1 in a 125gal...but what?

[AcTwisted]

my tank is cycled & ready to go. I have a 125 gallon tank (72"x18"x20") prepared to commit to just one solitary fish.

was looking at CA cichlids & I want an aggressive fish, yet one that will max out around 12-13". Not looking for something that will outgrow my tank.

either a Jaguar Cichlid (managuense) or Red Devil seem to fit that. I've read lots of user remarks about both fish & their "personalities".

Is there maybe a 3rd choice I should consider maybe??

(p.s.. have had Oscars before. looking for something new)

[Rare Cichlids]

Are you only looking at fish that you can easily get at your LFS? Or are you willing to order a fish and have it shipped? Trimacualtus, Haitiensis, Midas and Buttikoferi are a few other choices.

[Sum-X]

Not quite up that far, but Jack Dempsey

[skeletalmachine]

Are you set on getting a cichlid? I know if I had a tank that size and was going to put just one fish in it I would get an arowanna. :)

[wetmanNY]

With smart ground rules like that, you can't go wrong!

[inxs]

For a petlike fish I would go with the Red Devil hands down. I love jags but they are stalkers - calculated hunters where the RD is more of a curious beligerant PITA but lots of personality and fun.IMHO.

[AcTwisted]

yeah something I can find at a LFS would be ideal. Nothing that rare that I'd have to special order. The LFS by me get some decent selections in, with the occasional oddball species now & again.


skeletalmachine - Arowanas get a little too big for what i'm looking for. maybe if i had a bigger tank.

[rus]

you cant go wrong with the midas/red devils. another fish i recomend is a black belt. they max out at 12" and are from my expereince very out going, personable, and awesome looking fish to boot. they shouldnt be hard to find.

[Tightdog1]

not just a jag but a golden jag would be cool.

or a breeding pair of RD.

[jmann]

Go with the Red Devil. Mine is in a 75 all alone. He is an awesome looking display fish and a great one to keep alone.

[AcTwisted]

Tightdog1--

never heard of a Gold Jag. are they a natural hybrid or a "manmade" one? do you know a link to a site that has a picture of one?

[AikidoGuy]

Ac where in NJ are you located? im have a few things im going to pass onto others,

3 Nandopsis octofasciatum (sex unknown) 1 1/2”
1 Amphilophus Citrinellus (female) 3”
1 heros severus (female) 6”

in a few more weeks ill have some black belts as well.

if your close your welcomed to somehting if you want it.

[AcTwisted]

thanks AikidoGuy, but doing some research online, i'm now leaning towards one of Rare Cichlids' earlier suggestions & get a Trimac. saw some sharp pictures of them online. now the question is where do I find a juvenile one to buy?? by the way... i'm in the Somerville area.

[AcTwisted]

do the same rules apply w/ Trimacs as Red Devils?? (i.e....best kept alone with no tankmates, plecos, or cats?)

[AikidoGuy]

trimac = Jeff Rapps www.tangledupincichlids.com


good choice too;)

[AikidoGuy]

you can probably get away with a pleco or some silvers dollars or tinfoil barbs for the trimac to chase around

[AcTwisted]

thanks for the link


I just emailed Jeff Rapps to see if he has juvi. Trimacs available

:D

[AikidoGuy]

http://www.tangledupincichlids.com/pricelist.html

its on his list ;)

[GEV83]

Heres a little info for you a Trimac get 14" in length a red devil get 14-16" a Jag Female get 12" a Jag male get 16-18" a buttikoferi gets 14". I personally like Jags I have one now and it is meaner then any Red Devil Ive seen. Buttikoferi's get mean but not as mean as a Red Devil or a Jag IMO. Trimacs are said to be mean another fish is a RT they get big and mean. To get some cool pics of some go to www.aquamojo.com he has a wonderful display of fish. He has all the one above and more he has a pair of Dovii's and Umbee's. YOu should check it out he also has the Gold Jag which I belive is selctive bred so in a sense man made but not a mutt like a Blood Parrot or FlowerHorn.

[AikidoGuy]

the parents to my buttikoferi are 14" female and the male is 16" and both are very thick. they are pretty calm while they are ypoung but at around 6-8" the turn evil and easily can hang witha midas. check out my pal Cichlidscenes (http://www.cichlidscene.com) website hes got a great mix of fish plus a sh*t load of pics as they grew from fry to adults. you might find something you like there.

[Tightdog1]

ACTWISTED

i dont know if they are natural or manmade but i think natural just like blue dempseys, i know mojo has a pair www.aquamojo.com (http://www.aquamojo.com/managuense.html)

[GEV83]

I cant say much about a RD for Ive never had one my uncle had one though. It was mean as can be till I met my Jag and me and my mom have had many buttikoferi's and from the many buttikoferi's and one RD I could say the RD is alot more aggressive. Like I mentioned earlier though temperment and personality do very even in the same species. But I've never really met a Super aggressive Buttikoferi but have seen some super aggressive RD at LFS. But yet again none match up and havent seen no fish in the cichlid family besides the Umbee (Mojo's and Cichlid Scene's) that is more aggressive then my Hyper Aggressive Managua and to be honest sometimes I wonder about the Umbee's there mean and nothing matches it not even a Jag. But look at there size difference its like Goliath and David unless that Jag has a pebble some where the Umbee is going to win. Cant say much about the Dovii seen pics and Videos of Mojo's but they arent mean at all they look really docile but yet would also beat a Jag do to shear size. Its like put a full grown male Jag with a Convict whos going to win the Jag. Butt anyways I dont think a Buttikoferi could hang with a RD. RD has a bigger mouth to do more damage where the Buttikoferi has a pretty small mouth. Just my 2cents maybe 3cents.

[inxs]

I once took pity on 3 RDs that were housed with a Buttikofferi, he was litteraly shredding them while he looked like an intact show fish.

Well one died and two have recovered but the way he had them whipped was just evil.

My jags are all pretty well behaved but they were raised together whith the other fish since very small size and the tank is big and well aquascaped.

Dovii has a reputation for beeing very smart and calculated - they don't attack anything that is bigger and can potentially harm them until thay can take it. Once they grow large enough they will eliminate it. They are reputed night hunters and will rip fish apart starting with the stomach - not pretty.

[GEV83]

Ok we went of subject already this little writing war wont end.

Ok some nice fish

Red Teror
Buttikoferi
Managua aka Jag
Red Devl
Trimac
Midas
Striped Midas (Hard to find very hard to find)

These would be nice center piece fish. Cant think of anymore even though I know im forgetting alot of them.

[AcTwisted]

thanks for all the replies/suggestions.

a went totally in a different direction & went brackish.

I'm getting 2 Siamese Tigerfish (Coius/Datnioides microlepis)


my LFS will order 2 juvenile ones for me once I'm ready.

they are sharp looking fish

[Rare Cichlids]

Nice choice AcTwisted.

As far as Buttikoferi not being as aggressive as Red Devils, Midas, an others....

I have a 7" Buttikoferi that completly dominates 5 Red Devils and 2 Midas of equal size in a 500g.