The Best Single “Wet Pet” to Keep

Keeping peacful commnitty tanks, semi-aggressive community tanks, and aggressive community tanks are al great options for different people.  But, what about those who want to keep one single, large, aggressive, intelligent, long-lived, personable, dog in the fish tank kind of fish?  Well, I like to call those folks people who are wanting a single ‘Wet Pet’.  Fish that best fit this bill are almost always large American cichlids, either central american species, south american species, or the Texas cichlid which is the only cichlid native to North America.  So, lets talk about what traits and personality I think a wet pet should have.  Firstly, the fish should be large.  Not too large so that it needs an obsurdly large tank, but large enough to really be an impressive sight.  Usually most of the great ‘wet pet’ candidates are around 12 inches long, give or take an inch, with some growing larger.  Next they shouldn’t be afraid of you.  Infact, it should be quite the contrary.  A great wet pet will come swimming right to the front of the tank when you walk by, and eat from your hand and then beg for more.  Now lets go through 5 of, in my opinion, the best options!

Now obviously I just have to start with the Oscar Cichlid.  Astronotus ocellatus, or the”Oscar” surely is at the top of the list when it comes to single wet pets.  Reaching 12 inches on average, a single oscar will need a minimum of 75 gallons to call home.  They are extremely fast growers, and I mean REALLY fast growers.  When fed properly, these fish can grow an inch and a half every month!  So when properly kept, you could start off with a tiny little baby oscar at 1.5 inches long, and within a year have a fish that is nearly a foot in length.  Many people who have kept or currently do keep oscars will tell you that its like having a dog in your fish tank.  They certainly recognize the person who is their main caretaker, and will dance around at the front of the tank when you are close by, and follow you from side to side as you walk by the tank.  They are extremely food driven and teaching them to eat from your hands is extremely easy as they are very willing to do pretty much anything to get their food.  When they aren’t occupied with eating, oscars commonly rearrange their tanks to their liking.  no matter how many times you dig that plant back into the gravel or move those rocks back to the left side of the tank, you should expect your oscar to keep moving them wherever he or she wants them.  Moving things around seems to make them happy and they really enjoy doing it.  If you move every thing back to the way you want it, thats seems to be pretty upsetting to any oscar, and its common for them to change their color and sulk on the bottom for a little, almost looking like a child in a ‘time out’.  they also seem to do this during water changes, but nothing is every really wrong, and shortly after you stop doing things in the tank, the oscar will go back to doing what they do best…undoing everything you’ve done.  While at first this might be annoying, its something that you just have to live with and eventually you’ll appreciate it, as it really seems to give the fish so much more personality and this behavior really shows off their intelligence.  They are a large, beautiful fish, and so long as you have a proper tank space, everyone should keep an oscar at least once!

Astronotus ocellatus

Alright, so next on the list of awesome wet pets would have to be the Midas cichlid and Red Devil cichlid.  The reason that I’m lumping these two together is because they are so closely related, their care and requirements are almost identical, and because of this, many of the midas and red devil cichlids for sale today in the aquarium trade are hybrids of the two species.  Reguardless of whether you have pure Midas, pure Devil, or a hybrid ‘Midevil’ as theyre called, they all make fantastic wet pets.  Both Amphilophus citrinellus (midas) and Amphilophus labiatus (red devil) are large, aggressive cichlids that grow an average of 12 inches.  Females will always be a bit smaller than males of the same age but a female still has no problem hitting the 11 to 12 inch mark.  Males almost always tend to be larger, and can hit 14 to 15 inches in some cases but 12-13 inches is more the norm.  Think of a 75 gallon as an absolute minimum for one of these beasts.  A 75 would be nice for a single female, but for some of the really large males, 100 gallons and up would be preferred.  I have a male midas/red devil hybrid cichlid named Deebo in a 75 gallon tank that I bought from a nice guy looking to downsize his fish collection.  When I bought him he was about 2 and a half years old and 11 inches.  He’s now almost 4 years old and seems to have maxed out at 12 inches long. Because of this, I’ve kept him in the 75 gallon and he’s been perfectly fine.  Although Deebo isn’t the largest male midas or red devil out there, he makes up for it by being the downright meanest, nastiest fish I’ve ever had the pleasure of keeping.  Red Devils and Midas cichlid, esspecially Deebo, will always come shooting up the the front of the tank whenever someone comes close, but unlike the oscar above, they won’t be coming to greet you…they’ll be shooting up the front to try and tear your face off.  I know we are talking about single wet pets, and not aggressive community tanks here, but let me just point out that these fish are one of the most difficult fish to keep with other fish.  Unless you keep these fish in massive tanks of hundreds of gallons, they will beat on, tear up, and shred apart almost anything you try to keep with them.  Only other huge, super nasty species like Wolf cichlids and Jaguar cichlids can stand up to these bullies and you can count on life being a constant battle in the tank.  They have sharp teeth, very muscular bodies, and males grow humps on their forhead to show dominance and to use as battering rams in fights.  So, bringing it back to the single wet pet discussion, just because your midas or red devil cichlid is not being kept with other fish, doesn’t mean they won’t be aggressive.  I have to wear very thick rubber gloves that come up to my elbows when I clean Deebo’s tank so that he cant shred the skin on my arms and hands apart.  While these fish are extremely hostile and have no problem attacking you and giving you some pretty nasty bites, they are also extremely intelligent.  Deebo sticks his face out of the water and keeps his mouth wide open when i hold a piece of shrimp above the surface just waiting for me to drop it into his mouth.  Its probably the only time when he doesn’t want to kill me.  These fish are extreme diggers, possibly more extreme than oscars, and will construct massive mounds of gravel and deep pits all over the tank.  They are extremely hardy and rarely become sick, making them awesome pets for someone who has patience, and a large enough tank (and THICK rubber gloves!).

           

Amphilophus citrinellus                                                                                 Amphilophus labiatus

Alright, so now that we’ve got Oscars and Midas/Devils down, I’d say another great candidate is the Texas cichlid.  These guys I’m partial too, becuase just like I have a big ‘ole Midas, I also have a big Texas.  Texas cichlids are most certainly the most extravagant looking in terms of coloration compared to the Oscars, Midas and Red Devils, and have a personality to match.  Same deal with these guys as above…they grow large, are very intelligent, belligerently aggressive, and have massive appetites.  One thing that should be pointed out here is that in your local fish shop, you very well may see two different types of Texas Cichlids that are listed under one name.  First, there is the regular Texas Cichlid, also known as Herichthys cyanoguttatus.  The second is called the Green Texas, also known as Herichthys carpintis.  Just like midas and red devils, the regular texas and green texas are extremely closely related and both make awesome single wet pets.  the color is the only real visual difference, and cyanoguttatus usually grows to a little bit of a larger adult size.  Regular Texas cichlids will hit the 1 foot mark, where as carpintis or Green Texas will reach 10-12 inches.  Both species, esspecially the Green Texas, will fit comfortably in a 75 gallon tank or larger.  One thing to keep in mind is that both of these fish are the only cichlid species that are found in North America, so they don’t like their water temps as high as the other wet pets mentioned here.  A temperature of 68 to 75 degrees is what they prefer, rather than high 70’s and low 80’s like the others.  Other than that, you can expect the same behavior as you’d get from the oscar and Red Devil/Midas cichlids…Lots of digging, following you around as you walk by, eating from your hands, ect.  These guys have varied personalities, and what I mean is that one individual Texas cichlid could be relatively passive and not overly aggressive, while another Texas (like my Texas) could be extremely aggressive just like a Red Devil.  In any case, they certainly are tough fish, and one of the hardiest species out there.  Just like the others on this list, if cared for properly both the Texas and Green Texas can live around 15 years in captivity, so you and your Texas will have plenty of time to enjoy one another…well you’ll have plenty of time enjoying your Texas cichlid…The Texas cichlid will have plenty of time to plot a way to eat your fingers.

      

Here’s my male Texas (cyanoguttatus)                                        And here’s a green Texas (carpintis)

Next on the list is the first species so far that doesn’t hail from the Americas, but Africa rather.  The Tilapia buttikoferi a.k.a. the Hornet Cichlid.  These fish get huge, and mean…really mean.  This is ok however, because we don’t need to worry about tank mates since this is a single wet pet discussion.  If you want to keep one of these african beauties, you will need a bare minimum of a 90 gallon tank, but 100+ gallons, like a 125, would be much better, as these fish can grow to be 16 inches, and are the largest fish that I’m going to put on this list.  The y can not only reach very long lengths, but are also very tall bodied, making them look even more massive.  Their personality is just a large as they are however, and they are extremely smart creatures.  Like the others, Buttikoferis will come racing to the front of the tank once they see that someone has come close to their tank. They’re real tough, scrappy fish. Rather than doing the “feed me dance,” Buttikoferis are more likely to be thinking “feed me, and then get the #$%&* out of my territory or else you’re gonna lose a finger!”  Yes, they really are quite nasty.  Just like Red Devils, they very well may try to attack you and the family dog through the glass when either of you gets close to the tank.  They do however realize that you are the one who feeds them and provides the care so they will very willingly learn to eat from your hands and stick their faces right out of the water, mouth wide open, to be fed.  These guys are avid diggers, and that’s what they will spend the majority of their time doing when kept as a single wet pet.  Because of their size and strength, is best not to decorate their tank with too much stuff, or with large heavier rocks, because they can easily knock things over and move rocks around that you wouldn’t have though possible…this could lead to them knocking something over and cracking the glass…that’s not good.  A tank that is more bare, with a nice big layer of gravel would be best, and they can build huge mountains of gravel till their hearts content, and you won’t have to worry about your Tilapia literally breaking out of your tank.  Now, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between a male hornet tilapia and a female but to be honest, it really doesn’t matter.  Both grow very large and both can have really bad attitudes.  These guys, just like the others on this list can live over 15 years, so they’ll be around for a while.  I’ll tell you though, it won’t take long before you enjoy every single day that one of these fish is under your care.  There is just something about them that I personally really love, which is why I included them on this list even though they need a larger tank then the others.  If you have the space, you won’t be disappointed with a nice Tilapia buttikoferi.

                                    

Here’s a big Buttikoferi annoying a peacock bass. Bad mix…                     Butti’s look super cool especially at 16+ inches.

Well here we are, last on this list, the Green Terror cichlid a.k.a. Aequidens rivulatus.  The first thing that probably stands about about this fish is its name.  Just like the Red Devil, Green Terror gives you a similar feeling that this fish might be a lot to handle…well, you’re right, but not all the time.  While these fish, especially the males, can really live up to their name and be complete terrors, they can also be surprisingly well mannered.  Each Green Terror is going to have its own personality, which in some cases could be a complete psycho, and in other cases not so much.  In any event, they will always show some level of aggression to their tank mates, and thus making them fantasic and awesome looking single wet pets.  They will always be very active and will learn to recognize you very well.  You can expect your Green Terror to grow 10 inches on average, with males maxing out at 12 inches.  They will be completely comfy in a 75 gallon tank for the entirety of there long lives.  In my experience, Terrors act the same way you would expect these other large cichlids to act.  They are very personable, and dance around at the surface when you come by, and go nuts a feeding time.  Some will try to chase you away from the tank, while other individuals will just seem ever so happy to see you.  One thing that I have noticed is that these fish tend not to be as avid diggers as the others on this list.  Now, this doesn’t mean that you should go and set up this complex, intricate, set up with rock structures and all that jazz.  Just because your Terror might not dig a hole to China, doesn’t mean he won’t still move a few things around, which could cause your structure to come toppling down.  Use large rocks and heavy wood and you should be fine.  These fish are absolutely stunning, both males and females but esspecially the males.  Their base color is a beautiful emerald green with vivid orange edging on their fins, and green/blue iridescent scales all over the fins.  They really are an extremely impressive sight once full grown.  the only downside to these guys is that it takes quite a while to see that full grown beauty.  Green Terrors are slow growers, when compared to the other cichlids in this list.  So it would be best to find a nice male that is already 5 inches or larger upon buying him.  Buy one at 1.5 inches, and you’ll be waiting quite a while to see the large beautiful fish you in-vision in your head.  if that doesn’t bother you, and you’re in no hurry, then go for it because the wait is well worth it.  You’ll get everything you get from the others on this list in the Green Terror, except bites all over your arm when you clean the tank.  Even though Green Terrors can be very aggressive, and may even bite at you through the glass, I have yet to see one that turned to physical harm of their human caretaker.  These guys eat very well, which would make you think their growth rate would be a little faster but that’s just how it is.  That aside, they are extremely good looking large cichlids, that because of their intelligence, appearance, and ease of care, make them really beautiful single wet pets for anyone.

 

There’s no denying it, Green Terrors look GREAT.

 

Okay, now that we’ve reached the end of this list, I just want to point out that there are MANY other options that would work great as well.  The reason why I chose these individuals is because of their size, easy of care, and that they are very common and easy to find.  For instance, having getting yourself a nice little Wolf Cichlid (Parachromis dovii) and putting him in a 75 gallon will work for a short amount of time, sure.  The problem with that is it wouldn’t last very long, and you’d need to upgrade your tank size eventually to a BARE minimum of 200 gallons, with bigger being much better.  This is why I didn’t put any cichlids on this list that grow to 30 inches like the dovii does.  I did this because I want this list to be able to be used by anyone, not just the people who have the money and space to have 500 gallon tanks all over their house.  All of the species I chose for this list can live their entire lives in a 75 to 125 gallon tank, which is more than doable for someone really interested in this amazing fish.  So all the massive cichlids like the Wolf cichlid and Umbee cichlids just aren’t reasonable choices because even though they are perfect wet pet material, they just get WAY to big for most cichlid keepers.  Some other great options for wet pets are fish like Cuban cichlids, Istlantus cichlids, Black Nasty cichlids, Grammodes cichlids, Mayan cichlids, Jaguar cichlids, Red Tiger Motaguensis, Festae cichlids ect.  The reason why these fish didn’t make it onto the list is because they not NOT easy to get a hold of.  At least here in my area where I live, I’ve never been able to find a place that could special order me any of those fish except for Jaguars, and even that was difficult.  If you have access to this species, or want to order online (which can cost you an arm and a leg), then have at it, just do your research on them!  Again, the fish on this list made it hear because of their size, AND the fact that most fish stores will carry all of them.  So there you have it…Oscar, Texas, Red Devil & Midas, Buttikoferi, and Green Terrors…all fantastic single wet pets.

One last thing to point out, the Amphilophus genus (the same genus that Midas and Red Devils are in) is known to be one of the best geneses for single wet pets.  Along with the Midas and Red Devils, the Amphilophus genus is chalk full of great candidates for single wet pets.  Their care, intelligence, aggressiveness, and behavior will all be almost exactly the same as the Red Devils and Midas cichlid so let me just mention them here, and if any of these names tickle your fancy then go ahead and consult the internet for further info.

Amphilophus trimaculatus – 15″      90+ gallons

Amphilophus hogaboomorum – 12″        75+ gallons

Amphilophus amarillo – 14″       75+ gallons

Amphilophus lyonsi – 10″         60+ gallons

 

So there you have it, now go on and get yourself a new aquatic dog!