Unknown Cichlid *pic*

M

MeAirlinePilot

AC Members
Jul 29, 2001
44
0
0
Moreno Valley, CA
Hey everyone! Some of you who have been here a long time may remember me I left the hobby about four years ago when graduating from high school because I left to go out of state to college. But now I'm all done, and graduated, and getting back into everything! I was at the local Petsmart today and they got this guy in with their last shipment and had a sign on the tank saying "free." I asked the lady what it was and she said they had no idea and it surely is not part of their usual shipment of fish. She said it was not on their inventory so whoever wanted it gets it. I have a 55 gallon all set up and cycled and so I figured I might as well keep this guy in there and see what he is. I wanted him to go to a good home because he is so healthy and personable. What does everyone think of this guy/gal? He/she is about 3 inches long and very nice looking. Now if I could just get an ID we're in business! Thanks everyone!

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Thanks everyone for the ID! Has anyone ever had one of these? Are they a good aquarium fish with personality when they get older or are they a waste of space in an aquarium and deserve to be in their native habitats?
 
I've kept them for awhile now...
They are mean. I just had a 3 inch one destroy a 6 inch JD. I also had a pair, whenever I did any tank maintenance the dad would violently attack me.. lol. When I'd open the hood up, he'd jump out of the water to attack me... crazy fish.

Other than that their diet in nature is primarily invertebrates. Their quite tolerant of salinity. They can be found in brackish mangroves as well as freshwater, and I've heard of them being in full SW.

They took about a week to fully acclimate in my tank. They pretty much eat anything and everything.. they dig everything up. Mine have learned to recognize me, whenever they see me they rush up to the glass. As far as tankmates... I've successfully kept them with Midas and Red Terrors.. I had a Red Devil that beat the crap out of them.

As far as size goes, everything I've read people have said that they get up to a foot or so... I've never seen one over 6". I'm going to try one in my brackish tank to see if he grows any bigger.

I'm kind of braindead right now.. thats all I can think of..
 
Wow thanks for the great info. electromen! Looks like mine will need a good size tank for territory to call his own and we'll be good to go! I'll go to the lfs and see if they have any baby snails they need to get rid of for free. I'm sure he'll love them. Thanks again!
 
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