help me ID this chiclid guys.....
- Thread starter spring007
- Start date
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Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
My best guess would be a Tilapia buttikoferi. From what I have read, yes, they are mean. I hope you have a large tank for him because they reach up to 1' in length. When they are small they will be less aggressive. But once they hit three inches they are not so nice.
TCTFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tilapia buttikoferi
Lake Tanganyika/Africa
Temp: 78° F - 80° F pH: 8.2
Adult Size: 10"
Food: African Cichlid flake or pellet, algae, brine shrimp.
Temperament: Extremely aggressive. Not suitable for community
aquariums. Best housed alone.
That is a monster!! Impressive fish, but a monster nonetheless. Eventually it will kill everything else alive in your tank if you have anything else living with it. They are extremely demanding of space and would never keep an adult in anything less than a 75 or 100 gallon tank...and that's one adult. They are worse than the South American Red Devil.
Sexing is done by examining the vent for an ovipore if female. I'm not an expert, so perhaps someone else here can contribute to this. In general, male cichlids tend to have a pointier dorsal fin, whereas the females are more rounded.
Hope I didn't disappoint you too much, but better to know now than later. Good luck.
Lake Tanganyika/Africa
Temp: 78° F - 80° F pH: 8.2
Adult Size: 10"
Food: African Cichlid flake or pellet, algae, brine shrimp.
Temperament: Extremely aggressive. Not suitable for community
aquariums. Best housed alone.
That is a monster!! Impressive fish, but a monster nonetheless. Eventually it will kill everything else alive in your tank if you have anything else living with it. They are extremely demanding of space and would never keep an adult in anything less than a 75 or 100 gallon tank...and that's one adult. They are worse than the South American Red Devil.
Sexing is done by examining the vent for an ovipore if female. I'm not an expert, so perhaps someone else here can contribute to this. In general, male cichlids tend to have a pointier dorsal fin, whereas the females are more rounded.
Hope I didn't disappoint you too much, but better to know now than later. Good luck.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
They are found in the rivers of West African and do not play nice with other fish. Hate to say it, but unless you have 100 gal+ tank, return him. As TCT Mentioned, Venting is the easiest way to sex.
spring007
Aquarium Advice Regular
I have kept him in a 240 Gal tank with my Arowana....
Can I keep him there?? he is currently living with 2 jaguar chiclids(5"), 2 blood parrots(4"), 1 arowana(1'3"),1 senegal Bichir(6")..
the Tilapia buttikoferi is about 7".....
Can I keep him there?? he is currently living with 2 jaguar chiclids(5"), 2 blood parrots(4"), 1 arowana(1'3"),1 senegal Bichir(6")..
the Tilapia buttikoferi is about 7".....
TCTFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
You do have a nice large tank. However...
I've no clue what he would do with the arrowana or the bicher mainly because they are not cichlids. There's no direct breeding competition and may not spar over territory due to the fact they occupy different areas, but because of the nasty reputation of the fish with other cichlids it may not matter. That's a situation I haven't seen yet, so I really do not know.
The jaguar cichlids and the parrots would be in danger. Perhaps not right away, but as that fish grows and matures, they will most likely get attacked...and it can easily be fatal. Besides, you really don't want an African lake cichlid in a South American tank. That include the arrowana. Water requirements are very different and African cichlids almost always end up killing South American cichlids.
I would highly recommend the fish either be returned or start setting up another tank just for him. As stated before...they are impresive fish, but unfortunately one that is very ill tempered.
I've no clue what he would do with the arrowana or the bicher mainly because they are not cichlids. There's no direct breeding competition and may not spar over territory due to the fact they occupy different areas, but because of the nasty reputation of the fish with other cichlids it may not matter. That's a situation I haven't seen yet, so I really do not know.
The jaguar cichlids and the parrots would be in danger. Perhaps not right away, but as that fish grows and matures, they will most likely get attacked...and it can easily be fatal. Besides, you really don't want an African lake cichlid in a South American tank. That include the arrowana. Water requirements are very different and African cichlids almost always end up killing South American cichlids.
I would highly recommend the fish either be returned or start setting up another tank just for him. As stated before...they are impresive fish, but unfortunately one that is very ill tempered.
