Caring for Dangerous Fish

Part of the Ostariophysi species, the Characidae have either fins or tissues that are connective or adipose. This fish has teeth and jaws with a body structure that is small and connects the inner part of the fish ear to the bladder. In most cases these fish will be brought from Central or South America. In some cases, you will also find them in other places, like Central Africa.

There are two main fish types here: omnivorous and carnivores. The omnivorous kind will eat animals or vegetables, while the carnivores will only eat meat. There are also some Characidae fish that are herbivorous. If you pick this type of fish for your aquarium, expect your plants to be nibbled completely.

When you use a Characidae fish in your aquarium, you shouldn’t put them together with other small fish, like Fighters or Angelfish. If you do, you risk the Characidae gnawing at them, as they tend to do that with small objects. They are similar in this regard with Piranhas.

You can find piranhas in freshwater, in South America. They have extremely sharp teeth and strong jaws, which are just as dangerous as those of the Characidae fish. This species is a predatory one, that likes to attack when they’re in big groups. The Characidae will attack both in groups and on their own. As a beginner, you shouldn’t buy piranhas or Characidae fish.

Characidae will eat meat mostly, like worms and the like.

This species should be kept in swampy and soft water, which makes it easier for them to breed. The eggs of the fish will go to the aquarium’s bottom and stick there. Since the adults will eat their eggs or young, you should remove them from the tank once the eggs are laid.

The White or the Spotted Piranha can be found in South America, in the Amazon Basins. Their size can get up to 25cm (10 inches). When kept in an aquarium, they will get to a length of 15cm (6 inches). If you want fish for your aquarium, this species isn’t ideal for this purpose. Keep any passive fish away from aquariums where piranhas reside.

The body of the piranha is deeply pressed, with a silver or green color. Their teeth are quite strong and can easily tear and devour other creatures. In many regards, the piranha looks like a bulldog, their lower jaw line being one of the reasons why they resemble them. They are quite aggressive and will eat fish both small and big.

If you use a net to get them out of the tank, be extremely careful, as they will gnaw on the hand if they get it.

Their food is mainly of the carnivorous nature, eating both fish and lean meat. This is the main reason why they are more suited as a showpiece, and not as a real pet. You can keep them in any kind of water, but they will not breed in an aquarium. Chances are that if you try to breed them they will eat each other.

Keeping the peace between your Cichlids

Have you noticed that your African Cichlids are acting aggressive towards the other fish in your aquarium? Unfortunately most species of Cichlids are naturally aggressive. They can be quick to claim their own territory in the aquarium, and will not cease in chasing other fish, often driving them to exhaustion.

You may have noticed that some tropical fish in the aquarium are hiding in the top part of the tank, and might even be swimming sideways. Unfortunately this indicates that the fish has been forced out of the communal area by a more dominating and aggressive fish. They are out on on a limb with nowhere left to go. Usually this will mean that the fishes life will soon end.

How can you put an end to this aggressive behavior before it gets out of hand?

If you are serious about stopping this aggressive Cichlid behavior you must consider two aspects. The male to female ratio in the tank, and how many structured areas you have provided to the fish.

It is extremely important for Cichlds to have hiding spots and structures. If you have more areas of cover in the tank, there will be more opportunities for the Cichlids to claim their own territory. If there is too little wood and rocky areas in the aquarium, the other fish will become targeted by the dominant Cichlid males. But if you have too much cover your tank can become very difficult to clean and this can lead to disease or toxic levels of waste in the water.

The safest bet would be to closely observe the behavior of your fish while starting with just a few pieces of wood and rock in the aquarium. If you notice the fish competing for a space to dominate, you can then add more pieces of wood and rock to the aquarium.

It is also very important to gain an understanding of your female to male ratio. The females will often get chased by the males relentlessly, when it is time to breed, and if you have too many males in the tank, the female Cichlids will have no time to rest or recover. Your female fish will eventually become very stressed and surcome to an early death .

Male Cichlids will become aggressive towards each other due to the competition over the females. This is especially a problem when there are too many females per male, so aim to keep only one male for every three females.

With a medium sized Cichlid costing at least $25 you don’t want your fish dieing or it will become a very expensive hobby. With the right knowledge and dedication, a successful breeding problem would no doubt prove very profitable.

Whether you choose to breed your Cichlids or not, keeping a Cichlid aquarium can be a very rewarding and pleasurable experience.