Most Aggressive cichlids Top 15
- Thread starter RockyMountainCichlids
- Start date
I agree with your list and like how you didn’t just rank rank the list without admitting the others on the list have been more aggressive than your #1. Honestly with the top 5 in your list it can vary on the situation on which one is the meanest! But however a very underrated but mean cichlid that I’m surprised nobody said is the Mayan cichlid those guys are crazy as well
Respect your answer ! Every cichlid is mean on different aspects and different situations
Don't agree with the Umbee, one of my favorite Cichlids, a healthy Umbee, as they grow, will stop at nothing to dominate and destroy anything in the tank, all tank mates...That is true! But from my experience Umbee cichlids are not really killers. You don't see many hobbyists house them with other species of cichlid. As most of you know, nearly every cichlid species have conspecific aggression. That's where the Beani got overrated, everyone was too afraid to house them with anything but their own species due to bloat.
Umbee are pretty cool with other species, they're not sadistic bullies lol. They can be rough at times, but they have a cool-head and never go overboard FME like the Dovii. Umbee reach great sizes too, most people can't properly house one. Large fish + small tank + tankmates= You're looking for chaos.!
I have owned most every cichlid that you can name, we all know every situation is different, but just own what I have experienced:
1. Dovii
2. Umbee
3. Buttikuffri
4. Grammodes
5. 5 Star General
6. Flower Horn
7. Red Devil
8. Trimac
9. Festae
10. Motaguense
11. Istlanum
12. Neet
13. Salvini
14.Jack Dempsey
15. Convict
NOTE: I left out Beani, Black Nasty, because of the bloat, I know they are killers but you will never see them in tanks with others and live... I also didn't mention Managuese, just because I mentioned the Motaguense... I am sure I missed some cichlids I have had most of all of them, memory falls me, I just wanted to put a list out there, I am sure some could be taking out and added... Also Ornatum could be interchangeable with the Festae.
1. Dovii
2. Umbee
3. Buttikuffri
4. Grammodes
5. 5 Star General
6. Flower Horn
7. Red Devil
8. Trimac
9. Festae
10. Motaguense
11. Istlanum
12. Neet
13. Salvini
14.Jack Dempsey
15. Convict
NOTE: I left out Beani, Black Nasty, because of the bloat, I know they are killers but you will never see them in tanks with others and live... I also didn't mention Managuese, just because I mentioned the Motaguense... I am sure I missed some cichlids I have had most of all of them, memory falls me, I just wanted to put a list out there, I am sure some could be taking out and added... Also Ornatum could be interchangeable with the Festae.
I think Salvini could be rated a lot higher in terms of aggression if it wasn't for its smaller size.
I can't believe people think a salvini is even in the top 100 most aggressive cichlids? I took advice and thought they were tough and my huge beautiful 6 inch male salvini got killed by a small 4 inch jewel cichlid. Mbuna all mbuna cichlids will kill any of the fish on that list. Also lake tang cichlids like neolampus crystii will kill any of those fish. Only the five star I admit is as aggressive as people say. Tiger mota as well. Dovii Is just huge that is the only reason it is up there. I could say a gulper catfish is the most aggressive since it can eat any fish twice its size lol
I don't know if that is a flowerhorn or Trimac but know they are on a different level of aggression compared to African Cichlid.
I wonder how old that vid was and if those Buttikoferi are still alive.
Personally, out of all the fish I’ve owned my female Buttikoferi was by far the most aggressive fish, my male Jaguar pales in comparison.
