to keep with him.I have keep Dovii in the past for the better part of 15 years.The male dovii I had grew to be 18 1/2 inches and I would say the Grammodes I have now is comparable ounce for ounce in aggression with him.The only way I think a large Grammodes will work in community setting is when he is kept in very large tank with cichlids that are much larger than himself. A good example of this is fellow MFK Madness who has a very large male Grammodes in I think a tank around 300 gallons in which cichlids that are much larger than himself.In my experience if the the fish is small enough for the Grammodes to dominate not only will he do that he will probably kill it.Have fun with him:)
 
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