# Ellioti Cichlid?



## juhason (Nov 10, 2013)

These fish are just...wow. :drooling: I have a question though. I have heard they are actually less aggressive than the firemouth cichlid. I have a community tank in which I am looking for a bigger centerpiece fish, so would he work in a community setup? It's a 35 gallon long tank. It has 8 serpae tetras, 3 gold dust lyretail mollies, and a powder blue dwarf gourami. Currently it also has a firemouth cichlid but I will probably get rid of him as he and the gourami don't get along. The firemouth is small now so the gourami can defend himself pretty well, but once the firemouth gets bigger, he'll surely kill the gourami. I'm hoping the ellioti will be less aggressive as people have said, and they are also much prettier than the firemouth in my opinion, especially when they are fully grown!!!  So it seems like a win-win, but I was hoping you guys could confirm this for me.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I think you're likely to have the same problem regardless of which species of Thorichthys you add. I did a lot of research on these fish, but never ran across any info regarding less aggression than Meeki. Are you willing to part with the gourami?


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## juhason (Nov 10, 2013)

I personally don't care too much for the gourami, but I actually redid the whole stock of that tank because my aunt would not leave me alone about the "pretty fish at the store." So I got her the fish she wanted, and wanted to add in my own cichlid as I love them. Firemouth at the time seemed like the best option for me. (I know there are dwarf cichlids but I already have plenty of those) but it looks like he'll have to go.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I have (errm well kinda) 2 ellioti in a 55gcorner tank, lets say same footprint as your 35. With 5 cherry barbs, 2 bristlenose and about 8 red eye tetras. They were fine until they started breeding and then the male got a bit rough so the female is healing up in another tank. I had no issues between the ellioti and the rest of the tankmates, except for 3 barbs that have been eaten over the last couple months.


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## juhason (Nov 10, 2013)

skurj said:


> I have (errm well kinda) 2 ellioti in a 55gcorner tank, lets say same footprint as your 35. With 5 cherry barbs, 2 bristlenose and about 8 red eye tetras. They were fine until they started breeding and then the male got a bit rough so the female is healing up in another tank. I had no issues between the ellioti and the rest of the tankmates, except for 3 barbs that have been eaten over the last couple months.


I guess my biggest concern though is the dwarf gourami. Someone in my other post mentioned that they are "cichlid-shaped" therefore usually attract the cichlid's attention. Do you think a lone ellioti would be ok with a dwarf gourami?


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

I don't see replacing your current T. meeki with a T. ellioti a solution. In fact, T. ellioti are said to be one of the MORE aggressive Thorichthys species. Not to mention, I highly doubt you'll come across any ellioti for sale at your LFS as they aren't exactly a commonly seen species. If you want zero aggression issues maybe look into some of the smaller, more docile SA species?


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## juhason (Nov 10, 2013)

Thank you CjCichlid for the reply. I was hoping that it would be a solution as they are gorgeous. Oh well.  My LFS actually offers to try and find any fish I'm looking for, for no extra cost. Obviously though as it is a less common species I was certain they would be expensive. I do love the SA dwarfs but I already have them... lots of them.  I was also hoping for a medium-sized centerpeice fish. Oh well you can't always get what you want!


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I dunno how a solo ellioti would be, if it were me I'd try for 1 male and 2-3 female ellioti. If I could get more females I would.

Tho do note... the gourami could be bringing it on him/herself, they aren't exactly sweet things :x


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## juhason (Nov 10, 2013)

skurj said:


> I dunno how a solo ellioti would be, if it were me I'd try for 1 male and 2-3 female ellioti. If I could get more females I would.
> 
> Tho do note... the gourami could be bringing it on him/herself, they aren't exactly sweet things :x


Yes that's very true haha. Actually I think mine is more aggressive than usual cause for a couple hours today he actually had the firemouth hiding! Incredible! But the firemouth is front and center again and more angry than before. So unfortunetly he'll be in a new home by tomorrow, and i'll stay away from these types of cichlids, as much as I want them. Sometime in the future, they'll be mine! :lol:


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