peacock bass

[arapaimag]

I've kept a good 20 or so Cichla (Tememsis, Orinocoensis, Piquiti, Monoculus, Ocellaris) and I've never had a problem with them being too aggressive. They feed much quicker than my arowana does, but as long as you keep an eye on it and make sure they don't take all the food you should be fine.

The cheaper pet store cichla are usually Tems or Monos. Both are extremely beautiful fish, but in two different ways. Tems start off dark, with wicked white markings and red tails, they grow to be an ultra large gold cichla with very few markings, and still that nice tail. Monos start off pretty plain, and grow into a bright yellow cichla with bold black markings and a huge robust head.

Growing cichla is all about proper feeding and water conditions. If you feed them too much, they can grow up quite washed out, but if you give them ample feedings of high quality, color enhancing foods they mature to be incredibly beautiful fish. These fish eat A LOT, so much I had to stop keeping them because they ate me out of house an home. Keeping them robust enough that their true shape and color shine through isn't always easy, especially when you have a lot of them.

Since these fish eat soooo much they tend to dirty up water a lot, but if you want to see them brighten up, you want to keep your conditions pristine. Also assuring that the fish are stressed for no reason. I find the first thing to go in a cichla when stressed is color.

Another thing I can suggest to make sure you grow nice cichla up is try to get them wc, genetics will usually be better in this case, so it's a safer bet they will grow up gorgeous.

Good Luck,

Justin Morash[/QUOTE




Thanks for the information on loss of colour.

My Temensis I got as a gift from Neoprodigy the guru of MFK at about 10 to 11 inches. He eats shrimp, mackeral, herring, snails and smelts.

He became very aggressive and had monster fights with a RTG aro. The tank was 800 gallons. He bullied the 2 Cuban gars that were in with him as he grew also.

He is 24 inches now and I had to put him in a 225g by himself because I can not trust him with other fish (OK with my big male ray but the tank is too small for the ray). I will put him outside in ponds over the warmer summer months.

The fights with the aro have damaged his tail.

He got hole in the head but it is slowly clearing with 100% water changes over 7 day periods.

His colours have faded as he grew and I thank you for the information on that area.

 

[carcrazy]

I've kept a good 20 or so Cichla (Tememsis, Orinocoensis, Piquiti, Monoculus, Ocellaris) and I've never had a problem with them being too aggressive. They feed much quicker than my arowana does, but as long as you keep an eye on it and make sure they don't take all the food you should be fine.

The cheaper pet store cichla are usually Tems or Monos. Both are extremely beautiful fish, but in two different ways. Tems start off dark, with wicked white markings and red tails, they grow to be an ultra large gold cichla with very few markings, and still that nice tail. Monos start off pretty plain, and grow into a bright yellow cichla with bold black markings and a huge robust head.

Growing cichla is all about proper feeding and water conditions. If you feed them too much, they can grow up quite washed out, but if you give them ample feedings of high quality, color enhancing foods they mature to be incredibly beautiful fish. These fish eat A LOT, so much I had to stop keeping them because they ate me out of house an home. Keeping them robust enough that their true shape and color shine through isn't always easy, especially when you have a lot of them.

Since these fish eat soooo much they tend to dirty up water a lot, but if you want to see them brighten up, you want to keep your conditions pristine. Also assuring that the fish are stressed for no reason. I find the first thing to go in a cichla when stressed is color.

Another thing I can suggest to make sure you grow nice cichla up is try to get them wc, genetics will usually be better in this case, so it's a safer bet they will grow up gorgeous.

Good Luck,

Justin Morash[/QUOTE




Thanks for the information on loss of colour.

My Temensis I got as a gift from Neoprodigy the guru of MFK at about 10 to 11 inches. He eats shrimp, mackeral, herring, snails and smelts.

He became very aggressive and had monster fights with a RTG aro. The tank was 800 gallons. He bullied the 2 Cuban gars that were in with him as he grew also.

He is 24 inches now and I had to put him in a 225g by himself because I can not trust him with other fish (OK with my big male ray but the tank is too small for the ray). I will put him outside in ponds over the warmer summer months.

The fights with the aro have damaged his tail.

He got hole in the head but it is slowly clearing with 100% water changes over 7 day periods.

His colours have faded as he grew and I thank you for the information on that area.

At what size did he start attacking your aro? I hope mine are more peaceful as I don't have another large tank to transfer them to (no 800g tanks hanging around or even a spare 225 - I'm so jealous).

 

[arapaimag]

Sorry for the delay.

My cichla was about 18" when he started fighting with the RTG.

 

[howardhsieh]

is okay to have PB with stingray?
The one PB is only 4" and the stingray is 7" disc size, will they be fine in a long run?

 

[Marius]

Sorry for the delay.

My cichla was about 18" when he started fighting with the RTG.

Cichla Temensis are the most aggressive besides the fact that they grow to be the largest of the Cichla family. You need a group of Cichlas -6 or more minimum, depending on the size of the tank- to avoid conspecific aggression and to avoid the squabble with the arowana.

Both cichlas and aros are dominant large fish, and if they have the space to claim and only one major target in their way ...good luck with that.

 

[Marius]

are the $15 PB commonly sold in the GTA the ones we see ppl have with like yellow/greenish skin with red, black and white markings? cuz ive seen some pale colored PB n they looked like shit..

Gold Cichlas are actually worth more than the "classic" green base ones.

If they are pale from being little wrigglers, then don't be too quick to judge, because they'll color up soon enough.

 

[Marius]

I plan on eventually having these wc occelaris in with my aro, dats, and bichirs. Everything I've read suggests they do well together. They're between 7-9" and in a 125 for now.

The bottom one looks spectacular Gerry, my guess is it's a male.