MOST AGGRESSIVE AFRICAN CICHLIDS
- Thread starter bwizylh
- Start date
spyke;4011668; said:
I tend to agree with that. The genus melanochromis is the most agressive(territorial) african cichlid IMO. They also get quite big in the aquarium due to the high protein flake/pellet diets comparing the low protein food from the wild.
I once saw a monster 6.5" or so male Mel. chipokae that would probably kill almost anything from south-central america in a few hours.
The genus Tropheops sometimes snap and become nasty as well but are not big fish.
I have Aristochromis Christyis here on all sizes and males from 6" to 10". They are not agressive fishes whatsoever. Very peaceful fish for an african cichlid predator.
shogun rua;4013740; said:
^^^^^^^^^ This. You hit the nail on the head regarding the melanochromis and the Aristochromis. Most of my large predator haps are large, but not particularly aggressive (champso, aristo, exo, nimbo). Tyrannochromis can be some tough cookies, but not on the level of some of these mbuna.
Pseudotropheus can be some mean bastages as well. Particularly, crabro (bumblebee), kenyi, elnogatus. With a rare exception, the cheap stuff out of the Petco "Mixed African" tank are all rotten fish.
Good question. Africans generally grow much slower than SA/CA cichlids so keep that in mind but I have seen a few setups that worked out ok.
For the big guys in a really, really big tank Boulengerochromis microlepsis. Huge active and pretty darn rowdy after about 12-14 inches.
Mid to large size most of the Nimbochromis or Buccochromis species would hang with the mid size SA/CA's.
Also have seen large (5" + ) mbuna in with mid to large SA/CA's. In particular as noted Melanochromis seem to do quite well. I beleive it stems from the way they (melanochromis) fight by going after the tail versus mouth to mouth like most cichlids. It tends to confuse and scare all but the very rowdiest of SA/CA's.
For the big guys in a really, really big tank Boulengerochromis microlepsis. Huge active and pretty darn rowdy after about 12-14 inches.
Mid to large size most of the Nimbochromis or Buccochromis species would hang with the mid size SA/CA's.
Also have seen large (5" + ) mbuna in with mid to large SA/CA's. In particular as noted Melanochromis seem to do quite well. I beleive it stems from the way they (melanochromis) fight by going after the tail versus mouth to mouth like most cichlids. It tends to confuse and scare all but the very rowdiest of SA/CA's.
jewel cichlid, buttikoferi, auratus (be carefull what you feed it), a bumblebee cichlid grows large and depending on its personality it might or might not hold his own.
The reason most people do not mix African and CA/SA chiclids is they have different food and water parameters to flourious. Africans do best with a PH of 7.2 to 8.0 or higher even. While the CA/SA do best in a PH near 6.0. Protien levels are different and if you feed an African food higher then 45% protien your risking them getting Bloat. Not saying it has not or can not be done but is not the best conditions for the fish to thrive.
I have a 7 1/2" Crabro and a 5" Chipokae and a 6" Mbenji in my Mbuna tank (along with others) the Crabro is mean when it wants to be but VERY territorial, Chipokae and the Mbenji are jerks. But the most aggressive (pound for pound with being a bully to smaller fish) is my 4" Johanni. He is soooooo mean to the others who are under his dominance. If he was the size of the Crabro, I could see him killing the others off one by one.
I have a bumblebee in with my Oscar, dempsey and texas for last few months in 125 and so far so good.
Ok, I'll chime in with this age old question. In 30yrs, I have kept just about everything and ounce for ounce, the Victorian Haplochromis sp.44 is the most aggressive African I have ever kept. Their max length is probably 5", usually in the 4" range but they are extremely aggressive. Yrs ago, I had one big male that was soooo bad, I had to keep him with my 16" Jardini in a 180 gal tank....those two played cat and mouse all day long....and thankfully my Jardini didn't eat him.