just how mean are jaguar cichlids?

[lovespunaround]

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.

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

i had a 13inch jag with 3 pirahnas an my 5' pirahnas which didn't stand a chance fighting with her. They do have tw0 teeth like salvni cichlids on the bottom of the lower jaw. My jag was one of the meanest and bravest fish i ever had. their teeth are not really sharp enough to cut you, it is to hold onto swallowing their prey. it was in ther with my RTC but my RTC did not like it so i traded it for a subspesie bumblebee catfish.

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

one adult jag will most proably bully your oscars to death. my jag kill one of my 6inch convits before.

 

[ammerman19]

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.

 

[GooDyboy420]

With fish excpically cichlids it is a waiting game, cichlids are great, jags r beatiful and great personalities!

 

[rallysman]

I have a 15" jag with a 13-14" oscar and a 11-12" oscar and have no problems. (in a 265)

I wouldnt call them mean, just territorial.

 

[big train]

i would keep the jag i think it will work out well for at least a year the O will grow faster than the jag and it will take while for the jag to get big bad and real territorial. if u get a big pond there should be no problems with them at all how big will your pond be?

 

[lovespunaround]

I was planning on about 150 gallons...5'x2.5' footprint and 2' deep.

 

[benzjamin13]

Some people are lucky enough to get a Jag that's civil with other fish. Mine was...okay. He did like to pick on the Dempsey and killed a Pleco and a Clarias Cat. I had to trade him in cuz he was getting too aggressive for me.

 

[AquataHolic420]

Keep the JAG! there a very fun fish and definitely will recognize there owner the same if not more then the oscar.. my jag was great when i had her... Besides their paterns get 100 times better then the oscars...Gets better with age, i saw oscars get uglier when they grow.. only a personal opinion... My jag and arowana got along real good.. its better you got him small..