Any fellow Managuense owners?

9" male & 8" female. they are not nice and have never been nice. not to anyone else nor to each other.
 
My story...

Thanks for the replies!

I have had "Lucifer" for a little over 5 years now. "I know the name is extreme, but so is this guapote!" He is my second one I've ever owned and bought him as a baby. (All eyeballs and mouth then)
Then, I was a little stumped on why he was not growing very quickly. But then..... All too soon! Like most, he disdained any human attention or daily interaction. Watching from his corner and cave... waiting. Would not come to the surface to eat, but take the hikari pellets regurgatated by my oscars.
As Time went on, all the fish in the tank interacted well. (2 oscars, 1 Pl*co, 1 male green terror. 1 Black shark) The green terror then was a 5 incher I introduced to the tank. Lucifer was about 4. They would engage in legendary extreme territory guarding on their opposite sides of the tank. Then one day the terror got a lip lock on him and spun him up real good. Lucifer then proceeded to beat the Sh*t out of the terror ruthless and almost killing him. He took over the terror's cave and kept his own! I loved it!
One day I came home from work and the terror was mortally injured and floating. So I maintained the population. Slowly introducing new foods. (guppies/minnows/comets/crayfish(hawaiian) / frozen and hikari staple.) He took out the crayfish with abandon. All the time I when I vaccuumed the carpet, I would find occasional feeders dried on the floor behind the tank. They would jump out! Then later to much regret, the black shark was found on the carpet one morning, dried up. (really sad, he was a good shark! and held his own. even chased an oscar!) I watched lucifer closely and understood his behavior patterns by extensive research I found through this site!!!
I replaced the green terror with a red devil (9 incher male) heh heh heh.... Lucifer was then about 61/2 inches. They would stand off, bluffing each other gills flared and all. A sight of male dominance. (I took great pleasure in sitting down with a 12 pack of beer and watching them with friends. Even turning heads during a football game!) The Red devil would pick fights all the time and bully the oscars. Lucifer decided to "allow" the devil to reside within. as time came about, lucifer decided he wanted the R.D. gone! and proceeded to methodically render him into an orange coward chasing him all over my 125 Gal. I He beat up th R.D so bad that gave it to a happy home.
Lucifer has been through a lot of stuff and extreme times, and has seen a lot of fish come and go. Since I first started him out in a 20 gallon tank. He is the dominant fish in my aquarium. He moves about 30 lbs a gravel a day! Rendering a powerhead set up usesless. Looking for that bottom every time! He let's the others know where they stand in the "pecking order". It is majestic to watch him. So graceful but tough.Showing interest to the outside with no fear, staring... His eyes are dark as night with a small trancluscent brown ring around the pupil, circled by an eerie crimson outer ring and his 6 incisor teeth prominent. (hence his name) he has almost a supernatural marking pattern and brings out comments and questions from everyone. They want one too. However, I am quick to tell them that this fish is not for the faint of heart and beginners. How it needs a special enviroment to endeavour as they should! when he yawns, he looks like a large mouth bass! THE HEARTIEST fish I've ever owned. I look forward to having him around for years more. Is there anybody out there with knowledge of their captive lifespan?

Mahalo!
 
Aloha Brahda Shane,

Don't know anything about the the captive lifespan. But from what I've read is about 7 years.

I got 2 Jags myself. One Male at around 6 inches, and a female around 2 1/2. They don't get along. In the beginning they did. They did their courting ritual, and actually went to the motions of laying eggs and fertilizing...actually just fertilizing. The female didn't have any eggs coming out. She would attempt to lay something, but nothing would come out. Wierd thing. After that, the male wasn't having it. So they don't get along now.

I have them in a 90g with a 4 inch GT, 5 inch JD, 2 Orange Pikes at around 7inches.

I'm not sure if my JD runs the tank or or not. They stay on opposite ends of the tank.

My Jag is kind of strange though when it comes to feeding. He doesn't seem to like anyone else eating the food. Whenever I feed my fish, my jag stays toward the back and waits for the others to go to the top. Once they do, he attacks them. Once the other fish all start to dive bomb up to the top to get the food, he can't keep up with them so he just eats with them.

Well, good luck with you fish and welcome back.
 
i don't actually own one myself, but i've noticed a distinct similarity between them and my cuban (one of my favorite fish, and he's still a youngster). anyone know if that's concidence, or are they pretty closely related?
 
The cuban is usaully regarded as a smaller version of the jag just not as mean or colorful. They are differant fish though.

I Own a 9" Jag and finally got it the tank it needed. I think its a girl but some times I wonder what if it just not big enough to show it marvelous spots. If size doesnt matter its the age then it a girl Ive had it for over 4 years Just wish I had more knowledge before I got it. I once had three Oscars til I put them in with the Jag He killed one and beat the other two like they were nothing. I went in the room and put all of them together. I figured one Jag with 3 Oscars should even things out the Jag was 4" then the Oscars were 3" 4" 5" they were all an inch apart. Well I went to go eat came back they were all fighting he had my 5" albino by the jaw the 4" black tiger oscar tried attacking its eye and the 3" grey oscar (it was literally grey) was attacking its side well the Jag let go of the albino bit the black oscar slaped the grey one with its tail attacked the albino attacked the black attacked the grey the grey left him alone at that point and went to a coner and started leaning on its side the jag beat up the albino and it joinded the grey one and beat up the black one badly and that one joined the other to but did not servive the injuries. All this happened in less that five minutes well the part I saw. It is mean as ever but now instead of the previous 35gal it was in for 2 years was in a 20gal before that it now lives in a brand spanking new 60gal. Now to get it a 90gal and use the 60gal for a pair of gibbiceps and the 90 for the Jag.

Oh Jags could live for up to 15yrs if taken care of proparly.
 
All the Population! (managuense)

It does my heart good to know that there are so many others out there who have "Da kine". Not to mention taking good care of them! Out here, there is a freshwater chain of ponds that unfortunately, Owners who are impractical, lame and seditious, neglect these and other great species and turn them loose into the environment. These people are the scum of of the silt and dredge!
However, the chance of survival for a Jag or other large Cichlid, fish is good! depending on their maturity. Our climate and eco-system is practically second to none. (As far as simulating South and Central America basins, lakes and rivers.)
There have been numerous sightings and illegal catches reported of Ahh hem... "A 16 &1/2" Oscar, Pl*co's over 20", Red Devils at 12"- 14", Unmentionable sizes of Pacu's( both Colossoma bidens and Colossoma Brachipomum), Which I have seen some in a LFS at about 24"!!! A monster Dovii. (that would not be good) Clown knifes, Tiger Shovel nose cats at 2 feet!! and of course the Exalted Managuense. I was told that there has been an ongoing study of the Jag for years at the University of Hawaii. And that they have a pond with many of them. Looking into the effect of the "released" species on the local environment, interaction and damage. (I'd love to have that Job!)
GER1023, & Pike Lee: I've not heard of or seen a "Cuban" before. Damn!
just when I thought I had a good grip! It's a small world. When I first got "Lucifer" I also bought a sibling with him. I called it "little girl" because "she" seemed to be small compared to him. Even as juvi's. same markings and everything. When all hell broke loose... He was chasing her away. I decided to "lend" Little Girl to a friend in the original 20 Galllon I owned which I gave to a friend after I upgraded to a 55. I taught him the basics,and "she" thrived. Then the 55 was my main focus.
I combined 3 oscars, a green terror, a pl*co, and a black shark.

:rolleyes:

As per my previous posted story, the good stuff began! I just wish I stuck it out and kept the two in the new 55 and wait to see if they were a pair. It's a shame that "lucifer" Most likely won't be Studded out. (If there's a chance I'll take it!) By the way, 15 yrs for life expectancy sounds good to me

:p

Through my experience with domesticating the Managuense, I found a neat little trick. This also works for Oscars and Bad ass community tanks. If they are beating the hell out of each other, take a hand held mirror, and put it up to the tank slowly and carefully. (Don't scratch it Brah!) Range it to the aggressive one...
and if it's an Oscar.... :mad: :mad: :mad: it's pretty entertaining watching their mood swing. Also helps to build their enthusiasm to avoid an ass-whuppin' from a Managuense. All the pretty colors! Lucifer is too smart for this though. He looks at the mirror then at me and flexes his BRANCHIOSTEGAL MEMBRANES to show his displeasure of what's in his view. Goes in his cave and waits...

Good fortune on your endeavours with the 9 incher! they are great right before and around that size. Reallly displaying their colors and demeanor. I'm thinking of Chronologically recording my
daily notes I've put together since I've had the pleasure of taking care of the Kine, and publish...
Pike Lee: I know exactly what you seen with your Jag's feeding habits too. I think that is pretty much universal. In the wild, they are supposed to be a preadator which "Specializes" in eating soft finned rays. Got SFN? :D ???
Please seperate your two before a life is lost.. He will take her out! (and not on a hot night!!!) you could also try a mirror trick during feeding times. This will change their behaviour. good fortune Brah!
To Nippy,Inxs, and TT Man: Thanks so much for the earlier replies. I'm sorry that I didn't get back too soon. I look forward to sharing and receiving your invaluable knowledge and experiences thus far. Enough talking Story... It's 1515 hrs (3:15 P.M.) and time for a water and filter change.
Also, If any of you have a link or two, could you sshare them with me?

Mahalo!


"We are Managuense if you please... We are Managuense if you don't please!
 
Do you have any pics of Lucifer you might share?

On a side note about my Akasha, she's been living with a dislocated jaw for a few months now. Poor girl. I have no idea how she did it (maybe digging?) but she did it overnight and I came home from work to find her like that. I thought for sure she was going to die because she couldn't eat with her new jaw shape. After consulting with a vet and trying to work her jaw back into place ourselves(amazingly this big mean fish was SO cooperative like she knew me and my husband were trying to fix her mouth), I decided to let God/nature have her and take care of her. After about a month, she learned to eat with her handicap and she has been fine ever since. She kind of has the head line of a geophagus now and it added .5 inches to her length so she's a biggin' now. ;)
I'm so used to the way she looks now that when I see a normal Jag, I think they are the ones that look weird to me. :)
She is still my beautiful MEAN girlie.
 
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