Cichlid Experience

Most of us who have kept cichlids know how much the personality varies from fish to fish.

I received a harsh reminder of this a few months ago.

I had a female blackbelt being kept in my 75 gallon tank with a few giant danio and a buffalohead. Not something I would recommend, but when my buffalohead pair spawned, I needed to get the extra out of there.

Neighbor had a 3" bala shark and when she researched, she knew she couldn't keep him in a 20 gallon tank. I agreed to take him and put him in my 75 gallon until we could find someone who could provide him with a school of balas in a large enough tank.

Within 5 minutes of putting him in the tank, my "peaceful" blackbelt tried to swallow him whole. He didn't survive. She had tank mates moving in and out of her tank for a few years before this with similar body structure so I wasn't expecting it. I gave up trying to figure out what triggered it considering she'd never had an issue with new tank mates before.

Wanted to share the experience. Although it was horrible to see, it reminded me of how careful we have to be in advising others and how different each individual fish is. I've seen this a lot with cichlids, but I know it applies to many different species from livebearers to egg-layers, etc and so on.

Yes, I will do things with my own tanks that I would not advise others to do. I wasn't expecting that from her and had a backup plan of a 55g, but had no warning before she tried it.

 

that's unfortunate.
by the way, I respect someone who will blatantly admit that they will do things that others advise not to do. Usually when I do that, I'm accused of animal abuse -,-

 

Yikes!

 

I'm surprised your giant danios are still there. But with the cichlids not eating those, I can see why you thought a bala would be OK.

 

cichlids remind me of dogs....

 

that's unfortunate.
by the way, I respect someone who will blatantly admit that they will do things that others advise not to do. Usually when I do that, I'm accused of animal abuse -,-

Normally I listen to advice from others. I just do things that I won't advise someone else to do. I'll take a risk with my own tanks, but I strive to help others by giving advice that has a really good chance of working out for them.

I'm surprised your giant danios are still there. But with the cichlids not eating those, I can see why you thought a bala would be OK.

That's why I thought I would be good. Similar-shaped fish were already in the tank and she never hurt or even went after any of them. I used her tank as a "holding tank" sometimes if I had to figure something out or whatever so she was used to things being put in and taken out of her tank.

 

See...this is why I don't have cichlids. They're always wanting to beat each other up or eat each other.
Granted, not all cichlids but a whole lot of them!

If I ever had a cichlid tank someone would have to hand me some and say, here..these all get along. LOL

They are pretty though

 

Normally I listen to advice from others. I just do things that I won't advise someone else to do. I'll take a risk with my own tanks, but I strive to help others by giving advice that has a really good chance of working out for them.

I do that too. I won't say on forums what I have in some of my tanks. I know what works in one tank, won't work in another. And forums can become volatile places when it comes to passionate fish keepers.

 

See...this is why I don't have cichlids. They're always wanting to beat each other up or eat each other.
Granted, not all cichlids but a whole lot of them!

If I ever had a cichlid tank someone would have to hand me some and say, here..these all get along. LOL

They are pretty though

LOL! Your phrasing cracked me up!

You are right, though. The only time they seem to get along without drama is when they're breeding.

That's why many of my cichlid tanks are species only and most are larger than normally advised.

 

See...this is why I don't have cichlids.

Tisk tisk tisk Lucy...

 

Tisk tisk tisk Lucy...

LOL
HI Btate.
Nice to see you.

 

How's it going Lucy?

Figured I should pop in and check on everyone here quickly...



Brian