# need help on red zebra harassment



## Desigan (Mar 24, 2020)

Hi,

I got 4 red zebra(asked for 1m-3F, not sure what the LFS gave me). 2 are almost full grown and one got full orange fins, i assume this is female another one almost the similar size with the pelvic fin bit blueish, i assume this is male. other 2 are around 3 and 3 and half inch, not sure about the sex ( one turned to peach color and by venting i found this male as well, still one is unsexed). the problem is, the dom male doesn't chase or not even care about these 2 fishes, but he fiercely chase the fully grown fish with orange fins. i thought this is usual male female harassment,but i shocked to see when they have lip lock fight.

1. will male and female have fierce lip lock ?
2. why the dom male dont care about other 2 ?

Thanks.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

1-yes. He can easily end up killing her if you have 3m:1f.
2-Maybe they are not giving him any competition.


----------



## Desigan (Mar 24, 2020)

Hi DJ,

Thanks for your reply. Yes the 3 unsexed fish is no match for the dom male. I am taking the peach color fish to LFS to get him replaced with a female, apart from venting, is there a way that I could sex the red zebra ? they are all almost fully grown, and all have egg spots, any tip would help. Thanks again.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You do not want 2 males. If you shine a flashlight on them the males tend to have a blue sheen and the females don't have this. Peach ones are male.

Even with 1 male you want at least 4 females.

You examine the vent. Usually it's easier to wait until they hold...you can't always easily tell by the vent until they lay eggs. You may need a jewelers loupe to get sufficient magnification. There are two openings. Male same size. Female one opening is bigger than the other.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

What are the dimensions of your aquarium?

What other fish are in the aquarium?


----------



## Desigan (Mar 24, 2020)

It is rectangular 48" 18" 18". 65G. 4 yellow labs, 1 elongatus chailosi, 1 mdoka whitelips, 1 demasoni juvinile, 1 Pseudotropheus socolofi fully grown, 4 red red zebra ( removed 1 as he is male) tank with almost minimal hiding spots. I don't want them to become territorial. Except red zebra all others are just 2 inches. But he doesn't bother others too much just little bit of chasing.


----------



## Desigan (Mar 24, 2020)

Yesterday I exchanged the males with female at the lfs. Now all 3 are staying in orange colour and not turning to peach. But the problem isthough the male is chasing all 3, he is vigorously chasing one particular female. Any idea?


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The peach color is not a choice by the fish...males turn peach when they mature.

The fish are naturally territorial, especially with females in the tank. Without rocks the females have no where to hide and can become exhausted and sick from relentless chasing.

I am assuming all the other fish in the tank are males. I would remove all females from the tank and have just one red zebra male.

It appears you are trying for an all-male mbuna tank. To achieve that you would want a dozen males with none of them looking at all alike.

The whitelips grow too large for the tank and are less aggressive than your other fish...I would rehome him.


----------



## Desigan (Mar 24, 2020)

Thanks for your suggestion


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Or if you are going for a mixed gender mbuna tank I would remove the whitelips and the demasoni. Then stock:
1m:4f Metriaclima estherae
1m:4f Labidochromis careruleus 
1m:4f Pdeutotropheus socolofi
1m:7f Metriaclima elongatus Chailosi

PS don't save fry from this tank.


----------

