# Cutter's blue eye questions



## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Picked up some F1 Archocentrus sp. "Cutteri" at auction but have no experience with this fish. I was surprised when I got it home that it requires hard water. I've been keeping Africans at the same pH and hardness this fish requires.

Right now the 6 juvies are in a 20 gallon q-tank but I'm trying to figure out what I'll do with them. The profile says they can be kept as individuals in community tanks or kept in species only as pairs. Not sure how to sex them and how they pair. How big a tank would a pair need?

Then, the water requirements--the only community tanks I keep with hard water are my African tanks. Could I put an individual with peacocks and haps. Don't think one would do well with the soft water and low pH in my Bolivian ram and angelfish tank.


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## shef (Oct 3, 2004)

Very similar to convict cichlids. Same temperement when breeding as well. My pair killed off 3 of my dithers in one night. They would probably slaughter angels and rams. I'm not familiar with peacocks so I don't know there. I wouldn't put them in with anything you wouldn't put a convict with. As for sexing I believe the females have a black blotch on the dorsal fin, and the males are more colorful. I have pics of my pair, but only in breeding dress:


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## westwood8183 (Jun 15, 2003)

I had a pair in a 120 gallon and the male was merciless. Tormented the female and other males of different species in the tank. I felt bad about it, but I ended up having to trade them into the lfs because the tank was just turmoil, and he ended up killing one of my favorites. Maybe mine was just particularily mean but I wouldn't put them in with anything too docile.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I know it comes as a shock for most rift lake keepers, but many central american rivers are harder and higher pH that even lake tang. Records in some rivers even reach 9+ pH.

Not sure peacocks could handle the cutteri when they are adults, as juvies it might be alright until you can get another tank for them. Or trade in those african tetras and get more real cichlids. :wink:


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

The profile suggests these fish are pretty peaceful as individuals. It sounds like they are extremely protective and aggressive when paired and breeding.

At some point, as they get bigger--I'll need to separate the group. I have a tank to keep a pair but if it will work, I'd like to put an individual in a community tank and so far, it seems like my African tanks have the water requirements they are used to.

Has anyone kept individuals of these fish? Are they really ok as individuals in community tanks?


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## Reiner (Jul 17, 2002)

I have a pair in a 40 gallon community tank and mine breed every 6 weeks. So far I have not lost a single fish to there aggression. They protect about 1/3 of the tank and the other fish just keep in the other 2/3 of the tank without any problem.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Nice pickup lotsofish! :thumb: I have been wanting to have Cutteri and breed them!

Good luck! :thumb:


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