Top 10 Most Aggressive South American Cichlids

Our Top 10 most aggressive South American cichlids! We have kept a wide variety of cichlids, and in today's video, we compiled a list of our current favorites when it comes to the most aggressive species. Most of the cichlids on this list are relatively going to be aggressive most of the time. All cichlids have their own personality though, so even the "aggressive" cichlids in this video can still have a docile individual.
Thanks to DWS Darius for supplying some footage of the gephyrus! Link below to his channel:
/ @dwsdarius
A few tips to reduce risk of aggression with any cichlid: proper tank mates, larger tanks with more territory, ideal Male/Female ratios, and avoiding pairs breeding in the tank.
- Manage Cichlid Aggression: • How to Manage Cichlid ...
If you're interested in any of the products we use in our aquarium setups, feel free to check out the affiliate links below.
Food
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Chemicals/Media
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- Fritz Glass/Acrylic Cleaner: geni.us/uvmwK8
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next week!

[@shane6295]

I’m so stoked to see your Red Terror project!

[@barat5943]

Something about south american cichlids, awesome to watch. I like your #6, oscar like attitude without the future size. Great video, as usual.

[@carlwagers9829]

Troy, I only had 5 rummynose tetras with my angels until today. But after watching your videos and seeing your discus tank, I got 11 more. The best schooling fish ever!

[@CichlidBros]

Love to hear it!

[@carlwagers9829]

@CichlidBros even better, I think I'm upgrading to a 125 soon

[@garg4531]

@@carlwagers9829I’m sure they’ll love it, and you will too!

[@chadsimcox931]

I just set up a 75 gallon cichlid tank! I put in a firemouth, JD, and a green terror. (All male i believe) Lots of hiding places with rocks and driftwood. I’m super excited to watch them grow and color up. Your channel influenced my tank 1000%. Just wanted to show my appreciation for your work.

[@CichlidBros]

Love to hear that! Great tank setup. Best of luck with it!

[@harshtruth9148]

These guys inspired me recently as well. Been a month since I set up my 75....looks beautiful...have 2 Electric Blue Acara, 2 Albino Hecklii, and 2 Geo Tapajos....as you see, Cichlid bros inspired...lol good luck with your fish... I'm dying to get a gold Saum, green terror but will need a different tank, don't think I have enough space to add him to the 75.

[@kashifkashu7899]

Wow Troy iam Exicted for the future projects...especially since u gave a hint of keeping Red Terror🎉..😊 All the best

[@farhaaddesousa1306]

Troy thanks for making the video I had a chocolate and geophagus messed my entire tank up ended up giving them away

[@Agentecreeper94]

How cool

[@carlsh2000]

I’d be interested in a video on small aggressive cichlids. Ones that are 3” to 5” maybe (no bigger than 6”) but that can’t be kept in peaceful community tanks because of their aggressive behaviours. It would be interesting to have a tank full of little meanies lol

[@markh.williamsauthor7286]

I have a chocolate cichlid. When I got him he was 2" - he's now 12". He's in a 110, but with acara and severum. He does route the others out of his way, but luckily, doesn't kill anyone.

[@Uathankicks]

I have a green terror(gold saum) named Spike Terry he's a good fish, pretty intelligent. Grown almost 2in the 1 month I've kept him. Potentially took out a single dither black neon but I have observed some minor deformities with said tetra. 🤷‍♂️ 6:21

[@TheMaddoxfam]

I love my Oscar’s. We have 11 of them across three tanks totaling close to 500 gallons. Biggest boy is 13” and the gentle giant who owns the tank.

[@harshtruth9148]

I always thought it was kind of a myth of a Rogue fish from a specific species but........ I saw a video yesterday of a Jack Dempsey, we can all agree semi-aggressive but not a mad killer like a DOVII, a Dempsey that killed 2 flowerhorns, 1 Jaguar Cichlid, and a crab.... I DO NOT CONDONE THIS but I happen to stumble on it yesterday.... thank god the guy didnt show it but Im yelling at him through my PC why keep adding fish?!! Anyway, a Dempsey that killed a Flowerhorn and a Jag? thats a rogue. btw, the Dempsey was 4"

[@whitetrashrobofficial1769]

I have a tank of sevs and parrot-hybrids (ingots, yellow and red tigers, crystal, etc). They were fighting a lot and getting very territorial. I added four clown loaches (about 5" each) and a couple of small gold dojo loaches. The cichlids calmed down immediately. They chilled out so fast, it's like someone threw a bunch of valium into the tank haha.

[@jeremymoore450]

Troy, Great list I have a chocolate cichlid in my 100 gal CA/SA tank and he isn’t that aggressive but does standup for himself My two most aggressive cichlids would have to be my Red Devil female and my Green terror he is a little crazy fish. He was in my 55 gal community tank as a grow out tank when he was younger and smaller but he got aggressive fast he was starting to kill some of the smaller community fish so I moved him out and into my 100 gal and he’s been fine ever since. I have a JD female and she is pretty calm. My gold severum is feisty but he doesn’t chase everyone around. The green terror tries to push everyone around except my red devil and JD they just look at him and he swims away lol. Kind of funny to watch the fish hierarchy in the tank.

[@rayreggie03]

Ill soon find out about the red terrors, I have 2 juveniles in my 125g.

[@Prdr27494]

Great video keep them coming 👏🏻💯

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you! Will do!

[@codymcclease351]

Would a 55 gallon corner tank fit in-between those two tanks behind you that would look pretty Nice 👍

[@CichlidBros]

Idk, it would, but I kinda like seeing the side views of the tanks

[@benmarrero4294]

I have tank with 2 dempseys 1 fire mouth, 3 oscars, 2 blue acora, and 1 convict. One of my dempsey has gotten really big really fast and seems to be the tank leader, but the fire mouth is really aggressive

[@benmarrero4294]

@njx2mommy 75

[@garg4531]

Saw the thumbnail and was curious about oscars Definitely agree completely! From what I’ve read and seen they don’t really seem to be aggressive in the least, other than the obvious situations like being kept with smaller fish they’ll see as food or in a tank that’s too small and cause them to become stressed or territorial. With the right environment and the right tank mates, they shouldn’t be causing any real problems

[@jeremiahmarks5529]

I have a 125. I had 2 Green Turquoise Severums. I was hoping that they both were female when I got them but they paired up when they got bigger and they would always go after my chocolate Cichlid and lip lock quite a few times a day. They are all about 5-6 inches. I ended up giving the female Severum to my local fish store because I’m not looking to breed. Now the female is gone and the Chocolate Cichlid and Turquoise Severum are always together. The weird thing is, they are both males but the Severum was acting like he was trying to pair up with the Chocolate Cichlid. It’s the funniest thing

[@timhorvat7432]

Petsmart has been selling the geo steindachneri recently which I think is such a weird choice out of all the geos that are prettier and less aggressive.

[@dax525]

My geophagus is well chilled

[@drewsta005]

Omg! I bought a Red Hump…he leaves my other fish alone in the tank, except for the other Red Hump. He chases all day.i have them with a large male angel, EBA, and gold barbs and a lone Buenos Aires Tetra…along with a BN pleco. Going to keep a close eye on him for sure now

[@drewsta005]

P.S. Andy Woods has or had awesome Umbees. Loved his channel

[@tjautocross]

No angelfish on the list, Troy? 😂😂

[@Cichlid_4_ever]

Do y’all use xtreme as a staple in the diet of your fish. I keep a lot of the same and still have some juveniles. And found they love the community crave flakes from xtreme.

[@CichlidBros]

Yep, that’s our primary food. Pellets and flakes from Xtreme

[@matthewzito6130]

It's fairly common for people to keep a single large New World cichlid (Oscar, Texas, Midas, etc.) as a "Wet Pet", but what about smaller cichlid species? Would a small-to-medium cichlid work as a scaled-down "Wet Pet", or would it be too shy? What smaller cichlid species do you think would work best in this role?

[@adamscottv]

Good shout on the Chocolate. They are way more aggressive than you hear people talk about on the internet. I wouldn't run them in a community. On the other hand, I totally disagree about Oscars. I have two Oscars in my SA community, and they don't bother any fish. They're just pigs. Great community fish ... but not with small dither fish obviously.

[@paularichie6517]

My Oscar is bloated like he swallowed a golf ball. Did water change and treated with Maracyn. He stays in the corner with head down. Been this way for about 2 months. Any help is appreciated.

[@hazyperspective]

I have read that Albino Oscars are less aggressive, is there any truth to that?

[@dennispeleg7843]

I would've never thought the chocolate being that aggressive. Umbee, red terror and green terror top 3 for sure esp the umbee.

[@CichlidBros]

What would you put ahead of it?

[@dennispeleg7843]

@@CichlidBros the chocolate cichlid? Hmmm I would think way on the bottom of the totem pole, but like you said, tank size does matter. I'm putting together a 125 gallon with a single chocolate and 4 red shoulder severums and the tank would be stocked good with them. Oscars are a 50/50 on either being aggressive or a big baby. I have rams in a 55, and those little midgets are feisty lol. Angels can be quit moody also. But definitely 100% umbee, red terror and green terror in that order. I plan on doing a small juvenile group for breeding purposes soon.

[@CichlidBros]

@@dennispeleg7843 yep for sure. I went back and forth on the 10 spot. Gave it to the chocolate since it’s bigger. The true parrot and guinacara were also considered

[@dennispeleg7843]

@@CichlidBros yea I can see the true parrot being up there. I didn't even think about them.

[@dennispeleg7843]

​@@CichlidBros Meant to ask, since you hinted on the central american cichlids, are you trying for pairs or females?

[@Iamapuzzle]

Speckled bass get 4 feet long and they are the largest cichlids in the world and I will make my serious of the largest freshwater fish in the world and I will include the speckled bass in part 4

[@TheJake76]

The Crenicichla were in the wrong spot for sure. Strigata and sp. peru especially because of their size, up to 20 inches. The extreme level of aggression and size would have them rival feaste for that number 2 spot.

[@adamscottv]

Agree. I had a lenticulata, and full grown that fish would murder anything from SA (except umbee).

[@Cichlid_4_ever]

Next should be the peaceful side of that.

[@paragshinde3438]

Did you miss the Jack Dempsey in this list?

[@CichlidBros]

They are Central American

[@arjunprincy81]

I have red terror it killed one of pregnant cichlid

[@curleyleger423]

I have 120 gallon tank I set up with African cichlids nah I’m tryin to talk the wife into letting me do another 1 with South Americans in it lol…..wish me luck

[@MayeisTste]

BRAZIL 🇧🇷🫡

[@leomarlonestrada5954]

Everyone and their Mother KNOWS THIS. Cichlids are BORING. They are Very Easy to Breed and they are Greedy. For the hundred times, I plushed a bunch of Oscars, Red Devils, Auratus, Convicts, Rams, Hornet Cichlid, Green Terrors, and some Mbunas down the toilet. They are very cheap in my country....they are very common. I tried to sell them, I mean. No Fish store or hobby shops are willing to buy them from me because they are just so common.

[@pdai5426]

You flush them down the toilet for hundred times?!? Are you okay?

[@chillwill7s60]

You know nothing about cichlids, they have the best personality campare to other fish, what you want them to do play video games with you.

[@leomarlonestrada5954]

@@chillwill7s60 Yup. They already did. I am just saying that there are some Cichlids that are very much So Common Now that they are started to get boring. For one thing, Cichlids are so easy to breed. I had a pair convict that spawned 3 times in one year. I had no choice but to flush the fry because no pet store are willing to buy them. It also happened with my Oscar and my Severum. It came to the point that I had 11 tanks just to house the fry for these very common fish. "You know nothing about cichlids..." Excuse me? I know more about cichlids than you will ever know. Right now, I own some very rare ones. Some you probably never heard before. I have the: Etroplus suratensis Pseudetroplus maculatus Etroplus canarensis You have to understand, South America and Africa are not the only place on this planets that have Cichlids in their waters. And guess what? They play video games with me. Capiche?

[@chillwill7s60]

@@leomarlonestrada5954 just stick to video games , cause if u like flushing fish down the toilet, something wrong with your head.