Savini and?? maybe Africans

[SusieQ]

Hi All... I have a 55gal with a 3 1/2in female salvini, a school of green tiger barbs and a bn. I love the salvini as she is beautiful, but want another good sized fish in there with her. Although the tank has been running for quite awhile with other fish assortments, the salvini has only been in there about 1 1/2 months... So I have been trying her with others before she gets even bigger and more territorial.
It seems she "does not play too well with others". She killed a (3 in) firemouth in less than an hour before I could rescue him from the tank and severely maimed a (3 1/2in)severum which I managed to save. So I don't know if it is my choice/or size of companions or if she is meant to be a loner..

All suggestions are welcome but please only respond if you have experience with salvinis..and no I can't get another larger tank right now nor can I swap fish with my 75gallon...I realize that with individual cichlids "you never know til you try" and would like to try one more time. I was thinking maybe JD or even Africans like Socolofi or Acei.. I know it's unusual but I don't mind mixing CA & Africans if it can work so she has friends and still no one tries to kill the salvini that I love.. Any ideas?? Sand, rocks, plants and driftwood with 7 ph and all water paramters great..

Thanks sooo much in advance for any responses... Put your thinking caps on... Feel free to move to African site if you think thats appropriate. Sue

 

[Cross127]

Ok well since you have an aggressive little girl I recommend a larger cichlid she wont be able to kill right a way. Some good larger fish are Jds, GTs, Large severums (7inches+), maybe a more tame Herichthys Carpinte although they can be a little phsyco at times. Are you looking for a common tankmate that you will find at a LFS? Why not just get her a mate. I know it's not the greatest idea to put Africans in with C/As but it can be done. I would recommend to you Johanni and Demansoni. Those are fish that can give a fight back if she gets a little rough with them. From personal experience I have never had problems with my salvini and tankmates. Mines with a very mean bossy female FM and a peaceful con. I know a peaceful con but its true. I guess females just have more aggression than males because I hear alot more stories of aggression from females rather than males. My male is only aggressive to me and not his tankmates.

 

[davidefc]

did you move the decoration around? you should as the sal already has his terrory set up while the fm doesnt

 

[duanes]

Salvini are very aggressive to any fish with the same shape, size, and colors they are. Another Central American is going to either have it rough or be rough on the salvini, or any African with yellow or blue coloration will be challenged, they would be seen as direct competition.
Something that lives a different area in the water column might work, I might gamble with cyprichromis if I was able to spend time monitering the situation with net in hand, because cyps live in the mid water level.

 

[Headrush]

I'd make sure there are plenty of hideouts for the additional fish first. You may want to even go as far as building a clearly defined "territory" at each end of the tank. Something like a big pc of wood or a rockpile they can slip into to get out of trouble if they need to. Then I'd go with a JD. Would say GT too but they seem to be hit or miss as far as agression where IME JD's are more consistently tough guys/gals. Just make sure they're close to the same size

Good luck

 

[SusieQ]

Hi there... Thanks for all the replies so far.

Cross... sounds like your male has a great attitude and my female needs an attitude adjustment... or maybe she just needs a male.. so far tho can't find any her size..When I got her from the LFS she was hiding and being terrorized (cowering and fins clamped)by the small cons and others in the tank so I sure didn't expect this kind of attitude.. But she's sooo beautiful she's staying..Maybe the ones I tried her with were too small or too young? Or maybe those like you who have success stories all started with younger smaller salvini and their mates..I always re-arrange the tank etc before adding mates and with her that hasn't mattered. Have you ever tried the agressive CA/ Afro mix?? I just wonder if color would indeed be an issue as sugggested??

Duanes... she goes all over the tank so I don't think the water level occupied by certain fish is gonna cut it with her... but thanks for the idea..

Headrush... looks like maybe I should be looking for a large JD if I can't find her a male???

I just don't want to see her or any fish hurt.. so if I do try one I'm gonna be on it real quick rather than wait and see if it works.. If so then she's just gonna be a "wet pet". I really would like to see something else big in there with her so I am up for more suggestions.. can be non cichlid.. I know alot of you have aggressive/territorial fish what do you do?
Again thanks in advance for any feedback... Sue

 

[Puff]

i had my female salvini breed (and get wrigglers) with my male flowerhorn.

if you get a male she will try to breed with it, they are like really colourful convicts.lol. i wish i had one still as i could breed it with my really nice convict i bred a couple of years ago.

i forgot to add. the female salvini also killed an oscar i had. it was small, but similar size..