The yellow is the most aggressive fish in the tank! I was told I would need a 120 gallon for two jags to live in by TLF and most online places. The jags where supposed to be the only fish in the tank but I ended up getting these guys in my 50 gallon tank I have just tried to make it all work for them all together. Will I have to take out the other fish and just keep the baby jags?
Trying to mix central and African
- Thread starter mikeybatsford
- Start date
The yellow is the biggest and most aggressive fish in the tank by far. Then the black and white one. I got the jags because my dad passed away and he was a grumpy old man that liked to be left alone lol so I thought get a jag and keep him alone but as they are so small I couldn’t be sure to get a male so got two. The others I had in my 50 gallon tank and I thought I could get them all livin together from a young age.
Aggression is always relative, influenced by size, gender, what else is in the tank, how many fish in the tank, etc. Yellow labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) are sometimes called 'mildly aggressive' but that's by mbuna standards. In a tankful of mbuna or some of the larger Malawi cichlids they tend to mind their manners more, but give them a chance and some of them can be a pain. Similar with zebra obliquidens (Astatotilapia latifasciata, commonly thought to be from Lake Victoria, but actually from smaller, nearby lakes), some references say they're semi or mildly aggressive-- well yeah, in a tank full of Tropheus or Melanochromis or similar species-- but, again, give them a chance and they can be mean. Keep such species in the right tank and they're often not a problem, but that doesn't universally translate.
120 could house a solo jag, but that’s it. Probably 180 for a pair, as parachromis cichlids are brutal to their mate (assuming these two pair off).
Yellow is biggest and therefore meanest, every cichlid is different, so one lab can be a jerk and another get bullied. Anything can change.
Yellow is biggest and therefore meanest, every cichlid is different, so one lab can be a jerk and another get bullied. Anything can change.
Duanes hit the nail on the head. Your african cichlids are almost fully mature fish, the jaguars are just babies at the moment. The african cichlids will likely shred the baby jags at their current size, and would dominate them until the jaguars were a good bit larger than the africans. And, at that point, the jaguars will likely turn on their aggressors and kill/eat them. Bottom line, in a 120 gallon tank I don't think this is ever going to be a good mix.
A lone jaguar may be OK in a 120, though it is smaller than I would recommend for an adult male, which would be capable of reaching almost 20" of length. A pair would be cramped eventually, may work for a while though. 180 would be about the minimum most experienced keepers would recommend. Lots of screwy info out there on the internet.
A lone jaguar may be OK in a 120, though it is smaller than I would recommend for an adult male, which would be capable of reaching almost 20" of length. A pair would be cramped eventually, may work for a while though. 180 would be about the minimum most experienced keepers would recommend. Lots of screwy info out there on the internet.
I’m really glad I came to thi site guys thanks! So I think I’ll regime to Africans and that’s a shame as they are really cool fish! But I don’t have a spare tank for them and I think I’ll keep the baby jags for now in the 120 gallon tank and see how they go! Such a shame I was really hoping to get lucky and keep them all together but I see now it’s doomed to fail and is not fair on the fish! ??
? cheers guys!
Yeah, that is certainly isn't a Tret, but was going on description pre-pic. If you just want to do Mbuna...you could go a small group of Yellow labs and a small group of a blueish mbuna like Maingano...or even Rusties look good with labs and don't hybridize very often...and are fairly common. This is a fairly good starter african setup that is colorful. Or since that tank is on the small side just go with a small group of Saulosi so you can have blue and yellow in the same species and it is easier to keep M/F ratio
I've seen jags contentedly coexisting in mbuna/hap/peacock tanks, but the tanks were large with a lot of fish, the jags were over 4 inches, and as previously mentioned most of them would eventually become lunch for the jags. Maybe the jags were content because they were only biding their time living with their future sushi... 
Adult jags are a real showpiece, so unless your heart's set on a community of fish I don't think you'd be disappointed if you choose them over the mbuna.
Adult jags are a real showpiece, so unless your heart's set on a community of fish I don't think you'd be disappointed if you choose them over the mbuna.
FWIW rift lake cichlids are far less entertaining. Much more activity, but they are mostly hiding and the same old routine every day. American cichlids have much more personality and unpredictability, much better in the long run.
Hey
M
mikeybatsford
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I would put the Mbuna in the 50g to separate them. Is the 50g cycled? If not I would rehome the Mbuna. That's just my preference. Sounds like you like the Jaguars the best. You should keep those Jags in the 120g and remove the Mbuna. If you don't do something soon those precious Jags may be murdered. Like others have said, the Mbuna are more mature at this stage compared to your Jags which gives the Mbuna the upper hand. GL
I would put the Mbuna in the 50g to separate them. Is the 50g cycled? If not I would rehome the Mbuna. That's just my preference. Sounds like you like the Jaguars the best. You should keep those Jags in the 120g and remove the Mbuna. If you don't do something soon those precious Jags may be murdered. Like others have said, the Mbuna are more mature at this stage compared to your Jags which gives the Mbuna the upper hand. GL
