Wanting a true Piscivore

[Cichlomaniac]

All, is there a fish I can buy that is a true piscivor that will not get over 4 inches +/- an inch is fine also it needs to get along with my current cichlids.
1. Jack
1. Salvini
2. Convicts, (breeding pair)
The reason in want it is for clean up of baby convicts. I have a EHEIM vacuum filter I use to clean up the majority of the babies but inevitably a few always get away. They quickly grow to the point that the vacuum is not strong enough to pick them up as they swim easily against the vacuum current.
I end up having to chase them down with a hand her. This is not acceptable having a planted tank as it damages plants. Thanks all

 

[ryansmith83]

Dwarf pike cichlids like male C. regani. I'm not sure if your salvini will harass them, though.

 

[Cichlomaniac]

Dwarf pike cichlids like male C. regani. I'm not sure if your salvini will harass them, though.

My Sal seems quite content to keep to himself in his sunken boat cave so I don't think so.

 

[Achilles1763]

The dwarf pikes stay really quite small and would get the snot kicked out of them by any of your other cichlids if they wanted. I would say either multiple dwarfs (they are VERY social so a shoal of 5-6 would be ideal) or go up in size to a belly crawl pike (5-8 inches) who will devastate anything it can get in its mouth, I saw mine try and swallow a 3 inches oscar half his size!

 

[krichardson]

A Ctenopoma would be nice for that task although they can grow close to six inches.

 

[Cichlomaniac]

The dwarf pikes stay really quite small and would get the snot kicked out of them by any of your other cichlids if they wanted. I would say either multiple dwarfs (they are VERY social so a shoal of 5-6 would be ideal) or go up in size to a belly crawl pike (5-8 inches) who will devastate anything it can get in its mouth, I saw mine try and swallow a 3 inches oscar half his size!

Intresting I never knew pike were schoolers

 

[ryansmith83]

That has not been my experience with dwarf pikes. Some dwarves like compressiceps are very aggressive toward each other. I had a trio of regani and a trio of notophthalmus, and in both instances a pair formed and the third fish was promptly harassed to the point that it had to be removed.

I would stick with one larger male dwarf pike. It will hunt down your excess fry and shouldn't cause any aggression issues. The bellycrawler may work too but mine liked to chase and attack other fish so I'm not sure what he'd think of your other stock. A lot of it will also depend on tank size.

 

[Cichlomaniac]

My current tank size is a 75. Gallon long tank well planted and plenty of caves and hiding niches. I plan to move some to a 150 gal. 72 in. In a year or so. All of my stock is currently 4" or smaller so no real issues yet however it is good to plan ahead

 

[TheMoneyTank(TMT)]

Shoal of pictus catfish

All, is there a fish I can buy that is a true piscivor that will not get over 4 inches +/- an inch is fine also it needs to get along with my current cichlids.
1. Jack
1. Salvini
2. Convicts, (breeding pair)
The reason in want it is for clean up of baby convicts. I have a EHEIM vacuum filter I use to clean up the majority of the babies but inevitably a few always get away. They quickly grow to the point that the vacuum is not strong enough to pick them up as they swim easily against the vacuum current.
I end up having to chase them down with a hand her. This is not acceptable having a planted tank as it damages plants. Thanks all

 

[Achilles1763]

Right sorry should have clarified... crenicichla are very family shoal orientented. If you can get a group they are great and very social. But a bunch of strangers yeah not good. Sorry should have been clear lol