yellow lab help

**2011kawi** · 07-03-2012, 10:21 PM

i have a 65 gallon tank that currently has 3 small auratus one maingano 3 yellow tailed acei and 2 yellow labs.

the other day i found the two yellow lab fighting to the point where one was breathing heavily and ever since then both of my labs have been hiding. they are eating and seem to be fine. does anyone have any idea wats going on with them?

**escamosa** · 07-04-2012, 08:50 PM

I dare say that you have two males, and they've become very territorial and aggressive towards eachother. The best way to keep nearly all cichlids, if you want to keep more than one of the same species, is to use a 1 male - 3 female ratio. So it will be 1:3, 2:6, 3:9, and so on. If you use this method, you'll find that they will improve really well.

You might find later on, when those Auratus mature, that they could get REALLY aggressive. I wouldn't be surprised if they take over that tank, as the other species you have in there, are a lot less aggressive than those. If it were my tank, I'd take those back and build up the numbers of the other types of cichlids that you have.

**Northerly** · 07-06-2012, 04:15 AM

i'd say remove the auratus and bump the numbers up on the other 3. Your tank has a smaller footprint though so stocking would be a little tricky.

**junkers12** · 07-06-2012, 05:11 PM

Yes I do agree I would get rid of the Auratis they are really mean when they get big. The yellow tailed aceis are very peaceful. I have over 40 yellow labs in my two tanks. They do get fairly aggresive over there territories. I would slightly overstock your aquarium because cichlids become less territorial due to the shear numbers. I would put in lots of hiding places as well so if one fish become tired of fighting he has somewhere to relax. The numbers of males and females is important too as the others had mentioned too. Keeping a regular feeding time also helps with aggression.

**2011kawi** · 07-06-2012, 10:49 PM

thanks for the advise i think i will get rid of my auratus soon i do find that they are the more aggressive fish in my tank and im not 100% sure about my labs but i think one is a male and the other is a female one of them has a black stripe going across its eyes and the other does not.

**2011kawi** · 07-06-2012, 10:58 PM

here is a pic of my setup

**daimen123** · 07-07-2012, 12:44 AM

Usually females don't fight males they just run. I have found the stripe through the eye unreliable. The only true way to tell is venting. But buy your behavioral description I would say 2 males. Or 2 females as females do fight to become alpha female.