texas chilid

[animalzrok2]

so my texas chilid is becoming very territorial. he ate one of my catfish, an oscar chilid, another chilid, and my crayfish. he is very healthy and very well fed. i was wondering if there is any fish he will get along with besides the green corys and one raphael catfish.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

how big is he? what size tank? is he fed anything like beef heart? where does he like to stay.... open area or personal cave?

 

[animalzrok2]

6" in a 40 gallon tank and he stays in the open.

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

That was way too small for the stocking you had any way. an oscar alone needs a 55. but maybe if you got a mature convict, they apparantly like caves and open swimming, then it could avoid confrontation and fill the tank a little better. also maybe a low-lying fish like buffalo cichlids or a yellow lab... make sure its of size enough to defend itself sufficietly!
if not.... is it really worth keeping it?

 

[animalzrok2]

i know he is not really worth keeping but ive had him for 2 years and ive gotten attached to him, when i had him and the oscar they were both 1 1/2"

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

awww bless im sorry.

how bout trying to find him a mate or something? driven to distraction to stop massacaring his fellow fish.
ask Hukit, he's the lord of the cichlids around here for top advice on aggression and care xx

 

[IvanMike]

He ate them or killed them? Fish will eat anything that fits in their mouths - if you added some new small fish he may have thought you were feeding him... The crayfish probably always looked like food to him - he may have just waited till he could tear it apart and eat it. Otherwise they are on the higher side of territorial in the cichlid spectrum and it's not unusual for them to harass and waste other fish in a smaller aquarium (especially new additions).

I'm surprised he gets along with the corys. I would keep things as is. Either type of texas cichlids make great "pet fish". If you want to add more fish - you're really looking at a bigger tank.

 

[animalzrok2]

he kills them by tearing off scales and fin/tail parts.

 

[animalzrok2]

ill try to find him a mate, do you recommend a good fish store since petcos cichlids are 1-2"?

 

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

im not in america. buuut, there are hundreds of online delivery fish sales, just find a very highly reviewed one. or google local fish shops