just how mean are jaguar cichlids?

[bigpeacock]

i just got one thats only like an inch and so far it kills everything smaller than it......i really like it though its a cool fish

 

[Aquamojo]

Mine is extrememly mean. He didn't send me a birthday card...and pretty much doesn't care.

 

[OSCARLOVER]

Mine is extrememly mean. He didn't send me a birthday card...and pretty much doesn't care.

Mine beats me up and takes my lunch money! My jag lives with two oscars and they all get along pretty good. My Oscars fight with each other more than anything. My Jag will let you know when he is having a bad day!

 

[TenaciousTankBuster]

I got one the other day. It's small; I'd say between 1.5" and 2". It doesn't bother any of the other fish at all and they're not much bigger than the jag. I also have a baby oscar, about two inches, and the oscar and the jag are going into an indoor pond in a few months. I know oscars generally have a worse reputation than they deserve, but what about jags? I don't want the jag to grow up all buddy-buddy with the oscar and then I move them into the pond and one day the jag decides he's no longer friends with the oscar.

I've also read that adult jags have sharp canine teeth and that they've been known to bite their owners during tank cleanings etc.

Should I take it back? I'd much rather have two oscars than one jag parts of an oscar, and little bleeding holes in my hand. This fish is starting to make me nervous and it's only the size of a platty.
...and he just looks really mean anyway.

I'd wait a while and see how it develops. Oscars are generally more laid back then Jags unless you keep then alone as a wet pet imo. Same thing goes with any Guapote really if they are kept alone.

 

[rottbo]

there really is no good answer for this other than wait and see. I had an evil one when it came to other fish. However I know of many people that had Jags that were not aggressive at all. It really is a wait and see type thing. I have never been bit by mine and I don't think you should worry about this unless you have a breeding pair then you might have a chance of being bit but that is with any cichlid.

 

[sicklid-holic]

I have a male jaguar which started out fine in a community tank since it was 3" now at 12", He wont tolerate any fish in his tank, even a pleco. However it did work for over 6 months with larger 8" and 10" oscars, but the jag just decided he want the 125gallon tank for himself.
I currently have a 4.5" male jaguar by himself and wherever I placed this jag in a different tank it wants to kill its tankmates of similar size, even a 6" african clawed frog.
Ive also seen some really mellow jags, I guess each fish is different.