# Tank Boss



## shiftyfox (Aug 2, 2019)

Are certain tank boss species worst to have than others, as in harder on the rest of the fish in the tank than say a different tank boss species would be.

My 3 most dominant males are a yellow lab, jalo reef and Maingano. 
Now the yellow lab is the biggest about 3.5 - 4 inches, the other two slightly smaller. 
I guess size has nothing to do with who is top dog in the tank..?

The three seem to have kinda a mutual respect for one another when you watch them. 
The jalo is definitely the boss however the yellow lab is no push over. 
The Maingano would love to be the boss from what I can see but both other males put him in his place.

I just worry if he does become tank boss the whole dynamic of the tank could change and problems could occur.


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## ironspider (Dec 5, 2017)

I have two tank bosses in my 55. Both Cobalt Blue, it creates quite the dynamic in my tank as both vie for the affection of the 3 females. They are nasty to everyone and when they cross each other, a really nice fight ensues with the lip locking and everything. I can't get rid of one as they are both the nicest looking fish I've seen, and at about 5" each they really brighten up the tank. AND dig it up.


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## ironspider (Dec 5, 2017)

From what I've seen, no experience with, but the Auratus has to be the worst.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

shifty, the lab, jalo and maingano should work together...what are the dimensions of your tank?

I would expect the maingano to be boss someday, but I don't think that would be a bad thing as long as your tank is large enough and you have the rest of the stocking in good shape. And at some point, it depends on the personality of the individual fish.

In contrast ironspider has a stocking that would be expected to cause problems and it does.


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## shiftyfox (Aug 2, 2019)

As mentioned in a previous post my tanks stocking and size are all wrong which I realise could lead to problems.
More of an experiment to be honest. My main concern is a tank wipe out from a dominant male.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Rare in a too-small or wrongly stocked tank: dominant male kills all or many fish in the tank in one shot on a killing spree due to physical injuries.

Common in a too-small or wrongly stocked tank: dominant male kills a fish or two after a period of harassment, and then many of the others succumb over a period of weeks/months from "bloat".

You won't wake up to all fish dead within 24 hours, but it may happen in a matter of days once it begins.


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## shiftyfox (Aug 2, 2019)

1. DJ, I realise all fish can develop bloat if different factors are not met but would you say females are more likely to get bloat than a male fish..?

2. I Don't have any demasoni but know you have mentioned they are one fish that are susceptible to bloat, would you add any other species into that category or is it mainly them?


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## Ichthys (Apr 21, 2016)

All herbivorous fish are at risk of bloat if fed a diet too high in protein.


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## shiftyfox (Aug 2, 2019)

In my opinion this whole protein causes bloat thing is nothing more than a myth that has been spread about in this hobby. 
Bad water and stress I personally believe are the main factors.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

High quality protein does not cause bloat. With regard to food, digestive health may be more about fiber than protein. Feeding a diet appropriate to the fish's digestive system is a healthy choice. However, I agree stress is the primary factor (since all of us have great water quality).

I would not say females are more likely to get bloat because that could be misleading. Females are likely to be harassed by males. Sub-dominant males are likely to be harassed by dominant males. I would say the female and the sub-dominant male...given equal harassment...are equally likely to get bloat.

Demasoni have been found to have a longer gut than other fish which could explain why they can be susceptible to digestive issues. Carnivores can exhibit bloat symptoms, it is likely that there are various different organisms that cause digestive issues in different types of fish. Maybe the scientists should give us a variety of names for the condition so we don't call them all bloat.

Among the fish I have kept (those in my signature and others) the demasoni have been the only fish to get "bloat". I hear tropheus are just as susceptible but I have never kept them.


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