# 29 gallon + Large, Aggressive Cichlid



## EntoCraig (Mar 24, 2014)

What is the largest, most aggressive cichlid I could comfortably keep in a 29 gallon tank?

I breed a lot of livebearers and I need to feed off the culls. The size of these culls will range from 1-2 inches.

Any advice or recommendations are appreciated.


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## EntoCraig (Mar 24, 2014)

Anyone? Basically need something with a big mouth and Big appetite.


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## rkings4d (Feb 12, 2014)

ctenopomas are cool.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

Try a Jaguar cichlid and be prepared to move up in tank size as it gets bigger (local max size is over a foot and longer have been seen). It's a very beautiful fish and appears to live in cooler water (67 F) as well as warmer waters here (80s F) (Nicaragua). One of the people I know here had a Jaguar in a 20 or 30 tank. Females stay smaller but are not as spectacular.


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## EntoCraig (Mar 24, 2014)

Thanks. Unfortunately 29g is the max size I can do. I realise this severely limits my options...


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## EntoCraig (Mar 24, 2014)

ctenopomas do look cool! I'll have to look then up spam not familiar with their requirements


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## rkings4d (Feb 12, 2014)

The leopard ctenopoma. It has a big mouth, and only gets 6 inches. This is a good article.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/leopard-c ... pellegrin/


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## rkings4d (Feb 12, 2014)

Oh yeah sorry, Its not a cichlid!!


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## EntoCraig (Mar 24, 2014)

rkings4d said:


> Oh yeah sorry, Its not a cichlid!!


Thats fine! Honestly I'm looking for anything that fits the bill. I just assumed South/Central American Cichlids were my best bet. Everything I am reading says keep it in a 4 footer. Do you have a different opinion on that? Im stuck with the 29 in my current facility. All my other tanks are full!


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## rkings4d (Feb 12, 2014)

I would think so. They take years to full size, they are slow swimmers and they like to hide and wait for prey. I would get more than one.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

I've had Ctenopoma (different species) before. They're interesting fish, might need softer water and higher temps than your livebearers.


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## rkings4d (Feb 12, 2014)

I beleive the african leapord bushfish can go ph 7.5-8. they like it warm 80 degrees. this conversation is making me think of getting some again too!!!


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## Kuromaguro (Feb 11, 2014)

Id go with either a blue acara, female nic, salvini, or convict. All shouldn't get bigger than 6 inches from my understanding, and I have them all currently. I also have a 29 gallon set up with a small 2 inch salvini.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

My convicts didn't eat larger guppy females, and the males are around four or five inches, and I've got two pairs guarding fry and another on eggs. They keep the guppies at the top of the tank. Culling at one inch might work better, but I think the Salvini would work better.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

You don't necessarily need an aggressive cichlid. A salvini will need a much larger tank.

Why not get a garter snake or a water snake? Both will thrive on live fish. A warm basking spot, a hide and a large water dish is all they require. Trying to cram an aggressive fish in a tank to eat your leftover fry is not the best option.

Just throwing in my 2 cents...


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