Buffalo Head Sold As Community Fish

[modern]

Hi All,

We just bought a Buffalo Head Steatocranus tinanti today. We loved it because it had a great personality...acts very Goby like hopping around the substrate, jerky little movements, big wide mouth, big black eyes, and basically looks like a cartoon. This creature looks hilarious! Anyway we asked the guy at the LFS (an LFS we've never been to) if it was a community fish, semi-aggressive, or aggressive and he told us it was community. Then we said that we have rainbows, a couple of small cherry barbs, some small farcatas, and dojo loaches. I wanted to make sure that this little creature wasn't going to attack or try to eat my smaller fish (with his or her comical big mouth). The guy says...Nah, won't be an issue (the same guy I had to tell he was trying to bag the wrong sex when he caught me a female Neon Praecox when I told him I wanted a male).

Well, we get home and I do some research online and find out that this fish is a cichlid. I don't know much about cichlids since I've never owned any but know that some are more aggressive then others and pretty much not recommended for community tanks.

Would we be risking our smaller fish if we keep the Steatocranus tinanti in our tank? Would you advise that this might not be the best match? I've read it can be "peaceful" but is a cichlid's definition of peaceful the same level of a peaceful typical community fish? The little guy (or gal) has been fine with our other bottom dwellers...but has been leaping and mouthing at the rainbows, dwarf gouramis, and basically anything else that never touches the ground. When the lights are dimmed it mouths at the fish even more. This little creature is great...but I don't want to cause stress or lose any of the smaller ones because of it. Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks in advance.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

well, in general terms, big fish eat any little fish that will fit in their mouths. there are a few exceptions to this, but it's a short list.

other than that, the buffalohead is supposed to be quite docile for a cichlid. i would expect some territoriality if i were you, but i wouldn't worry too much about mid-/top dwelling fish. (provided, of course, that these fish are too big to be eaten)

 

[WaterBender1995]

modern, what is your PH if I may ask?

 

[the_evil_duboisi]

Maybe it was just chasing the other fish from it's territory?

 

[modern]

We try to keep our PH around 7.0. But it varies from 6.8 to 7.4 because we have a 75 lb Texas holey limestone rock in there. However, because of this we monitor the PH and adjust it accordingly.

I understand the whole big fish eats little fish cycle...but I agree that there are larger mouth fish that are still considered community fish and generally don't attack or bother other fish in general no matter the size. Plus the barbs and furcatus aren't small enough to fit in it's mouth, but they are considerably smaller then the other rainbows and gouramis. I just didn't know if they would be susceptible to more damage if this fish is considered more aggressive then "peaceful".

We've been trying to research and pay very close attention to the types of fish and bottom dwellers that we're putting together to ensure they can habitat the same tank peacefully. This was just a completely impulse purchase...and it was our fault for not going home and researching first before we bought this creature. However, I feel that the salesman at the LFS should have at least known to tell us that (again) it was a cichlid species when we were trying to ensure that this would be a good match for our community tank.

Perhaps it could be trying to protect it's territory...however, I'm afraid it's territory would be the entire floor of the tank then. It doesn't just lunge at the fish in one particular area (say within the limestone rock, etc). No matter where this creature is anywhere in the tank and a fish swims near or above it...it jumps in it's directions and trys to mouth or nip at a fin, side, or any other part it can reach.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[WaterBender1995]

never ever assume your LFS sales person will forwarn you of anything, so many are very uneducated in the hobby and husbandry of fish keeping, cant blame them really, their in it for a summer job, it's the owners/managers that I blame for not educating their sales reps. better or atleast stepping in when they need to. so many are out for the $$ only. once you find a lfs that IS in it for the hobby then stick with them!!!

that buffalo head should really be kept in ph higher then what you have. 8.0 and up would help it thrive better.

the absolute worst thing you can do regarding PH is to mess with it. it's not low ph that kills a fish, it's the chemicals people use to screw with it making it go up and down/up and down!!

 

[jayjay]

A pH of around 7 is fine for Steatocranus spp. They come from the Congo not from a rift lake. Also fish easily adapt to a different pH from what they are meant to be from.

Messing with pH isn't good but it's not that bad. In the wild waters change up to 2 units a day quite often.

I'd try it, the fish might go for the other however so you will what a back up plan in case it goes wrong.

 

[WaterBender1995]

I respectfully have to disagree with you jayjay as I've know many hobbiests that have had and still keep Steatocranus casuarius and the concensus is a higher ph results in more favorable healthy fish and greater spawning results.

 

[jayjay]

They are fine in pH from 6 - 8. They come from the fast moving areas of the Congo so need a lot of water movement I've found.

"demersal; freshwater; pH range: 6.0 – 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19" - from fishbase.

Spawning results are effected by the pH of the water yes, but when keeping a single fish that shouldn't matter, they adapt easily and well in most cases.

 

[WaterBender1995]

They are fine in pH from 6 - 8. They come from the fast moving areas of the Congo so need a lot of water movement I've found.

Ohhh so you've kept them then?
cool!

 

[pandacichlid]

They are fine in pH from 6 - 8. They come from the fast moving areas of the Congo so need a lot of water movement I've found.

Ohhh so you've kept them then?
cool!

I think you're both right about the ph because I've read they tolerate 6 to 6.8, but also thrive and breed in harder water too