# Placidochromis phenochilus sp mdoka over active



## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

My 17cm P. phenochilus sp Mdoka (most aggressive one in the tank) is roaming from right to left in my 1.2M tank 24-7 non-stop, bumping on the glass corners. I am not sure what is causing him to be so active and he would only stop when food gets in the tank, but once finished he starts the roaming again...

-Water condition is fine
-Other fishes are calm and would follow him sometimes with the crusing around

My question: is Placidochromis phenochilus naturally this way? or I have got an over stubborn Placidochromis phenochilus?

Thx


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Do you mean the fish is literally bumping into the sides of the tank? If so, this isn't normal.

What size tank is this?

Kim


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

hi Kim,

tank is 1.2 meter long, fish is 17cm

yes its crusies and bumps to the right and left corners, just feels like something is bothering him. But when i feed him he eats a lot ...

i do not think my tank is small enough for him ?


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

I would say it would be better to have a larger tank. Yours would be a 4 foot tank. I have a 6 foot tank and my pheno. tanzanian is constantly swimming back and fourth. Some times it swims up and down against the glass, but never really runs smack into it.


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

Exodus1500 said:


> I would say it would be better to have a larger tank. Yours would be a 4 foot tank. I have a 6 foot tank and my pheno. tanzanian is constantly swimming back and fourth. Some times it swims up and down against the glass, but never really runs smack into it.


Thats what my mdoka also does, swimming back and forth .. so i guess its normal then.
anyways is your tanzanian aggressive towards others? my mdoka is a warrior, also i guess its not as popular as tanzanians.


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

No, mine is pretty calm. It leaves everyone alone.

The are both supposed to be calm. Sounds like you got a bad seed... hahaha

A larger tank is always a possibility to lessen its aggression. It seems to have calmed down my livingstoni. What else do you have in the tank?


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

My tanzania male is about 9" and leaves everyone alone except females of his species. I keep a few little 3" Crimson Tides in there and they're left alone.


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

seriously i think i got a wild one! beats everyone up; well i got 2 tanks , for the mdoka tank i got:

1 taiwan reef
1 moba frontonsa
1 mpimbwe frontosa
1 phenochilus mdoka
1 clown loach
3 ophthalmotilapia ventralis
1 fossorochromis rostratus 
1 lethrinops lethrinus 
1 protomelas taeniolatus 
1 neolamprologus crassus 
2 neolamprologus gracilis
1 neolamprologus leleupi
1 synodontis multipunctatus
4 pleco

planning to get a 2 meter tank in future because i really wanna get a male Buccochromis spectabilis. Out of all the Buccochromis i think the head shape looks the nicest


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

Interesting mix of fish. Does he pick on any one, or any type in particular, or is it everyone?


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

i think he pick on fronts mostly, but hes usually the winner. but once i saw him lost to my 30 cm clown loach, ripped a piece of scale.

oh yea i gotta question about some of the fish i buy, like my p. mdoka the bottom fins (anal fins?) are splitted really badly like a broom stick; will they actually grow back evenly? because its taking for ever to grow back together.


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

The tail fin is the caudel fin, the fin on the belly just before the tail starts in the anal fin, the ones on the belly near the front/under the head are the pelvic fins, and the fins behind the gill plate are called the pectoral fins.

My guess is that if it is split all the way down the fin it wont grow back, but I have seen people who have "fixed" them before, but unless it is a show fish I wouldnt worry too much about it.

Out of curiosity, what is in your other tank(and what sizes), and also, how long has the pheno been in its current tank compared to the other occupants?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Exodus1500 said:


> Out of curiosity, what is in your other tank(and what sizes), and also, how long has the pheno been in its current tank compared to the other occupants?


I'd be interested in hearing that, as well...

I suspect you may have continued problems with aggression in this tank. The stock doesn't really belong together for various reasons...Temperament and water and dietary requirements are the most significant!

Kim


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## Exodus1500 (Nov 16, 2007)

cichlidaholic said:


> I suspect you may have continued problems with aggression in this tank. The stock doesn't really belong together for various reasons...Temperament and water and dietary requirements are the most significant!
> 
> Kim


Ya, I am not a big fan of the mixtures either. I think it is time to get more tanks and start seperating 

I had a hard enough time getting my haps and peacocks to go together, but now I seem to have struck a really good balance as far as tank size and fish, and I have almost no agression in my 125g now.


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

current tank size: 1.2m(L) x 0.45m(W) x 0.8m(H)

pheno was added like a month ago, so i only have a couple rocks in the current tank for the neolamprologus to hide out (for the meantime).

the other tank i have more like Shell Dwellers, Altolamprologus compressiceps, and smaller peacocks - tank size: 1m x 0.45m x 0.6m

for feeding in the current tank i think its prefect for me excpet the moba front, becuase its more shy to go up for food

let me try post some pics tonight


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

here are the pics, i am not a good photographer!

[/url]http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh268/bobo_tong/
you guys got pics of your tanks also ?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It sounds like the front is stressed, and I don't doubt that being kept in that mix. The tank is also a bit small for an adult front.

The problem with inappropriate stocking is that it can lead to a high stress tank, tony_tong. Stress weakens the immune system of the fish, and health issues start to arise. It can be very costly in the long run.

Kim


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## tony_tong (Oct 8, 2007)

cichlidaholic said:


> It sounds like the front is stressed, and I don't doubt that being kept in that mix. The tank is also a bit small for an adult front.
> 
> The problem with inappropriate stocking is that it can lead to a high stress tank, tony_tong. Stress weakens the immune system of the fish, and health issues start to arise. It can be very costly in the long run.
> 
> Kim


I totally agree with you, so planning to get a 2 meter long x 0.8 meter width in future, right now the front are about 15 cm, still babies  
the pheno has also calmed down a bit ... maybe hes boring of harassing them haha


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## BAGADOU (Apr 8, 2005)

tony_tong said:


> (...) i really wanna get a male Buccochromis spectabilis. Out of all the Buccochromis i think the head shape looks the nicest


Hello, the nicest and over all the smallest (not bigger than 20 cm for males) ! :fish:









_*Buccochromis spectabilis*_


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