What are some of the best "predator" cichlids?

[Fanatic_Fish_Lunatic]

What are some of the best predatory cichlids? I'm not talking about aggression, temperament nor anything like that. I'm talking about their sheer hunting skills, the ways they hunt down their preys. The best at being a predator, not a fighter nor a brute.

 

[justintheodd]

What are some of the best predatory cichlids? I'm not talking about aggression, temperament nor anything like that. I'm talking about their sheer hunting skills, the ways they hunt down their preys. The best at being a predator, not a fighter nor a brute.

I can''t speak for the best of the best, but I know that the malawi hawk and venustus are pretty damn good. whenever I have convict fry, my venustus is the only one able to snake past the parents and snatch them up, and that alone I think merits them a mention. some of the best fish at the strike fast kind of hunting. Boom and zoom if you will.

 

[Fanatic_Fish_Lunatic]

I can''t speak for the best of the best, but I know that the malawi hawk and venustus are pretty damn good. whenever I have convict fry, my venustus is the only one able to snake past the parents and snatch them up, and that alone I think merits them a mention. some of the best fish at the strike fast kind of hunting. Boom and zoom if you will.

I can think of the peacock bass.

 

[Kayden]

I would say it is between basketmouth cichlids, Cichla, and crenicichla

 

[justintheodd]

I can think of the peacock bass.

I would have to agree with you, just figured I'd share an anecdote.

 

[danotaylor]

Dimidichromis compressicep, a species of lake Malawi. Extreme lateral compression, hide amongst reed in shallower areas of the lake, sharp grabbing toothy array, lightning strike attack on unwary prey moving amongst the reeds. Classes as piscivore as their diet is almost exclusively smaller fish. Very cool African cichlid predator

 

[justintheodd]

Dimidichromis compressicep, a species of lake Malawi. Extreme lateral compression, hide amongst reed in shallower areas of the lake, sharp grabbing toothy array, lightning strike attack on unwary prey moving amongst the reeds. Classes as piscivore as their diet is almost exclusively smaller fish. Very cool African cichlid predator

I love malawi eyebiters, they are really cool fish and even better predators. watching them hunt is almost scary, and it makes you think that if it were bigger, it could take you down before you knew it was there.

 

[Fanatic_Fish_Lunatic]

Dimidichromis compressicep, a species of lake Malawi. Extreme lateral compression, hide amongst reed in shallower areas of the lake, sharp grabbing toothy array, lightning strike attack on unwary prey moving amongst the reeds. Classes as piscivore as their diet is almost exclusively smaller fish. Very cool African cichlid predator

Yes, I do agree with this. I have 2 of them which are the hardest to catch in my malawi tank.