Red Devil Tankmates
Hello Robert, I'm Ingrid, my son George has just purchased a 500 litre tank and a pair of Red Devils.
Here are two questions for you to answer.
1. What temp. should the tank be [ we are in Port Elizabeth - South Africa]
<They prefer fairly warm water temps of about 80 degrees F (About 27 Degrees C)
2. Can one put Mozambique Mouth brooders with Red Devils [ equal sizes] or Convicts or Oscars - which could co-habit with the Red Devils??
<The red devils get big and will be the most dominant fish in the tank. The Oscars would be next and then the mouthbrooders. Keep in mind that if the red devils are indeed a pair and are spawning then you will have a difficult time trying to find any fish that will be able to hold up against a pair of breeding red devils.-Chuck> 

FW/BW Mis-mixes  - 03/26/2006
First off, I just wanted to say that I love your site and you all do a great job.  I was just wondering what you thought about the mixture of fish I have in my 90 gal tank.  I currently have 2 red devils, 1 Florida gar,
<Neat fish... illegal in many States... get way big>
1 green terror, 1 tiger Oscar, a small Pleco, 1 figure eight puffer, and 1 dragon goby.
<These last two... are increasingly brackish with age, size... should they live...>
  The biggest so far is the red devil at about 7 in.
<I'll bet! Some of these are really devils!>
So far I have had the tank for about 4 months with no casualties. Everyone seems to be getting along swimmingly.  I am worried though that with this size tank there will not be enough room for all species when they reach their full potential.
<To put this mildly>
I have gotten so attached to them all I can't bare to let one go. (Unless it's for their own good.)  
<You need at least two more tanks... and a lake if you're going to try raising the lepisosteid>
I do weekly water changes, vary their diet, etc.... and treat them all with the care they deserve.  What do ya think? Thanks - Steve, MI
<A brackish tank, an easier going cichlid tank.... See WWM re these species systems, compatibility... Bob Fenner>

Red Devil Tankmates   03/9/06
I have had my red devil for years in a tank by herself with just a nice size Botia. Originally I bought 2 but this 1 killed the other unfortunately, and I just left the tank alone. Its a 20 gallon tank but to get to the point do you think I would be able to put a nice size Texas cichlid in there ''both fish around 8 in''? Im afraid to add fish to the tank. Also, any color enhancing tricks I can try?  She's bright yellow and used to be orange. I saw all the other questions so I figured  I would give it a shot. Thank you for your time. Garrett Deleandro
< Unfortunately, large Central American cichlids like yours get to be very territorial when they get older and are usually intolerant of other fish. I would recommend that you not add any other fish to the tank. There is a reason it is called a red devil.-Chuck>

Texas cichlid worries, incomp. with Red Devil    7/13/06
My 5 inch Texas Cichlid has a small growth behind its eye. At first, it was only a raised bump, but now it has turned into a light-brown nodule. I thought that it was an injury from a fight with my Red Devil.
<Could likely be. These two will definitely tussle>
They have been acting weird lately. They swim around each other with their mouths wide open. Then they each try to bite the other's mouth. They rarely bite anything else other than each other's mouth. I also have a foot-long red-bellied Pacu, and two very small Firemouths.
<Hope this tank is hundreds of gallons...>
My other fish don't get involved in their squabbles. He still eats fine and swims normally. I just want to cure the issue if it is possible. I don't want to infect my other fish with a fatal disease.
                                                Thank You,                                                                   Al
<I would separate these two cichlids... likely move the Red Devil to its own permanent set-up... they may be trying to breed... happens... Or just sorting things out territorially. At any length, this won't improve w/o their separation. Bob Fenner>

Red Devil Cichlid the Devil?
Hello,
<<Hi. Tom>>
Got 2 questions about my Oscars.
<<Shoot...>>
First and most important, my female Oscar...I have just noticed a large white spot on her eye and a small one on the opposite side. I have been a vet tech for 11 yrs and in pets it is usually an ulcer and we treated it with eye drops. What do you do for a fish?
<<Depends on the cause...>>
After looking at my female I started looking around at all of the fish and it seems they all have a small white spot on one or both eyes. I don't know if it is a contagious disease, coincidental that they scratched themselves on a rock, or if it is my red devil (the only resident with NO eye problems) going after everyone's eyes?
<<Bingo!!!>>
My male Oscar has a small spot, and my Pacu has a decent size one, and I have noticed the red devil chasing the Pacu the last few days. They are all eating normally, but the female who has the largest spot is looking depressed and hanging out in 1 corner of the tank. Any suggestions?
<<Get rid of the Red Devil or, put it in its own tank. This is a murderous fish that should be kept alone.>>
The other question is, usually they are all healthy and happy, but I have 1 lg female and lg male - proven breeders who have produced babies. She lays eggs every other week! I have 2 different males in the tank and she has even gone as far as laying eggs on 1 rock for the 1 male to fertilize and take care of and 2 feet away on another rock she will lay more for the other Oscar to fertilize and take care of and she swims between the 2 rocks and watches both! Is this normal?
<<Not out of the ordinary though it's a little different to see this in an aquarium.>>
I know if she were a human she would have a few choice names, but is this normal for fish?
<<Oh, stop! Two guys and one girl. And she'd have a few choice names?!? :) >>
This has been going on for a long time, and in the past we got as far as swimming fry, and have raised a few, but lately they are eating the eggs after 24-36 hrs and starting all over a week later! I this unhealthy for her to be laying eggs so often?
<<Silly as this will sound, would you like me to tell her to stop? Yes, I'm teasing you, but Nature will take its course. If she can't make up her mind, it's not our fault. Basically, it boils down to survival of the species. Tom>>

Red Devils As Tankmates - 10/18/06
I was wondering if you could answer 2 questions for me. I originally had 2 Red Devils in a 55 Gal together. One was much more aggressive than the other so much so that I had to separate the 2. I moved the less aggressive one into a 120 gall with 4 Oscars. All of them relatively the same size. The Oscars may be about an inch longer compared to the Red Devil. (6" to his 5"). This Red Devil has regained much of his aggressiveness and has taken over the tank. He forces the Oscars to 1 side of the tank but doesn't seem to hurt them too bad. Do you think this situation will be alright because I did see a similar tank at a auto repair shop where a Red Devil lived peacefully with several Oscars, all near full size, or would it be better for the Oscars just to keep the tank strictly for Oscars. (Ironically, I was out of town for a couple of days before I put the Red Devil in with the Oscars, and came home to find my biggest Tiger Oscar had somehow jumped out of the tank and must have flipped around for a while and until he made it inside the back of the wooden cabinet/stand and died. I was heartbroken and couldn't figure out how he squeezed out through the little area between the glass and filter.
<Mixing adult large cichlids is really not a good idea. They will compete for territories and things could get ugly.>
2nd question is I then tried to put my Texas Cichlid (about 5-6') with the similar sized, more aggressive Red Devil in the 55 gall. Suddenly the Texas, which is female, became very aggressive and chased the Red Devil in circles night and day. After a few weeks of this I finally decided to move the Texas back by herself in a 30 gall. Neither of them seem too happy now but also neither of them are getting nicks all over anymore. Do you think both of these fish generally are better off by themselves in the long run? (The only other fish I have with each of them is A Pleco to keep the glass clean)
< Keep them by themselves and play it save.-Chuck>