Quick Butti Question

[dougefresh]

Was at my lfs today gettin a jag for my 90gal and just lookin around........i saw they had some 2 inch buttikoferi's in a tank for $8 a piece........i really want one the only thing im not sure is .......whats a good tank size for em ........i've heard anywhere from 55gal to 90gal.........was just wonderin cuz it would be awsome to get one.......thanks for the help

 

[dougefresh]

anyone?

 

[freeskierrocket]

they get monster....all i know for now!!!

 

[freeskierrocket]

I also know that a 12'' (width) tank is too small as they can easily get bigger than that........does that help douge?

 

[dougefresh]

yea i know cuz they can get fairly big .......i was just wonderin cuz i wanna get one and get a good tank for it ......i dont wanna have it cramped in a small tank.......i guess i'll try to find some more research..........thanks though.........

 

[freeskierrocket]

yea i know cuz they can get fairly big .......i was just wonderin cuz i wanna get one and get a good tank for it ......i dont wanna have it cramped in a small tank.......i guess i'll try to find some more research..........thanks though.........

I almost got a juv/ growing fast. butti for one of my new 30g.......I didn't.........thank heavens I didn't............i would have gotten slaughtered on this site.............so live and let learn.........google it bro, I'm just too tired to do it for ya right now..........good luck

(edit)......get a tank that is in the least 18' , but preferably 24" wide for a butti

 

[dougefresh]

I almost got a juv/ growing fast. butti for one of my new 30g.......I didn't.........thank heavens I didn't............i would have gotten slaughtered on this site.............so live and let learn.........google it bro, I'm just too tired to do it for ya right now..........good luck

yea i bet..........na i have been researchin and have just been coming up with various tank sizes and was jsut curious thanks though...........like dr fosters and smith say a 70 gallon but then aqualandpetsplus.com says anthing bigger then a thirty which doesnt seem right.......and then i had another site that said at least a 90 ........so i dunno i'll keep lookin..........

 

[Ducati996]

You have to use some judgement while the fish grows it will require a larger tank and will you be prepared for that? 2" is fine for a 30 gallon until its grows to 5" or so...I have had one as large as 16" and I kept it in a 6x 2 x 2 long tank....they grow fairly rapidly and if they get the size advantage over others, they will be the bully and kill anything smaller....

Still one of my favority fish - if you can get over the nastiness part and size them with bigger fish than itself

 

[Sandee]

I bought one, then went back for his brother ... they fought like wild dogs! But I'm glad I made this video and took pictures while I had them! Now, he's stag in a very well maintained 55gal. Very happy and healthy ... I returned the other guy and he went to a good home in the area.

http://www.sandeeland.com/animals/AmyJoeyButtikoferi1.wmv - Play this video, sorta fun to watch!

My advice ... keep them alone, they'll only wind up eating their friends ...

... new to this forum, really getting into fishkeeping these days!

 

[Timpon]

I had one that grew to 14 inches in a 240. Have heard they grow to over 18 inches in home aquaria.

I think they are just about one of the most aggressive cichlids around. Mine ended up killing a 12 in dovii before being killed by a jardini.

A friend wanted one for his cichlid community, and I advised him against it. He got it anyway, and it ended up thrashing his oscars, green terrors and a jag. He ended up getting rid of it. If you can keep one by itself though, they are a very personable and reactive fish.