Turkana Jewel Cichlid Aggression Level

[ccc24]

Looking at bringing in Turkana Jewel Cichlids. I’m trying to determine if they can be a community fish or not. Google has every answer under the sun, so I’m looking for real world experience. I would love to add them to my showpiece tank in the main part of our house but that tank requires they have roommates (and get along with said room mates). That tank houses rainbow fish, electric blue acara, mollies, swordtails, opaline gourami and snails. Would these cichlids get along with roommates? Or will they beat up everyone and make them all miserable? 

Edited January 2, 2023 by ccc24
Adding fish species

[mynameisnobody]

I had 6 of these guys. Really entertaining and beautiful fish. The problem is that if they pair off, they will murder everything in there. If you add just 1, they your chances of success are much higher. Personally, I’d skip it because the best coloration comes from breeding rituals. Just my opinion, good luck 

[IanB]

My personal experience (and it is just anecdotal) is that a single Turkana Jewel will usually be ok in a community setup that has boisterous fish that can handle themselves (I have one in with tiger barbs and giant danios with no issues). Mine colored up really well even without a mate. When they pair off, though, they start to get into more typical aggressive Jewel Cichlid behavior. I personally would be fine putting a single one in most community tanks that can handle a semi-aggressive fish like a rainbow shark, but I wouldn’t put them in with really small or relatively timid fish. So, in short, depends on the community, but I definitely wouldn’t treat them like an apisto that can go with pretty much any tetra.

[bela]

I have got 7 of them in a 40 gallon tank.

They get along reasonably well, even though I have got two pairs that lay eggs once in a while.

But they have killed everything else I have tried to put in the tank.

The last one was a juvenile green terror. Go figure.

I was keeping him in a breeder box temporarily while I was preparing another tank. He jumped out of the box and was killed overnight.

If the tank is big enough...maybe. But in my experience is a no go.