Nicaraguan cichlid- aggression

[SwampFins]

Anyone here keeping Nicaraguan cichlids?

I haven't seen a lot of information online about their behavior and wanted to see what is the consensus.

I have 3 nicaraguans in a 90 gallon, and despite having a lot of hiding spots, they seem really aggressive towards everyone. Not to the point of causing damage but they love to chase around and lip lock sometimes.

They're still juvies right now, but had me wondering about potential tankmates.

What is your take?

 

[Gourami Swami]

I have found they can be bullies for sure, had one in a 5' tank with other juvenile CA cichlids and ended up removing it because it had the rest of the tankmates pretty shook. I think in a 90 gallon you are going to have trouble keeping much else with 3 Nicaraguans- and the 3 nics themselves could be problematic if 2 pair up. Best bet might be to pick your favorite, rehome the rest, and keep with tough, but smaller, cichlids like convict-types.

 

[Toiletcar]

OP-what are the tankmates?

 

[SwampFins]

At the moment they are in with 3 clownloaches and a rainbowshark.

But I'm about to remove the clownloaches because they keep bullying them too.

I tried a blood parrot fish with them and it did not work either.

 

[Toiletcar]

At the moment they are in with 3 clownloaches and a rainbowshark.

But I'm about to remove the clownloaches because they keep bullying them too.

I tried a blood parrot fish with them and it did not work either.

They chase the rainbow shark? Those are usually the ones chasing everything.
Do you know the sex of f your nics?

 

[tiger15]

Nic are some of the most peaceful and tolerant cichlid. But all cichlid are aggressive to some extent, and how aggressive they behave depends on the tankmates. You have 3 nics in a tank with no other cichlid tankmates for destraction, and they take on the clown loaches. CL are excellent tankmates with Nics. You need to add more tankmates including compatable cichlid to spread the aggression and they wil get along.

I am keeping currently two pairs of nics in a 125 with many cichlid tankmates and the nics are gentlemen. The two male Nics don’t even fight each other.

 

[duanes]

Since nics are generally bottom dwellers, and cave spawner, they see any other bottom dweller as competitors, so to me it seems normal to chase off loaches, or any other fish in their lower tank area.
They share habitat with lots of live bearers in nature which are generally surface dwellers, or Astyanax and other tetras (mid water species). They will also attack as competitors, other similarly colored (orange/yellow) fish
If any two of yours per off, I would expect aggression to heighten, although mine have never been (what I consider aggressive) anemone spawns at least 3 times.


male above, you can tell by the spots in the unpaired fins, female below, solid color in the dorsal

They are the only Central America cichlid with non-adhesive eggs

 

[SwampFins]

They chase the rainbow shark? Those are usually the ones chasing everything.
Do you know the sex of f your nics?

I know right!?

They are still developing but to my very untrained eye, I think I have two females and a male.

I will try to take some pictures tonight. Maybe someone more knowledgeable might be able to help ID them

 

[SwampFins]

Nic are some of the most peaceful and tolerant cichlid. But all cichlid are aggressive to some extent, and how aggressive they behave depends on the tankmates. You have 3 nics in a tank with no other cichlid tankmates for destraction, and they take on the clown loaches. CL are excellent tankmates with Nics. You need to add more tankmates including compatable cichlid to spread the aggression and they wil get along.

I am keeping currently two pairs of nics in a 125 with many cichlid tankmates and the nics are gentlemen. The two male Nics don’t even fight each other.

Wow that's a beautiful tank!!

So basically treat the like African cichlids to an extent for the aggression?

What would you say be good in there with them cichlid wise?

I like the idea of a tetra school or swordtails for the top