OpenWater Predators, Very Personable, 300 gallon for a single specimen or use a divider in half the tank if you want a mating pair...,Not Very shy but when still younger than the size of 6-8" then yes they can be shy but not every specimen are...like mines are never shy....they are always out in front wanting to be fed, Always do a couple of water changes a week like small 10-30 percent water changes every 3-4 days...as they need very close to prestine water conditions...as they can be very sensitive to water....12-14" for females and 18-24" for males but reaching 24" may not come by as not many male umbee's kept in captivity reach its goal size....as for keeping in pairs being safe...it better to have a divider to be on the safe side so no casulties....and if you have anywhere larger than a 450 gallon then you can keep it without a divider....their aggression can only match with that of an dovii...as with this being said they are like the true rivals in the cichlids world...the strongest of the strongest live on with these two species of cichlids battle it on...this is just what my 2 wild caught male dovii's are always challenging the much larger umbee which seems like a male but not 100% positive...
The are beasts....
