Jaguars with Acara Cichlids?

[KGlo]

Would it be safe to put a jaguar catfish in a 60 gallon tank with zebra acara Cichlids?

[Marc van Arc]

Don't do this.
The jaguar will be completely defenceless against these fairly agressive cichs.

[Birger]

I agree...just because they have the common name jaguar does not mean they can handle being harassed by cichlids...they usually hide away as best they can until they starve to death in such a situation.

Birger

[Bas Pels]

A much more mellow cichlid would be Laetacara curviceps or Cleithacara maroni. Both are also a bit smaller, say 10 cm max. C maroni likes to be among plants, L curviceps can also be kept in a tank without plants, but containing wood - which you'll need for the woodcats anyway

[KGlo]

Really?! Everything I've read about Zebra acara's says that they are relatively peaceful and are easily out competed by larger tank mates! Tbh, I was mainly asking this thinking of the safety of the acara not the jaguar! I was wondering if the jag would be big enough to eat the acara given that most catfish will eat whatever fits in their mouth. I never really thought that acara would harm the Jag. I'll keep all that in mind! Thanks for the replies!

[KGlo]

Just to clarify I'm talking about Ivanacara adoketa, Max size 10 - 13 cm.

[Birger]

I was mainly asking this thinking of the safety of the acara not the jaguar!

Well I put some 2 inch Gymogeophagus balzanni in with an established adult group of

Liosomadoras oncinis

(jaguar catfish) and I am sure the largest female decided the group would be a good snack and ate them over a period of time when I was busy and not watching closely enough....


You are using common names so make sure we are talking of the same catfish that I linked to above.

Birger

[KGlo]

Yup, Liosomadoras oncinus. And wow! I'm hoping to get all of the fish as juveniles and they'd be going in the tank roughly around the same time.

[nvcichlids]

I would be more worried about the Ivanacara adoketa. They aren't as peaceful as most say, but they could easily become food for the jags. Personally, I wouldn't keep them together.

[KGlo]

Well, now I have two arguments on why not to put them together that are completely opposite... The reason I was setting up the tank was for the Jag, the cichlids were, more or less, just biotope correct filler. Does anyone know of another fish I can use instead of the Ivanacara adoketa?

[KGlo]

There is a rule that my father taught me that I have found has held true for the most part, it is: If you put to relatively aggressive fish in a tank at or close to the same time they will get along. The only fish that I have owned that, that didn't apply too were African cichlids. I don't know if anyone else can agree with that, but it seems to have worked in my experience.

[Bas Pels]

Well, now I have two arguments on why not to put them together that are completely opposite... The reason I was setting up the tank was for the Jag, the cichlids were, more or less, just biotope correct filler. Does anyone know of another fish I can use instead of the Ivanacara adoketa?

See my earlier posting

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I think the concept of Ivanacara adoketa as a "biotope correct filler" is an interesting one, and I'd be worried about them becoming rare, expensive and unusual fish food.

cheers Darrel

[KGlo]

Well, now I have two arguments on why not to put them together that are completely opposite... The reason I was setting up the tank was for the Jag, the cichlids were, more or less, just biotope correct filler. Does anyone know of another fish I can use instead of the Ivanacara adoketa?

See my earlier posting

Yes but, if Ivanacara adoketa is too small then what you suggested would be too small as well.

[KGlo]

Hi all,
I think the concept of Ivanacara adoketa as a "biotope correct filler" is an interesting one, and I'd be worried about them becoming rare, expensive and unusual fish food.

cheers Darrel

I know "biotope correct filler" didn't sound right, but hopefully you understand what I meant by that. Also I read somewhere (I think on this site actually) that someone had Liosomadoras oncinus with rummy nose tetras! They're quite a bit smaller than Ivanacara adoketa. I do understand that it still would risky to put them together though.

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I've never kept

Liosomadoras oncinus

, but I think if a tank mate spent its nights away from the bottom it might be reasonably safe? even if it was Tetra sized? Again someone who has kept them may know if they hunt in the upper water layers at night. I know some Auchenipterids hunt at the waters surface, so it is a possibility.

Another option would be a nocturnal loricariid that isn't too big, or aggressive, like an

Ancistrus

. You would need suitable caves for them as well as the Jaguar catfish, and they would also be fairly invisible during the day.

Some-one who has kept them will be able to tell you more.

cheers Darrel

[nvcichlids]

Mine ate anything they could get to. Because the wintertime tank was huge (450 gal+) and loaded with lots of wood, the jags would be seen feeding just about anywhere in the tank. I know with smaller tanks, my tetras all sleep on the bottom at night, which would make them food.

Is there a specific reason why you want it a biotope? There are lots of south american fish that come from the region that would work, but might not come specifically from where the jags do.

I used to do biotope tanks and have since given up. 15 years of grueling brain fights over what is and is not found where the fish are annoyed me beyond belief. Now I mix just about everything with same requirements.

[racoll]

I used to do biotope tanks and have since given up. 15 years of grueling brain fights over what is and is not found where the fish are annoyed me beyond belief. Now I mix just about everything with same requirements.

Ha ha. My feelings precisely.

if Ivanacara adoketa is too small then what you suggested would be too small as well.

Adult or even semi-adult Cleithracara maronii are pretty bulky. There's no way the jag will eat them, and if they do, you only lose a few bucks, and the jags will be most thankful!

[Bas Pels]

Well, now I have two arguments on why not to put them together that are completely opposite... The reason I was setting up the tank was for the Jag, the cichlids were, more or less, just biotope correct filler. Does anyone know of another fish I can use instead of the Ivanacara adoketa?

See my earlier posting

Yes but, if Ivanacara adoketa is too small then what you suggested would be too small as well.

Nope

I adoketa vs C maroni is appros 1 to 6. Or better. That is, I thinnk the average adult C maroni (or L curviceps, they are almost the same size) is 6 times heavier then the average adult I adoketa. Or more

[KGlo]

I adoketa vs C maroni is appros 1 to 6. Or better. That is, I thinnk the average adult C maroni (or L curviceps, they are almost the same size) is 6 times heavier then the average adult I adoketa. Or more

When you say "heavier" do you mean higher? like, distance from dorsal fin to belly? Or do you mean actual weight? ... that wouldn't help much. I had thought about getting C maroni before, I do like them. I guess they could work. They're not biotope correct but I guess that's alright.

[Bas Pels]

I mean weight

But being 6 times heavier would imply - with a similar body - being almost twice (1.8 times to be more precise) as long, twice as high.

However, C maroni are a bit higher, thus even more than 'almost twice' as high - I would assume them to be twice as high build

[KGlo]

I see! Well, I will think about them as a possible substitute for Ivanacara adoketa. I just got the tank today so, it will be a while before it's ready for fish.