Most Aggressive cichlids Top 15

[RockyMountainCichlids]

I don't agree. They can be aggressive, especially when breeding, but are nothing compared to the fish on that list. I would rate Texas cichlids much more aggressive than cons.

^This.

Convicts are not really aggressive IMO, I'd put them on the territorial side if anything. They're tough as nails, that's for sure!

 

[pckts]

Although, the nastiest istlanum I've witnessed was just as crazy as a grammodes... I have seen some peaceful istlanum and not a single peaceful grammodes! Even the least aggressive female grammodes I had was causing problems in a community tank against convicts.

The bigger the grammodes get, the scarier. Istlanum tend to get a bit chunky once they reach a certain size, kind of like Midas cichlids.

Grammodes are well-made, thin agile body, large powerful mouth, and a very intelligent fish. Like you mentioned, they have a bizarre fighting technique that subdues much larger fish! Many say the more shy the cichlid is, they often are much nastier in personality.

A neat little video I found a while back, this dominant male grammodes (in a overcrowded tank) is holding off a istlanum pair!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkvvBS5-7Uk

And an interesting quarrel between a Grammodes and a Bartoni. This individual grammodes is surely different from what you said.
[video=youtube;YNKufcuYfPQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNKufcuYfPQ[/video]

I have a video up there with my old grammode and istalntum going at it. I had to sale the Grammode cause the istlantum was going to kill it. But both are nasty and capable little buggers. From what I have seen with my grammodes is that they prefer to be the Bully, once somebody is durable and puts up a good fight, they tend to submit. Much like Jags in that respect, where somebody like a Dovii or Amph is going to most likely fight even when the chips are stacked against them. Just something I have noticed here or there.

 

[pckts]

I'm sure you all are familiar with cichlid-forum/species profiles.

Well, they rate each individual cichlid from levels of aggression. So far, I see levels from "peaceful, mildly aggressive, aggressive, highly aggressive, and extremely aggressive".
They rated beani "aggressive" with temperament and "highly aggressive" with conspecific temperament. While Haitiensis & Grammodes are "highly aggressive" in temperament and "extremely aggressive" with conspecific temperament.

Beani's profile: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=14
Haitiensis profile: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2
Grammodes profile: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=20

If you'd like to search other cichlid profiles, here is their search link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/index.php

Everybody has different experience with fish of the same species, but from what I have seen and read, the Beanii is a seriously aggressive fish. A couple of cool vids to support it

Beanii vs Dovii

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_h2gzx7UV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVv92Inwqwg

Beanii vs Amph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJF3se3k06E

Juvi Beani trying to get at a Massive Black Nasty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmoeP64SNc


and my favorite beanii of all time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmoeP64SNc


So as you can see, it doesn't matter if same species or not, the beanii can be as aggressive as any other fish out there. But that can be said for many cichlids, probably why this is such a highly discussed topic.

 

[RockyMountainCichlids]

Everybody has different experience with fish of the same species, but from what I have seen and read, the Beanii is a seriously aggressive fish. A couple of cool vids to support it

Beanii vs Dovii

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_h2gzx7UV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVv92Inwqwg

Beanii vs Amph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJF3se3k06E

Juvi Beani trying to get at a Massive Black Nasty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmoeP64SNc


and my favorite beanii of all time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmoeP64SNc


So as you can see, it doesn't matter if same species or not, the beanii can be as aggressive as any other fish out there. But that can be said for many cichlids, probably why this is such a highly discussed topic.

I've seen Rayes209's videos. Notice how he puts the opposite fish in the Beani's tank (territory) every time. He's afraid to put the beani in the devil's tank, his dovii is not nearly as aggressive as it could be. A 40 gallon tank with one little cave doesn't give the opposite fish enough time to settle and defend.

+ a 8 inch beani is much more mature in age than a 8 inch dovii.

Beani are aggressive no doubt, but there are much nastier fish. A fully mature hyper aggressive male dovii is a sight to see. A 8 inch grammodes can send a 14 inch midas in a corner and just about anything else too. Every fish is different, that's a fact. Midas tend to get really clumsy once they reach 12 inches, same with jaguars and festae. While the dovii and grammodes at full potential size are still VERY agile, lean, intelligent, etc.

The nastiest fish I've had were in fact some Mbuna species, but they're a little TOO african to be on this list lol! I had a 3 inch auratus send 8 other fish (larger than he was) to the very edge of the tank, in a week all the other fish were dead. I wanted to see this sucker lose, threw him in with a convict pair.. within minutes the convict pair are in a corner begging for mercy. Pound for pound, africans are the nastiest IMO. But they're boring, not very owner responsive.

I've owned a couple beani, they have some serious conspecific aggression. Beani start out mild, only get aggressive with age (temperament in general).. while my Red Devil, Grammodes, and Dovii were overwhelming even at an inch.

 

[RockyMountainCichlids]

For all you Red Devil - Midas fans, check this out!

[video=youtube;_e9RFCrICvs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e9RFCrICvs[/video]

 

[pckts]

I've seen Rayes209's videos. Notice how he puts the opposite fish in the Beani's tank (territory) every time. He's afraid to put the beani in the devil's tank, his dovii is not nearly as aggressive as it could be. A 40 gallon tank with one little cave doesn't give the opposite fish enough time to settle and defend.

+ a 8 inch beani is much more mature in age than a 8 inch dovii.

Beani are aggressive no doubt, but there are much nastier fish. A fully mature hyper aggressive male dovii is a sight to see. A 8 inch grammodes can send a 14 inch midas in a corner and just about anything else too. Every fish is different, that's a fact. Midas tend to get really clumsy once they reach 12 inches, same with jaguars and festae. While the dovii and grammodes at full potential size are still VERY agile, lean, intelligent, etc.

The nastiest fish I've had were in fact some Mbuna species, but they're a little TOO african to be on this list lol! I had a 3 inch auratus send 8 other fish (larger than he was) to the very edge of the tank, in a week all the other fish were dead. I wanted to see this sucker lose, threw him in with a convict pair.. within minutes the convict pair are in a corner begging for mercy. Pound for pound, africans are the nastiest IMO. But they're boring, not very owner responsive.

I've owned a couple beani, they have some serious conspecific aggression. Beani start out mild, only get aggressive with age (temperament in general).. while my Red Devil, Grammodes, and Dovii were overwhelming even at an inch.

That was actually the Doviis tank originally, I believe. This is what he wrote below
"BEANI taking over DOVII territory, just placed the Beani in as well. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_h2gzx7UV4

Here is the same Dovii taking on a Butti and Umbee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yic-wSDsQg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR_9HOLGVQ8






Here is another 12'' Beanii of his who is an absolute vicious fella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26nG4xQtjxg


I agree that 8'' beanii is more mature than a 8'' dovii, but not by much. Both are huge, dovii being obviously larger, but for both to reach 8'' is probably only a month or two difference in age.

But to this day, I have never seen anything come close to smashing a tank the way a Dovii does. Tongs in OC used to have 2 big fellas and one of them would smash so hard and fast I swear I thought it was going to break it self in half or knock the tank over. It was quite impressive.

 

[RockyMountainCichlids]

That was actually the Doviis tank originally, I believe. This is what he wrote below
"BEANI taking over DOVII territory, just placed the Beani in as well. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_h2gzx7UV4

Here is the same Dovii taking on a Butti and Umbee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yic-wSDsQg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR_9HOLGVQ8






Here is another 12'' Beanii of his who is an absolute vicious fella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26nG4xQtjxg


I agree that 8'' beanii is more mature than a 8'' dovii, but not by much. Both are huge, dovii being obviously larger, but for both to reach 8'' is probably only a month or two difference in age.

But to this day, I have never seen anything come close to smashing a tank the way a Dovii does. Tongs in OC used to have 2 big fellas and one of them would smash so hard and fast I swear I thought it was going to break it self in half or knock the tank over. It was quite impressive.

When I was a kid, I knew a guy who had a 20 inch dovii in some 1000g tank. It was kind of depressing to see 1 fish in a 1000g.. But holy hell, could that fish bang glass harder than anything. The owner told me his brother got 15 or something stitches from that beast. Then I purchased my first dovii, no words can describe the ferocity they possess. I'm more scared of sticking my hand in a 20 inch dovii's tank than a underfed Rhom piranha.

 

[pckts]

When I was a kid, I knew a guy who had a 20 inch dovii in some 1000g tank. It was kind of depressing to see 1 fish in a 1000g.. But holy hell, could that fish bang glass harder than anything. The owner told me his brother got 15 or something stitches from that beast. Then I purchased my first dovii, no words can describe the ferocity they possess. I'm more scared of sticking my hand in a 20 inch dovii's tank than a underfed Rhom piranha.

I would never want either, but a Dovii bite would be the lesser of two evils.
If you watch the youtube vid of Dovii vs Rhom, that Rhom literally takes a bite out of the Doviis fin in the perfect shape of its jaw. Imagine that on your hand??!!

But either one, you're getting stitched up, thats for sure.

 

[Username.]

I agree 99% umbee could maybe be a little higher on the list...

 

[5Spot Junkie]

Awful......

I didn't let the fight go on to long. Maybe 2 min. The dominant one in this tank claimed my 90g to itself.