Cichlid closest in personality to Oscars?
- Thread starter crax
- Start date
You mean playing, owner responsive, and etc?
There are plenty. And it is depending on what aggressive are you looking for.
There are plenty. And it is depending on what aggressive are you looking for.
According to what I read at cichlid forum Polleni and Bleekers are supposed to be outgoing like Oscars. Both are very awesome fish and certainly not as common as Oscars.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1439
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1439
One of my LFS's has had a 4-5" Paratilapia polleni for the last three weeks, I was highly attracted to this fish and its personality from the moment I first saw it, its gorgeous and very friendly/interactive.
The staff wasn't sure of its name other than "polleni", so I researched it and found it was indeed a Madagascar cichlid "Paratilapia polleni" aka Small Spot Polleni.
I want this fish! I visit that LFS a couple times a week just to look at what stock they have and visit the polleni, I do believe the polleni recognizes me, he comes forward for me and retreats from others.
But alas, Madagascar cichlids are kinda uncommon to rare in most LFS's and thus exspensive,
this one is priced at $49.99, slightly more than I'm willing to spend :thud:
Not to mention the only place I have to house it would be with my Oscar in my 75gal, typically I wouldn't think about a SA cichlid with a African or other type, but I researched this fish and it would be compatible otherwise. Its current housing is in 79'f, PH 7. at the LFS and seems to thriving at the LFS, but dang, $50.
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Any ways to sum it up the Paratilapia polleni is a very good suggestion.
Most large Cichlids are outgoing and interactive, even if it just comes from territorial aggression around their tank.
Oh ya, polleni and bleekeri are considered the same, just one has small spots and the other large spots.
The staff wasn't sure of its name other than "polleni", so I researched it and found it was indeed a Madagascar cichlid "Paratilapia polleni" aka Small Spot Polleni.
I want this fish! I visit that LFS a couple times a week just to look at what stock they have and visit the polleni, I do believe the polleni recognizes me, he comes forward for me and retreats from others.
But alas, Madagascar cichlids are kinda uncommon to rare in most LFS's and thus exspensive,
this one is priced at $49.99, slightly more than I'm willing to spend :thud:
Not to mention the only place I have to house it would be with my Oscar in my 75gal, typically I wouldn't think about a SA cichlid with a African or other type, but I researched this fish and it would be compatible otherwise. Its current housing is in 79'f, PH 7. at the LFS and seems to thriving at the LFS, but dang, $50.
.Any ways to sum it up the Paratilapia polleni is a very good suggestion.
Most large Cichlids are outgoing and interactive, even if it just comes from territorial aggression around their tank.
Oh ya, polleni and bleekeri are considered the same, just one has small spots and the other large spots.
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Oscar Replacement
I have been keeping oscars for over 32 years, I really enjoy the interaction or else I would not put up with weekly 50% water changes, the lovely 6 inch piles of gravel with the aestetic aquarium glass showing through, the broken, filters, heaters, canopy and 55 Gal tank end (that bolder that I thought was too big to move wasn't). Of all the other fish I have kept over the years the Paratilapia Polleni I have had for the last 2 years is the most "oscar like" he even thinks he is an oscar though he is only 5 inches long he has picked up most of my 9 year old oscars habits except breaching at feeding time they are almost always side by side and move gravel together they share a 70 gallon tank with a 12 year old angelicus cat, and a one year old blue Dempsy. In fact at x-mas time a good friend who has been out of the hobby for a while asked me about that new sleeker spotted oscar I had in the tank.
On a final note ALL fish are individuals, there are rules and exceptions
I have been keeping oscars for over 32 years, I really enjoy the interaction or else I would not put up with weekly 50% water changes, the lovely 6 inch piles of gravel with the aestetic aquarium glass showing through, the broken, filters, heaters, canopy and 55 Gal tank end (that bolder that I thought was too big to move wasn't). Of all the other fish I have kept over the years the Paratilapia Polleni I have had for the last 2 years is the most "oscar like" he even thinks he is an oscar though he is only 5 inches long he has picked up most of my 9 year old oscars habits except breaching at feeding time they are almost always side by side and move gravel together they share a 70 gallon tank with a 12 year old angelicus cat, and a one year old blue Dempsy. In fact at x-mas time a good friend who has been out of the hobby for a while asked me about that new sleeker spotted oscar I had in the tank.
On a final note ALL fish are individuals, there are rules and exceptions