Large cichlid suggestions

[Nilsafeller]

Looking for one last special cichlid to add to a tank... thought I'd get opinions on everyone's fav cichlid.

I have never kept jags before and I had only shortly kept rtm as juvi... liked the rtm but dont know much about adult personalities... post some videos/pics of your big amph or parachromis (or any species) of your fav big cichlid

 

[Nilsafeller]

Also wanted to mention my lfs just got in "mini dovii"
Looked up some info on here... doesnt seem as fun as I'd hope but a few adult pics from google looked beautiful!

 

[Gourami Swami]

I've kept grammodes, found them to be a bit shy as small fish, very badass when larger, not a great community fish unless in a very large tank with similarly nasty fish. Which is a gamble of course.

I think for suggestiong for your tank we would need to know tank size and the rest of the stock. I've got plenty of favorites when it comes to large cichlid species, but unless it's a large setup most would not be considered good fish for communities.

 

[Nilsafeller]

I've kept grammodes, found them to be a bit shy as small fish, very badass when larger, not a great community fish unless in a very large tank with similarly nasty fish. Which is a gamble of course.

I think for suggestiong for your tank we would need to know tank size and the rest of the stock. I've got plenty of favorites when it comes to large cichlid species, but unless it's a large setup most would not be considered good fish for communities.

Hey brother! I've also heard the mini can be shy and very aggressive... but I know from my experiences alot of cichlids depending on what age/size they are introduced to an aquarium can have a huge effect on how it plays out... the tank is 110 gallons and is home to my Jack pair... Male is super docile.. female can whoop some insane ass but has calmed down now that she has a mate... both are about 9 -9.5 inch and a short body carpinitis female about 4 inches... they all get along great... plan is to get a 125 or larger withing the next 6 months... would like to find that extra cichlid or 2 at a 3 or 4 inch size range to introduce to the tank

I never follow the normal rules with cichlids... I've had 2 large Male flowerhorns and neither was aggressive to any other fish in their tank.. and one small gbf flowerhorn on it's own that when it grew up a bit I introduced females too... beat the life out of the female... I think if more docile cichlids own a tank and are full grown and take that hierarchy with your more aggressive juvies... anything is possible to work out... but that's my opinion

 

[Gourami Swami]

Hey brother! I've also heard the mini can be shy and very aggressive... but I know from my experiences alot of cichlids depending on what age/size they are introduced to an aquarium can have a huge effect on how it plays out... the tank is 110 gallons and is home to my Jack pair... Male is super docile.. female can whoop some insane ass but has calmed down now that she has a mate... both are about 9 -9.5 inch and a short body carpinitis female about 4 inches... they all get along great... plan is to get a 125 or larger withing the next 6 months... would like to find that extra cichlid or 2 at a 3 or 4 inch size range to introduce to the tank

I never follow the normal rules with cichlids... I've had 2 large Male flowerhorns and neither was aggressive to any other fish in their tank.. and one small gbf flowerhorn on it's own that when it grew up a bit I introduced females too... beat the life out of the female... I think if more docile cichlids own a tank and are full grown and take that hierarchy with your more aggressive juvies... anything is possible to work out... but that's my opinion

I feel you man, I think you are playing with fire though trying to introduce very aggressive cichlids into that mix. The JD's are pretty docile in comparison to a grammodes. I'd consider the tank over stocked myself already, but different strokes for diff folks I suppose. I once had a 125 with a bunch of large aggressive cichlids like amphilophus, etc. It worked for the most part but there were some casualties which really sucked because I knew they were my fault, for putting too many fish in the tank.
If you are looking to add more fish I would go with smaller species than the grammodes, tough smaller fish which could be subdomionant to the JD's. I think if you add something which gets as large as the JDs, and is more aggressive, you will have an endless clash between them once the single fish gets to full size. If you really wanted to add something I might look at cryptoheros/amatitlania genus. Honduran red points, that sort of thing. Panamensis is a great species as well which I keep, they are like a mini-vieja.

 

[TheReefer]

Do you plan on having a 125 for their life? if so then you can go for a red devil, red terror, oscar, vieja, possibly a black nasty (you may have to upgrade later on down the road if you have a male), a zebra pike cichlid, Yellow Jacket Cichlid (parachromis friedrichsthalii), or tilapia. If you plan on going for a 200+ gallon then you can go for a dovii, jaguar, or peacock bass.

 

[Nilsafeller]

I feel you man, I think you are playing with fire though trying to introduce very aggressive cichlids into that mix. The JD's are pretty docile in comparison to a grammodes. I'd consider the tank over stocked myself already, but different strokes for diff folks I suppose. I once had a 125 with a bunch of large aggressive cichlids like amphilophus, etc. It worked for the most part but there were some casualties which really sucked because I knew they were my fault, for putting too many fish in the tank.
If you are looking to add more fish I would go with smaller species than the grammodes, tough smaller fish which could be subdomionant to the JD's. I think if you add something which gets as large as the JDs, and is more aggressive, you will have an endless clash between them once the single fish gets to full size. If you really wanted to add something I might look at cryptoheros/amatitlania genus. Honduran red points, that sort of thing. Panamensis is a great species as well which I keep, they are like a mini-vieja.

I hear ya I hear ya! I guess what I need to look at is (can it work) yes! , (will it work) maybe not!
So better to leave the Jack's in their home and let them be in peace, rather than "hopeing" for the best... the original plan was to leave the 110 for the Jack's in the first place... the female was my very first cichlid... and probably aids to the fact shes a bitc# because she was an only child LOL

The reason for this was to get one larger final tank in the fish room instead of separate tanks for different species... so when I said 125 or larger it was probably gonna be a 180 or make a custom wide and long but short tank... I'll leave it for now so my Jack's aren't bothered or stressed... in the end that why we home these animals... to enjoy them but also to take care of them the best we can or it's just cruel in reality!

 

[Nilsafeller]

Do you plan on having a 125 for their life? if so then you can go for a red devil, red terror, oscar, vieja, possibly a black nasty (you may have to upgrade later on down the road if you have a male), a zebra pike cichlid, Yellow Jacket Cichlid (parachromis friedrichsthalii), or tilapia. If you plan on going for a 200+ gallon then you can go for a dovii, jaguar, or peacock bass.

I think a black nasty or a dovii I'd only try if a single wet pet in a 180 or larger... actually one cichlid I've always wanted to try was a dovii in as big of a tank I could fit in my house lol! Sadly my house is very small so that's out of the question... I'm on the fence... i know people with a 125 and pack them full of big cichlids... red devils with flowerhorns parrots Jack's terrors all together in one... and in many cases it works! It's a call I would havto make and live with... so until I fjnd some room and get that big tank I'll let the Jack's live happily without the chance of stress

 

[Gourami Swami]

I think that's a wise choice. Might be able to do some small guys in the 110 with the jacks if they aren't too aggressive. Like HRP's, myrnae, etc. But I think another large growing cichlid would be asking for trouble. Once you've got the 180 or whatever you get you'll have some room to play with

 

[Hybridfish7]

For big stuff I do like parrots and flowerhorns and all, but good old creamsicle midas or umbees are nice as well