# Reducing aggression in a cichlid tank



## mattyc (11 Apr 2010)

does anyone know of a way to reduce aggression in a chilid tank?


----------



## chris1004 (11 Apr 2010)

Hi,

So much depends on the individual fish themselves (and the species that your keeping) you can have two fish of the same species with seemingly completely different personalities.

You could try running the tank slightly cooler and provide more 'territories' but its unlikely to completley solve your problem especially when they switch onto breeding mode.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Regards, Chris.


----------



## mattyc (11 Apr 2010)

i think they are in breeding mode, i might have to get rid of them. i just dont have the time to keeo cleaning that water off the floor when they splash!!!!


----------



## chris1004 (11 Apr 2010)

Hi,

Simple answer is to cover the tank.

Regards, Chris.


----------



## mattyc (11 Apr 2010)

that is done but they still manage to get it out of the tank!!!!

stupid fish


----------



## rawr (12 Apr 2010)

Maybe reduce the water level a bit? If that's the only problem. 

Give us some more information e.g. tank size, what species, etc etc

I think so much depends on the fish, what they're with, what environment etc. For example some Ember Tetras I had some time ago were bound to be timid for life, I never saw them at all. Then I added a few Rasboras and they turned really brave. Then I moved them into another tank on their own and their behaviour stayed the same. There's so much dependant on how a fish acts and you can never predict it. 

You could try removing the fish for a short period of time, rearranging the tank and adding them again, readding them in a different order, stuff like that.


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (12 Apr 2010)

> does anyone know of a way to reduce aggression in a chilid tank



IME you can't turn back millions of years of evolution. Cichlids will generally only be happy amongst their own when they are fry then as they mature will do what Cichlids do best which is to stake out its territory and defend it or try to entice a partner in there(excluding malawi & Tangs which actually need over crowding). Like rawr says it depends on the species, some male dwarfs will be happy with a small group of females to stop one getting too pestered but inevitably the females will fight. I keep Cichlids two to a tank of one species only and this even causes problems if either wants to breed and the other isn't forthcoming.

Having said that though they are good character fish, watching their antics can be quite amusing. In nature the weakest fish will back down and move on but unfortunately us putting them in a small glass box means they can't escape and things often get heated, even the smallest dwarfs will defend an area of a m2 which is larger base area than most of our tanks.


> You could try removing the fish for a short period of time, rearranging the tank and adding them again, readding them in a different order, stuff like that.



Thats always been a temp fix for me as soon as they get settled it will start again.


----------



## Ed Seeley (12 Apr 2010)

mattyc said:
			
		

> does anyone know of a way to reduce aggression in a chilid tank?



Need more information than that.  Give a stock list and tank size and we can go from there.

Cichlids aren't 'nasty' fish as many seem to think - they are fish adapted to protect their young in a certain sized territory.  If you give most of them enough space they will get on fine with others.


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (13 Apr 2010)

The only species of Cichlid I have managed to keep in a group are Angels or Discus but I have never had a tank larger than 3 foot-ish and eventually the Discus fell out. This was possibly because they are initially shoaling fish when in the river but when they breed its in small land locked pools which they will defend. Doing a water change or feeding live food would often kick them into breeding mode which caused fights although they are not as bad as some at going to the death if other fish stay far enough back this will do them, others some central Americans will chase and chase until the other Cichlid has no choice but to hide away often weakening the fish and possibly succumbing to disease stress related.

Cichlids are often seen in the shop in groups in a small tank convincing people that they will be al right together. In the shop there is no good breeding areas, they are often young or immature fish and the fish put up with each other for safety because there is no where to hide they go for safety in numbers. Once in the tank their mind set changes, the fishes only two goals every minute of the day are feed and breed. Seeing somewhere nice to breed it now thinks I need to get rid of any fish that can eat my young so will chase them and another same species fish is a total threat  that can stop it breeding altogether. 

Species and tank size are the clincher here, some species will mate with any female some pick a female and stick with it for life so adding just a male and female still might not work.

I find dither fish can help in some of the less aggressive species, lots of fast moving shoaling fish Harlequins/Tiger Barbs can cause enough distraction to prevent bullying.

I keep a pair of Blue Rams which are known as some of the least aggressive but on a bad day I've seen them coral Angels 4 times their size into a corner    When the eggs have been either ate or the fry sucked in the filter the female will often chase him for his life for a couple of days but when the need to breed again comes round she soon gets over it.

 Aquariums imitating life I suppose


----------



## mattyc (19 Apr 2010)

they were malawi cichlids, i have taken them to my LFS now. it is a sad day!!!!!   

but on the bright side i have a 160L tank to plant


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (27 Apr 2010)

Oh right malawi's are into very hard water so wouldn't have got on with your planted tank anyway they also like a dig about and uproot plants. Time to get planting to take your mind off it.


----------



## mr. luke (28 Apr 2010)

AverageWhiteBloke said:
			
		

> Oh right malawi's are into very hard water so wouldn't have got on with your planted tank anyway they also like a dig about and uproot plants. Time to get planting to take your mind off it.



I think of them more as self propelled aquatic mowers


----------

