Bujurquina & Thayeri Had A Feast :(

[star4]

I have these in a grow out tank, they are 2-3" at the moment, last night they ate 4 adult neons and 3 adult cardinals . & fish gone overnight no bodies they had to be eaten. This is why I never usually have dithers with cichlids.

 

[Wills]

No way!!! I have my Thayeri (and Bujuqueena) with a group of Giant Tetras and Flagtail Catfish which seem to be too big to eat but I have been wondering about adding a school of something to liven it up but maybe best not to...
 
I reckon disk tetras would work?
 
Wills

 

[star4]

I have to say I am gobsmacked they ate them. I have managed to remove the last cardinal, two glowlights and two rummy nose today, I think the black skirt tetra will be safe for a while. 
 
I think you would be ok with deep bodied ones Wills, I think its my fish, I never have any luck at all keeping dithers with any of mine.

 

[Wills]

Hey Star - do your Laetacara Thayeri have their eyes quite far forward like nearly on the front of their face. My 4 all do and I think they can pretty much see forwards which would make me think they have some concept of depth perception compared to most other fish who have one eye each side like a bird.
 
Wills

 

[star4]

They do I am so glad you mentioned it, I was starting to worry about mine lol. It is like their head is smaller and narrower than their body (although eating neons and cardinals doesnt help), they almost have a catfish like face, but without the whiskars. Darn pretty!. Do you have any pics of yours?

 

[Wills]

Um no not got any pics actually will do some soon - well over due some lol
 
Mine are all quite stocky fish especially my alpha male he is built like a shed! I think I have 3 males and 1 female the female is quite timid and the 3 males are quite confident and no real trouble between them. One thing I have on mine that is odd though, on the three males 2 have a red stripe along the top of their dorsal fin and red dorsal exentions where as the other one has white edging and extensions is that the same with yours? Are they a mix of the two? Or is it just mine lol
 
Wills

 

[star4]

Now I have 3 different dorsal edge colours, one is orange, one is deep maroon red almost purple, the other is still brownish dull orange in colour. The one with the maroon edge has been lip locking with the one with the orange edge. I think I have two male and one female lol
 
I have to say the squabbling between them and the bujurquina has stopped dramatically since I move the dithers, weird!