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hi i was wondering if anyone knew much about the Tilapia buttikoferi. they are nice looking fish and i would like to get them. i know there very aggressive, but just how aggressive are they? what fish are they good to live with or are they better on their own? how big do they get? thanks for any replies

I don't know if this qualifies me as an expert, but I have a Tilapia buttikoferi that is now +-18 years old. He is very large, approximately 13 - 15 inches and tolerates nothing in his tank with him, which includes my hand.

He is very aggressive and attacks anything placed in the tank with a vengeance. He even attacks the sides of the tank attempting to get at anything that passes near the tank.

Because of this aggressiveness I would have to say that there is really not much of anything that would be a compatible tankmate. At least with mine.

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

well i tell you what i know i dont know how agressive they are but i do kno whtat they are aggresive and that they get at least a foot. Also that The Buttikoferi Cichlid, also known as the Zebra Tilapia, inhabits the river systems of Western Africa. The coloration of this fish is a series of black and white vertical stripes. Although they can be peaceful when young, as they grow so does their disposition, which becomes very territorial. The ideal setup for the Buttikoferi Cichlid is a tank of at least 70 gallons with plenty of rocks for territories and a medium-sized gravel planted with hardy plants. This fish will become aggressive towards smaller fish, so it is important to keep them with similar-sized fish, or in a species tank. yuo should feed the Buttikoferi Cichlid a variety of both meaty and vegetable-based foods. Live foods should be offered such as brine shrimp, earthworms and mosquito larvae. A quality flake and tablet food containing vegetable matter should also be included in their diet. i bealive there aproximite purchise size should be around 1" to 1-1/2". they get about a foot if i havent metioned it befor. i hope that this helped

Just a comment on the above post. IMO I wouldn't even attempt to place any type of plants in the aquarium. This fish will move MASSIVE amounts of gravel and will quickly destroy any live plant you attempt to place in the tank.

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

thanks for the replies... do u think a pair in a 75 gallon would be ok?!?!? does the male get aggressive towards the female? and what water parameters do they thrive in? thanx

Here's a link to a site with numerous comments from owner's of the Tilapia buttikoferi. Should be helpful in answering most of your questions.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_tilapia1.php

Jim

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain