Are Mbuna really that aggressive?

**Scrup** · 10-09-2010, 11:23 PM

In case anyone was wondering what Mbuna can do overnight out of the blue... The fins and scales will probably all grow back just fine, pretty sure he is gonna lose that eye though, Just hoping now he makes it.

Great fish but man can they be mean.

Just another reason that these guys should not be jumped into without a little research.

**SmokeyCFH** · 10-09-2010, 11:56 PM

he probably wont lose his eye and everything else will grow back or heal but if you're that worries you could put him in a hospital tank and throw in some aquarium salt, but be open to other suggestions first.

**Aeonflame** · 10-10-2010, 01:55 AM

Chances are if you reintroduce him to the tank, he'll just be picked on again. Try re-arranging the caves when you put him back.

you probably know all that anyway

**Lab_Rat** · 10-10-2010, 05:01 AM

Ouch, they got him good. I feel your pain, my tank has been going through some dominance disputes. So far it's a couple of split fins or a mark here and there, but I'm keeping a very close eye on things.

**Scrup** · 10-10-2010, 05:43 AM

The problem with my tank is all the caves are cement, and non-movable. I have a lot of plastic plants I usually move around the tank, seems to do the job. Willing to bet if he is alive in the morning he will be oull through. Still not sure about the eye. Seen some miraculous recoveries before, but the eye is barely hanging on and looks to be solid white now (dead flesh).

I have found melafix works wonders on Mbuna.

**Sarkazmo** · 10-10-2010, 01:51 PM

How are you stocked on the Mbuna and what size tank?

Melafix is great and I love the stuff but I've found that unless you catch something fairly early you need to go with stronger meds. Unfortunately those stronger meds are typically more dangerous to the fish. :(

Best of luck with that guy. Cichlids are pretty tough little fish though. :)

Sark

**kaybee** · 10-10-2010, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Scrup

...Still not sure about the eye. Seen some miraculous recoveries before, but the eye is barely hanging on and looks to be solid white now (dead flesh)...

I've have an mbuna which sustained a similar eye injury. She didn't lose the eye but lost sight (the pupil and iris shrunk in size to tiny proportions and the eye lost its mobility and presumably sight as well). The opaque damage disappeared on its own after about 2 weeks or a little less.

Had her since 2005 with no real issues and the injury occurred in 2009 so things like this can happen out of the blue at any time. She's still around and doing well. Her eye was the only wound she received (she wasn't beaten up as your socolfi was) so I never discovered which fish inflicted the damage.