lyonsi, carpintis questions

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FSM

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Jan 1, 2008
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I've got a 75 gallon with a male green terror around 9" and a crenicichla menezesi, ~6"
I'm thinking about adding an amphilophus lyonsi. There isn't much aggression in the tank now, a bit of chasing but no serious damage. Good idea, bad idea?

If not, I'm planning on using my 120 gallon (4x2x2) for a male carpintis, maybe a pair if that works out. Would a lyonsi be better suited for that setup?
 
I think that I would try it with the GT and Pike, but make sure that you make the GT and Pike feel out of place, change decor, add a couple of things, maybe even take the GT and Pike out of the tank for a little while and put in more than one new fish to the tank, to even out aggission. The idea with the Carpintis is also a good one, starting a new tank.
 
are carpintis really aggressive? i was thinking about getting one.. how do they compare to say parachromis sp. ?
 
everything is relative . . . the carpintis I have has never hurt any of the other cichlids in my tank . . . on the other hand, he got his butt kicked so bad by a port cichlid that I had to remove the port from the tank, or I'd lose the carpintis . . .

someone else will tell you that his carpintis is the biggest bad-a** in his tank . . .
 
yeah IME carpintis are aggressive on about the level of JDs, they have no problem defending themselves and being boss of the tank but they aren't outright killers either and mine have always left others alone as long as the others didnt try to start anything. though i would think if you were going to go with a pair then you should add more than just a lone lyonsi to the tank or he will be either beat up badly or killed once they decide to mate (though i haven't personally kept mating pairs of these guys, all my carpintis experience if from keeping single males with other male cichlids)
 
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