I purchased 1 ea juvenile synspilum, bleekeri, Frontosa, Gold severum and Cuban cichlid to grow together and hopefully keep together in a 150g. Immediately the Cuban was very aggressive and bullying. It targeted the bleekeri and I eventually removed Cuban and put into established tank with medium size cichlids. Has anyone had success keeping Cubans with other cichlids? I've kept flowerhorn and jaguar in past so I've dealt with super aggressive
150 gallon "cichlid" tank
- Thread starter littlegarlicman
- Start date
One thing to realize about certain cichlids, when they are the only cichlid endemic to their natural island habitat, like Cubans (Nandopsis tetracanthus) are in Cuba,
or the Haitian cichlids (Nandopsis haitiensus) on the island of Hispaniola, they don't naturally play well with other cichlids, and are not good cichlid community tank choices. Especially if your tank is "under" 300 gallons
But it is not only island cichlids, almost any Central American cichlid that is a lone cichlid in its natural habitat, such as Mayaheros beanii, basically the only cichlid found on the north west corner of Mexico, it is another non-community cichlid
There are many others.
It is best to do a little research before combining cichlid species in the same tank.
Even your Paratilapia will have a difficult time at maturity, if cohabiting in a tank, with other iridescent spotted, black or dark background colored cichlids, such as JDs, or the Herchthys carpintus complex .
Cichlids that look similar to each other, often see others like them as competitors.
I have found keeping only pairs together in 6 ft tanks is one way, or keeping cichlids in tanks with "non-cichlids" or cichlids that don't look similar, works, as long as the others are big enough not to eat).
or the Haitian cichlids (Nandopsis haitiensus) on the island of Hispaniola, they don't naturally play well with other cichlids, and are not good cichlid community tank choices. Especially if your tank is "under" 300 gallons
But it is not only island cichlids, almost any Central American cichlid that is a lone cichlid in its natural habitat, such as Mayaheros beanii, basically the only cichlid found on the north west corner of Mexico, it is another non-community cichlid
There are many others.
It is best to do a little research before combining cichlid species in the same tank.
Even your Paratilapia will have a difficult time at maturity, if cohabiting in a tank, with other iridescent spotted, black or dark background colored cichlids, such as JDs, or the Herchthys carpintus complex .
Cichlids that look similar to each other, often see others like them as competitors.
I have found keeping only pairs together in 6 ft tanks is one way, or keeping cichlids in tanks with "non-cichlids" or cichlids that don't look similar, works, as long as the others are big enough not to eat).
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I collect cichlids in nature, and find if there is an area where (for example) 3 species coexist, each one has a separate feeding strategy, and has a different shaped mouth type that displays that strategy.
You will hardly ever find 2 of the same genus, or 2 predators in the same area of at least an acre.
One of those areas I collect cichlids in nature, is a stretch of river in Panama that has 3 species that share a space of about an acre.
In that stretch, is
Darienheros calobrensis, a picker that eats crustaceans, and snails it pulls from interstitial spaces between stone,s in rocky areas.
There is Isthmoheros tuyrensis that is predominantly a vegetarian (similar to Vieja) that eats algae, grasses , detritus (leaf litter), and fallen fruit from surrounding vegetation.
and Andinoacar coerleopunctatus an omnivore that prefers to eat in sandy areas, sifting for edibles.
None of these species imposes on the others feeding areas, or preferred edibles, so a peaceful equilibrium is maintained within that acre.
They each also prefer different flow rates,
the Darienheros in high flow areas,
the Isthmoheros in moderate flows,
and the Andinoacara in sedate pools, near cover.
Below is that stretch of river
there is a predator cohabiting there, but it is not a cichlid,..... it is Goby.
.......but........for every 1 cichlid, or 1 goby, there are at least 50 tetras,
I know we aquarists that like cichlids, want to cram as many in a the small space of a 6 ft tank, but the reality is quite different.
You will hardly ever find 2 of the same genus, or 2 predators in the same area of at least an acre.
One of those areas I collect cichlids in nature, is a stretch of river in Panama that has 3 species that share a space of about an acre.
In that stretch, is
Darienheros calobrensis, a picker that eats crustaceans, and snails it pulls from interstitial spaces between stone,s in rocky areas.
There is Isthmoheros tuyrensis that is predominantly a vegetarian (similar to Vieja) that eats algae, grasses , detritus (leaf litter), and fallen fruit from surrounding vegetation.
and Andinoacar coerleopunctatus an omnivore that prefers to eat in sandy areas, sifting for edibles.
None of these species imposes on the others feeding areas, or preferred edibles, so a peaceful equilibrium is maintained within that acre.
They each also prefer different flow rates,
the Darienheros in high flow areas,
the Isthmoheros in moderate flows,
and the Andinoacara in sedate pools, near cover.
Below is that stretch of river
there is a predator cohabiting there, but it is not a cichlid,..... it is Goby.
.......but........for every 1 cichlid, or 1 goby, there are at least 50 tetras,
I know we aquarists that like cichlids, want to cram as many in a the small space of a 6 ft tank, but the reality is quite different.
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Thanks for response. Awesome pics and info. I get that about them and was aware that Cubans are aggressive. I was hoping growing up together they would "tolerate" eachother and be ok. All were 1"-2" with zero adult coloring when purchased. I've done similar in the past with decent results. But I'm thinking you are correct with the Cuban. The others are all fine and have established somewhat of a pecking order. I'll have to keep Cuban in his own tank with silver dollars and cats etc.
