Cichlid Experiment

[AQUASCAPES]

I got an eight inch buttikoferi from someone who said he was too aggresive and was killing everthing else in his tank no matter what size the other fish were. I have him in a 55 gallon tank with plenty of driftwood and rock. I created some nice hidding spots and plenty of open swimming. I also just recently received 15 one inch colbalt blue zebra's, 2 on inch jeweled cichlids and a 5 inch pleco. I wanted to see if putting that many fish with this buttikoferi would make him more agressive or since I made some many nice hidding spots would he calm down since they were smaller and faster. The zebra's are all getting along, everyone has found certain spots that they like, colors are beautiful, no fins nipped, the Butti still like to move stones around but he has no left all of my plants alone. He is calm swimming around and settles down at night behind one of the bigger rocks when I turn it to the moon light. But unless I go larger in tank size I won't be adding any more fish. One of the most aggressive cichlids tamed by a well maintained tank with many other cichlids. Who would have thought that would happen!

[wataugachicken]

yeah, well, give it time.

[Squawkbert]

Nightly head count.

[liv2padl]

Tilapia buttikofferi grows to 12 inches and as it does, it is one of the MOST belligerant and potentially vicious cichlids in the hobby. while he may appear to be 'getting on' with your other fish right now, my bet is on him reducing your overstocked numbers sooner rather than later.

[fish_freak]

If this does work out then your quite lucky. My guess is him being in a new home has made him somewhat depressed and shy for the moment but once he settles in you will be missing a lot of fish.

[AQUASCAPES]

He has been in this tank for two months no and my head count it still the same. No matter I am picking up a 75 gallon tank from a cousin of mine this weekend and I am getting a female butti of the same size to house him with.

[liv2padl]

picking up a 75 gallon tank from a cousin of mine this weekend and I am getting a female butti of the same size to house him with. drive on past that 75 and pick up a 150 gallon tank. introducing a female buttikofferi to a male buttikofferi in 75 gallons is guaranteed death of the female. you're in need of a lot more research on this fish if you expect to keep them long term.

[mostlycichlids]

I agree with this 75 is definately too small for a pair and wont work out.

[Gangstafish]

Butti's mate like Red Devils. You have to separate the male from the female. You have to use the eggcrate divider methon. If you don't it's curtains for the female. Eventually you are going to need a 180 gallon tank for the Butti.

[AQUASCAPES]

I just got a 220 gallon tank this past weekend and I am in the process of setting it up. My Buttikoferi is still in my 55 gallon tank and no I have not lost any other fish. I have not purchased a female yet. My butti is great swimming around not chasing anyone else. He never hides away. Still looking for a female but I will not pay the ridiculous prices of the LFS.

[AikidoGuy]

Tilapia buttikofferi grows to 12 inches .


Thats only in its first year :D

I have had a 15" female and an 18" Male. Very thick bodied. Super aggressive. They each had an entire 6' tank to themselves. I sold the male and the female died after 10 years.

[fishfreak317]

the butti prolly doesn't feel threatened yet. that prolly y it hasn't attacked anything yet. so, say a similar size fish is introduced or one of the tank mates gets bigger, more closer to his size. then prolly will have issues. i had one before was housed in a 75gal, with several other africans. once he outgrew everything, it were on a killing spree, one at a time. i also have seen these fish over 12inches. big males. i feel that since yours is larger then the rest in tank for now, might be the reason he isn't interested in the others.

my advice for "if you do get a female", is to set up the other "breeding" tank, and keep her in there first for awile, and beef her up. then introduce the male into "her" tank. use a divider for first couple days, if nasty fighting occurs.

if you put him in the "breeding" tank first, he will kill her without a divider. because then that tank is deemed his. and will fight for his home, to all comers.

well gl. and take this info as you will. :dance2: