Pretty much the same as any other big SA Cic, Big tank, good filteration and be careful what you put with it. What else are interseted in knowing of them Rue ?
...the main fish in this tank will be a Black Ghost Knife...but I'd like to have a semi-biotope going...and I'd like a larger cichlid...Oscars are out because they're too destructive...so I need a milder, slightly smaller, slight less destructive species...
...everything I've researched to date suggests that the chocolate might fit the bill...so now I'm 'fishing' for personal experience of this fish...
Ever thought of Severums ? Much prettier to look at than Chocs. And despite the name Green Terrors are a stunningly beautiful fish which may fit you bill.
Yes! I have thought of severums...but you know...that's one fish I've never seen in 'real' life (well, one among many :lol: )...and all the photos I've ever seen have been unappealing...
And the Green Terror is beautiful! I've looked at them and at JDs...but I'm worried that they'd be too hard on the BGK...
Sev's being nicer to look at than Chocolates is a matter of opinion I have both, and honestly if I had to choose one, I'd choose Bernie my Choco over my pair of severums
To be honest, I don't think I'd trust ANY of the large CA cichlids with a ghost knife. Some of them are more peaceful than others, but that doesn't mean they're okay with community fish. When people state that such-and-such a cichlid is peaceful, it typically means its peaceful in comparison to other cichlids, not other tropical community fish. Yes chocolates are one of the more peaceful CA's, but my previous choco (who was larger than Bernie, about 7") easily slaughtered anything too small or too slow-moving (and helpless), so I would imagine a ghost knife might not be completely safe with it. How big is the BGK, and how big is the tank they would be in?
75g tank...and I'll overfilter...it's borderline size-wise...but we'll see how it goes...
...the BGK can grow to 20" in the wild...but rarely more than 12" in captivity...they're also predaceous...so I can't have anything too small in with it...
They also like a planted tank...so that rules out any major plant chompers ...even silver dollars...
There's another cichlid I quite like...the Red acara...but it grows to 5" and I'm thinking it's too small...
LOL...it's not easy finding compatible fish options! :shock: Plus, I'd prefer a 'pet' fish...the BGK will hand-feed...and I hear the Chocolates will too, given time...
Hmm...I think they only way I would try it, is if you can find a choco that is basically the same size as the BGK. Having one bigger than the other likely won't go well, but you may have more luck if they're the same size.
Chocolate cichlids are very cichlid-like in behavior. Very touchy for the beginner. Excellent water quality, not just good, excellent, is a must. Mine were quite shy as juvies, but that cannot be said of them now. Territorial is a soft term. The male is kept seperate until the females are gravid. They will become very aquainted with their owners. My male is currently about 10" long, the females are slightly smaller.
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