To Keep Or Not To Keep

[Siklid]

I just recently bought a buttikoferi cichlid from my LFS not knowing much about it. The guy said it was okay to place it in a tank with other cichlids. I have 4 black convicts, 1 jack dempsey and 1 firemouth. They are relatively all the same size except for the firemouth.

I noticed just yesterday that the buttikoferi have been acting aggressive towards 2 of the convicts that are similar in size. So i want to know if i should return it or not? I don't have any intentions in starting another tank.

Thanks in advance

 

[shroob]

What size tank have you got?
Depending on tank size I would return it, as well as butti's being one of the most aggressive cichlids out there they also grow big.

 

[CFC]

The buttikofferi is going to outgrow all the others and kill them one by one, they are large powerfull fish that are insanely aggressive and extreemly territorial. They can "sometimes" be mixed with aggressive Malawi species in large tanks with pleanty of rockwork but they will dismantle all but the largest and toughest of New World species.

 

[Siklid]

Thanks for all the advices!

I did alot of research today on this fish and i am definitely going to return it to the fishstore. It was an impulse buy and the employee said it should be okay to place it in the tank with my otehr cichlids. I should have done my research beforehand, but hopefully i can return it. However, if they don't take it back what should i do with it? I don't want the other cichlids to be stressed out because of one fish.


I also noticed that my firemouth looks pale, and i hardly see the red/orange belly anymore. Could it be because of my coral substrate? he hides underneath my lava rocks alot and doesn't want to move out of the way, unless another fish tries to take over the territory. Any ideas?

 

[rmcder]

I did alot of research today on this fish and i am definitely going to return it to the fishstore. It was an impulse buy and the employee said it should be okay to place it in the tank with my otehr cichlids.

Well, that'd save on fish food, since the butti will just eat the other fish!

I also noticed that my firemouth looks pale, and i hardly see the red/orange belly anymore. Could it be because of my coral substrate? he hides underneath my lava rocks alot and doesn't want to move out of the way, unless another fish tries to take over the territory. Any ideas?

Firemouth can be skittish anyway, and yours is probably scared to death at this point. I'd be hiding out too!

 

[ox5477]

I saw a good size specimen of this species at the lfs over the weekend that someone had traded in. He was roughly 6 to 7 inches in size and right at the glass trying to intimidate me. Most likely the person would traded him in was having the same troubles your having now.

 

[Siklid]

As cute as they are when they are young, they are evil little things. I went to another fish shop about 30 mins away from my place. Saw a buttikoferi, and those things have teeth! When he saw me he was shaking like crazy......

 

[andyourblueblood]

The buttikofferi is going to outgrow all the others and kill them one by one, they are large powerfull fish that are insanely aggressive and extreemly territorial. They can "sometimes" be mixed with aggressive Malawi species in large tanks with pleanty of rockwork but they will dismantle all but the largest and toughest of New World species.

in my personal experience, i find they work great in large tanks with large new worlds, but it may have been that individual fish. im sure the majority are monsters.