Jaguar Almost Ate My Brand New Shovelnose

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Lawlboom said:
If they can fit in someone's mouth they will be eaten. Jacks get some size. Cichlids 'attitudes' get worse with size. The opinion on the Jaguar is definitely right on. With your other fish there will be fighting you will just have to decide how much you will put up with. Some torn fins here and there, missing a scale, a fat lip... it's to be expected but you'll definitely know when someone was pushed too far they will look really ragged.

I don't mean to sound patronizing I simply want to share my experience to see if you could take something away from it. But I had a 125 with mixed cichlids a like green terror, Oscar, Jack Dempsey, Salvini, fire mouth you know the starter cichlids. It worked for a while and then The green Terror put some size on and claimed the return of my FX6. Anything they got near the return was attacked including me. So I netted him put them in a plastic tote time out tank for three days no lights. Then I did some reading on here and on other forms and I decided to lower my tank temperature to 78° instead of 80 and started feeding three times a day instead of two times a day. that tank was that my favorite tank all the way up until I moved and I rehomed everything in it.

What I'm getting at is be prepared for a lot of trial and error something she going to work somethings are going to not work as you're experiencing with your jaguar. It's part of what makes cichlids interesting at least for me. Just a word of warning though what works now might not work a week from now or two months from now. Or it might just watch for territories and observe the push and shove. If you were unlucky enough to have a fish claim the whole tank you'll probably have to rehome.
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Wow, can't believe that worked with the GT! I have kept cichlids ever since I had my first tank with my dad. I completely understand what happens with their behavior. I actually keep Cories with an Oscar for YEARS! Never an issue.

Correct me if I'm wrong, this is just my theory. Obviously it does not apply to all fish, but semi-aggressive and down I feel like it does.... If a fish grows up with another fish, it'll never be looked at as food. My Cories have been with my Oscar since he was less than 2inches! I know this sounds bad, but again, he could eat 2/3 of them right now. He's pushing 6 inches. I know he has about 6 more inches of growth but he's behavior (luckily) with the other fish has been incredible.

I've seen similar stocking to mine on YouTube (even with the Jaguar) and it looks like they have no issue. I feel like if you have enough areas to "claim" SA cichlids are fine together.

My expertise in SA cichlids are with Oscars and JDs. I've kept them for over 15 years. I loved the colors on the Jaguar and hunted one down. I heard they are more aggressive than Oscars but I underestimated it. I love the look of the Belly Crawler Pike. I read they are most aggressive to other Pikes, which I'll never have him with another. Other than that, my Pike shares the same type of aggression as my Oscar and JD. My Firemouth is tiny and even can show some attitude! I'm excited for him to grow!

I want an aggressive tank that gets along with community fish (Hoplo catfish, Shovelnose catfish, Royal Pleco). Obviously no Tetras ;) but with bigger community fish.

If you'd like, check out my YouTube channel. The name is the same as my username on here.
 
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Brandonclark88 said:
The cory cats will eventually need to be taken out of the aquarium. They do not grow large enough or fast enough and will be eaten or killed more than likely. Try a synodontis. I've had a lot of luck with featherfins in my tanks. They get a little larger and typically have enough attitude to go toe to toe with most medium sized cichlids. They are also excellent bottom feeders / cleaners. Do you know what type of pike you have? Depending on the species they can also be very aggressive and territorial. Like others have said, most cichlids are pretty mellow when they are small. Once they hit adult / subadult you will really see their agression come out. Just make sure everyone has their own territory in the tank they can claim as their own and plenty of hiding spots and you should be alright
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He's a Belly Crawler Pike. I'm not sure of the exact species name. Looks just like this https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YXr11i_tI4Y/maxresdefault.jpg

I completely agree with everything you said. I will be sure to update my scape as my fish grow to accommodate their hiding places.

I'm fine with fighting. I just don't want killing!
 
Cichlids and catfish prey on each other in nature. Catfish devour cichlid fry, cichlids eat catfish fry, they keep each others population in check.They are foe.
In Africa catfish lay eggs when cichlids spawn, are picked up in the cichlid mouth, and the young catfish eat cichlid fry before they develop.
They are enemies, and instinctually know this.
To me hearing about a young managuense trying to eat any catfish is totally normal.
They might tolerate each other if the same size, but if one has size advantage, that one will win.
 
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For my Shovelnose, which is in a 10 gallon tank alone, would it be ok to temporary put my 3 Cories in there with him? I plan on rehoming the Cories but at the same time would like to keep them alittle longer. Would there be any benefit of having them in the tank with the small Shovelnose? Any downside?

I have him in the 10 gallon temporarily just to beef him up. Need to get him bigger until he's ready for the 125.
 
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Sorry for the double post, but would a Loiselle's Cichlid work in my tank? I love the Jaguar because of it's incredible colors. From the small amount of research I've done, the Loiselle is the least aggressive of the Parachromis family.
 
If you can track down a female it would be much more likely to work. Males can still show that typical parachromis agression. If you had a hard time getting a jag a loiselle is going to be much harder to find. I've kept a female salvini with similar fish in a 75g. That could be a possibility. Males tend to be very aggressive but I've never had an issue with a solitary female in a decent sized aquarium
 
Brandonclark88 said:
If you can track down a female it would be much more likely to work. Males can still show that typical parachromis agression. If you had a hard time getting a jag a loiselle is going to be much harder to find. I've kept a female salvini with similar fish in a 75g. That could be a possibility. Males tend to be very aggressive but I've never had an issue with a solitary female in a decent sized aquarium
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I'll look into Salvinis. I have plenty of room in my 125. I'm going to get 1-2 more Hoplos tonight:)
 
Tonight I rehomed my Jaguar to a place that is known for selling dogs and rarely sell fish. Also, they added him to the 90 gallon display tank that they rarely sell fish out of. I'm very happy about this. I'm hoping to go back in a few weeks and still see him in the tank. Then again, I'm afraid for him. All Oscars and Dempseys in the tank with him and he's the biggest one..... They might have some trouble with my Jag!!!

I also purchased another Hoplo tonight. Compared to mine (that I bought from the same place) it is about 1 inch smaller and much thinner. I can't wait to show the new one the Long Island Fish Guys feeding #GetBeefy

Tomorrow I'm going to another fish store that has an incredible selection of fish. They have plenty of cichlids! I have been doing a bunch of research on my next cichlid to replace the Jag. I'm not 100% going to get something if it won't be a good fit... Wish me luck!
 
so much for any quarantine... After so many years in the hobby I would think you would never add a fish to your 125 without quarantining first. Then again some people have 35 years of fish keeping and a fish room but still have no clue how to grow an aquatic plant or what a canister filter is and how it works.

I would strongly suggest you start incorporating a good quarantining routine for all new arrivals if you want to maintain a healthy tank and keep you fish for a long time.
 
I agree with Phillip about the quarantine. All it takes is one oddball bacteria, and all your fish are dead.
And it doesn't have to come from the new fish. It could be in your tank already, a phage that your established fish are semi-immune to, and the new fish isn't, which could in due time overwhelm all into an epidemic.
 
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