Nanaglen....Firemouth HELP!

[Lady Hobbs]

Just when I bragged how nice my cichlid tank was, all heck has broken out. Two of my small ones have teamed up to totally terriorize my other small one. Obviously they have paired up but this lone wolf is paying a high price.

I have lots of caves, dither fish and hiding places but the "gruesome two-some" spend all day hunting her down and chasing her. Now and then the big female will appear and kick butt and settle the tank down again but they are relentless in their pursuit of this other one.

I have an empty 10 gallon I could put her in but I'm afraid if I put her back when she's bigger, the fighting will be worse. If she would just turn around and fight back, she'd be better off but she runs with them in hot pursuit.

Idea's?

[gm72]

Well I'm not nana, but I wonder if a massive rearranging of the tank would help?

[Lady Hobbs]

Did it.........like 3 times in the last week. This poor terrorized one is even larger than one chasing her. I wish she'd turn around and fight back the wussy!

[Incredulous_Ed]

Add a female convict as a dither?

[Lady Hobbs]

I already know what my problem is after staring at the tank for days. There is just too much open area. There may be a lot of rock caves but still, I have too many small plants so I am going to fill that tank with big plants. Problem is the only plant I can seem to find that's already big and has good cover is amazons and they don't do well for me.

But for these guys, all these small plants leave too much open area. And, I am going to get rid of some of the rock and get some pvc pipe (or something) for caves that doesn't take up so much room leaving more plant room.

How's that for a plan?

[Incredulous_Ed]

Sounds good. Why not add plastic plants?

[gm72]

Plastic! Plastic! Plastic!

[Lady Hobbs]

If nothing goes right this time........

plastic, plastic, plastic is just what I'll have. LOL

They will look nice under my plant lights, don't you think? LOL

[Lady Hobbs]

If nothing goes right this time........

plastic, plastic, plastic is just what I'll have. LOL

They will look nice under my plant lights, don't you think? LOL

[Dave66]

Plastic! Plastic! Plastic!

Jeeze, GM, if I only had a wet tuna to slap you around with for that satanic post . . .

Dave

[nanaglen2001]

Get your hands on big upright roots, and other roots which are more horizantal, then pile them up everywhere. Then build something like "rock castles" Pile them up high also. I really mean BIG roots, not thos tiny thingies.
My roots I got in mey big tank are about 1,5 feet at least.

Best thing would be to glue those rock piles together with Aquarium silicone, and put those piles directly on the bottom glass. So that stuff wont fall aparat and damage your tank.

This may help the chased FM to get out of sight of the couple which is chasing him/her. And out of sight is out of mind.