chase stress

[marc4]

My cichlid tank is made up of a number of species, no two alike and mainly males. They are all about the same age, and have worked out 99% of territorial issues.

I have a male demasoni and a male yellow top mbuna. Their color is close to identical, and as a result, the demasoni has been starting some serious chases. He hasn't caught the yellow top, but the yellow top is stressed and keeps his color dulled almost to the point of looking like my blue orchid. Both fish came from the same place and were the same size. The yellow top is smaller now. I have made him some places to escape that the demasoni cannot enter. I don't want to rehome him, and right now, couldn't anyway since I have some ich in the tank I'm treating.

There are two possibilities. Get a couple more yellow tops to diffuse the aggression (I'm almost certain it has to do with appearance similarities), or get another species that is similar in coloring, reducing the chance of multiple yellow tops breeding. Does anyone have an opinion on which option is more likely to help? Both of those fish are awesome, but if I had to choose, the demasoni would go. He doesn't bother with any other of my fish.

Thanks,
Marc4

[jeremeypardun]

I also stock some of the same species. What size tank do you have and have you tried pulling out the demasoni and leaving it out for a week then reintroduce it back to the tank. I do that myself and it usually works.

[Rocksor]

Don't get more fish. Even with a tank divider, in the end you will have to rehome one of the fish. So for now, get some light diffuser egg crate cut to size, and line the border of the egg crate with vinyl tubing cut down the middle. Use this make shift divider to separate the fish. Rehome about 3 weeks after no more ich is visible.

[angelcraze2]

The vinyl tubing is to protect the glass or the fish? Neat idea!

[Rocksor]

The vinyl tubing is to protect the glass or the fish? Neat idea!

So the edges of the divider lessens the chances of it scratching the glass

[angelcraze2]

I like it! I used pipe insulating foam, but it was quite buoyant and had to be held down with the top aquarium rim.

[marc4]

I also stock some of the same species. What size tank do you have and have you tried pulling out the demasoni and leaving it out for a week then reintroduce it back to the tank. I do that myself and it usually works.

Dork that I was, I purchased a 40 gallon acrylic tank. At the time, I was going to get small schools, neon tetras, that sort. The tank was up and running for a bit when I realized the best fit for our pH 8.2 water was cichlids. The general consensus seemed to be that more cichlids defused aggression. I tried to get species that were not the same color and the addition of Peacocks that could hold their own but were not aggressive. I have 11 fish, 10 of which are cichlids. My mistake was getting two of the same coloring and stripe pattern. (Demasoni an Yellow top). Other than a short term fin nipping incident, this is the only personality clash. The others play musical caves. Even the Demasoni allows my congo black calvus to snatch food literally out of his mouth. They grew up together and worked out issues early on.

i'll probably have a small ten gallon picked up from goodwill and put my demasoni in it. I had a good sized opaque plastic sweater box when the fish all had to be evacuated due to a bacterial problem. The day the fish were moved back, I fell backwards into it, fish and all, and cracked it. I like to commune with my pets, but having them swimming in my lap is probably contraindicated. We all lived.

[angelcraze2]

I like to commune with my pets, but having them swimming in my lap is probably contraindicated. We all lived.

I hope you didn't hurt yourself, but glad you can laugh at it now. What a terrible ordeal. We all do what we can, that's all you can do. Your comment made me smile :)

[marc4]

My idiot demasoni has started up again. I wish they made little collars that would prevent them from tail nipping. I may see if I can find a smaller tank and depending on its size, move the demasoni into it either temporarily again, or permanatly