Top 21 most aggressive Cichlids

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I agree that the most aggressive and powerful cichlids are CAs as few outside CA have the attitude measurable to Dovii, Trimac or Midas. Pound for pound, Africans may be the most aggressive. But even the most aggressive Africans don't have the power or demeanor to bang glass.

I think what you mentioned about "pound for pound" is key. The reason is these arguments or beliefs with preferences is contradicting. Also, the whole idea is full of bias just based on experiences, and most of all people's preferences. Regarding aggression, the African cichlids could be considered tough. However, most Central and South American cichlids grow considerably larger that most African cichlids, and when the full potential of aggression emerges, the power and aggression most likely will not be matched by most African cichlids. The majority of African cichlids tend to be limited in their size, even when they are adults; the adult aggression tends to be more than juveniles, which most CA/SA cichlids are juveniles when compared fairly to the adult African cichlids. In other words, there really is no fair way of comparing aggression accurately and effectively, when comparing the New World and Old World cichlids. Go ahead, pair a full grown adult male dovii against any adult African cichlid and observe who is the victor...


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Sigh ... These discussions have as much objectivity as barroom ones about The Greatest Guitarist of All Time*. We start with a list of unquestionably great guitarists (or feisty fish) and then all heck breaks loose. To answer either we'd need a definition of aggression (or greatness) and a reliable means of measuring it. We have neither. We have anecdotes about cichlids behaving badly. This is what makes these discussions fun, and futile.

*Jerry Garcia

+1


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
+1, although I do get a kick for aggressive fish lol! ;)

Nothing wrong with liking aggressive fish. It's a guy's thing. Do you like football? It's a gladiator game where fighting men butt head at full speed. What's the difference?


Interstingly,of the top 20 most aggressive fish list, ony Buttikoferi Tilapia is not a CA.
 
If it wasn't just CA/SA cichlids I'd say jewels are pound for pound a mean fish. I had one that ruled the tank with ca/sa cichlids. He punked fish 4 times his size and bit a huge chunk out of some lips. He was an absolute A-hole, and was super good looking to boot.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I just wanna add my 2 cents lol but I think some people forget how big African haps can get and although there not as aggressive as mbuna imagine a hap like say the eye biter with the attitude of a auratus that would rival any NW. And I will admit I'm bias lol I love Africans no so much CA/SA.

Sent from my HTCONE using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
If it wasn't just CA/SA cichlids I'd say jewels are pound for pound a mean fish. I had one that ruled the tank with ca/sa cichlids. He punked fish 4 times his size and bit a huge chunk out of some lips. He was an absolute A-hole, and was super good looking to boot.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

What kind of Jewel fish (5 sar or red jewel) and CA/SA are you talking about, and what size are they? The pound for pound comparison is not a fair comparison unless the fish are equal in developoment age. Your jewel fish is likely an adult or subadult, and your CA/SA are likely juveniles. So a 3 inch adult jewel fish or Mbuna beating up a 6 inch juvenile RD or Jaguar is not uncommon, and often perceived by the keepers that pound for pound Africans are tougher. Juvenile cichlids are more tolerant of one another and school in the wild until they reach certain age to stake out territories for the right to breed. Captive cichlids, including the 20 most aggressive, can be mellow at young age until they reach certain critical age, then all at a sudden, their aggressiveness turns up and becomes a monster. For African haps, the critical age is when they suddently color up. For CA, the change is gradual with no clear demarcation except for a sudden quantum jump in aggressiveness.
 
What kind of Jewel fish (5 sar or red jewel) and CA/SA are you talking about, and what size are they? The pound for pound comparison is not a fair comparison unless the fish are equal in developoment age. Your jewel fish is likely an adult or subadult, and your CA/SA are likely juveniles. So a 3 inch adult jewel fish or Mbuna beating up a 6 inch juvenile RD or Jaguar is not uncommon, and often perceived by the keepers that pound for pound Africans are tougher. Juvenile cichlids are more tolerant of one another and school in the wild until they reach certain age to stake out territories for the right to breed. Captive cichlids, including the 20 most aggressive, can be mellow at young age until they reach certain critical age, then all at a sudden, their aggressiveness turns up and becomes a monster. For African haps, the critical age is when they suddently color up. For CA, the change is gradual with no clear demarcation except for a sudden quantum jump in aggressiveness.

+1, we are on the same page!


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Vince was a red jewel about 5 years old between 5-6 inches. Most of the fish he was with were between 8-12 inches and most were a few years old. :D

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com