Texas Cichlids, Are They Aggressive?

[Ogrt48]

I just got 2 of them a few days ago for my 10g. They told me that they're very nice fish.. I have some gold fish and a female betta in with them. They never bother each other but today I bought a bala shark and added him to the tank. He didn't even last 2 hours before I found him on the bottom upside down =\ The betta stays at the top and never bothers anyone.. the gold fish are harmless, my two Cichlids are always chasing each other but never bother the slow betta or gold fish.. did they kill my bala? *cries*

 

[FroggFrogg]

10g is too small for a pair of cichlids. Also the bala shark does best in groups in an extremely large tank so i think thats a lesson learnt. There is also the issue of the temperature differences that the goldfish require. I dont wanna get on your case but those fish all need seperating and put in larger tanks.

 

[Ogrt48]

10g is too small for a pair of cichlids. Also the bala shark does best in groups in an extremely large tank so i think thats a lesson learnt. There is also the issue of the temperature differences that the goldfish require. I dont wanna get on your case but those fish all need seperating and put in larger tanks.

Well I'm not keeping the gold fish at all. I'll try putting the cichlids into my 29g tank. The stoe told me 10g would be fine but I trust you more than them.. The gold fish are just in there for now while they die 1 by 1 to my blue crayfish. So, do you think those 2 killed the bala shark though?

 

[FroggFrogg]

Possibly. Did it have any wounds? Its difficult to say what it died from to be honest. The 10g may be ok if they are small and living alone...

 

[Ogrt48]

Yeah, he's been skinned right under his top fin. =\
I think it was the texas guys but I'm not sure, it could have been the female betta. Both the beta and texas guys get along perfectly fine with each other and the gold fish. The texas guys only chase each other every now and then and go around cleaning the floor.. The don't even bother the gold fish. The bala was only in there for 2 hours and he's dead already. Oh, I totally forgot I added 3 small mickey mouse platys too this mourning but they dont bother anyone either

 

[Ferris]

2 Texas need at the very least a 75 gallon tank, preferrably a 125 gal. I would return them to your LFS immediately unless you are planning on getting a tank this big, they are highly aggressive and grow larger than your current tank. If you leave things as they are, you will very shortly have nothing in there except the texas and they will probably turn on each other.

 

[plecoguy]

I have a texas that is 10 inches long, while he is not the most agressive fish in my 125, he does need his space. a 29 would be a very temporary home for these guys. Bala sharks get over a foot long, and have so much power they can bust a tank, need at least a 125 for them as well. return the fish if you dont plan on getting a 125 gallon or larger

 

[FishOwner]

A 10g tank is appropriate for the female betta and the platies. You need to stop buying fish until you can remove the ones you already have into bigger tanks. Don't leave the goldfish to die in there, take them back to the LFS. Feeding your blue crayfish live food will only make him aggressive towards ALL fish and you will end up having to have a tank for him alone too. You can give the crayfish sinking pellets instead.
Like others have said texas cichlids get big. Big and beautiful!! If you can arrange to get a 125g that would be great for both of them, but if a 75g is in the works, then you could keep one.
BTW, I highly doubt the female betta killed the bala. Bettas are not the fastest swimmers and the bala could easily keep out of reach of the betta.
Good luck!