# Yellow Lab Cichlids being picked on. Need advice please.



## PBengtson (Jun 8, 2012)

Hey everyone,

Im new to the site with this being my second post. Hopefully you guys can help me with my situation.

So heres the deal, I have an african cichlid 55 gallon tank with 25 malawi cichlids. I have lots of rock work and extra filtration for the over-crowding. I have around 5 yellow labs in the tank and for as long as I can remember they have been getting harassed and chased by most of the fish in the tank, especially by my 2 red zebras. The yellow labs just hang out in the back of the tank and when they try to swim around and go into the rock work, they just get chased out by most of the other fish, especially the red zebras and my orange peacock. Because of that, they seem to be afraid to swim around the tank and just stay still in the back of the tank and hide by the HOB filters. I put one of the big red zebras (who seems to be the dominant male) in a 20 gallon tank that I have set up for one of my Acei cichlids who is currently holding eggs, and when I move her over to that tank in around week, I was gonna introduce him back to the 55 gallon and see if it helps with his aggression toward the yellow labs. What do you guys think i can do to make it so the yellow labs can swim freely around the tank and don't get picked on and chased as much? Why do you think they are being picked on by others in the other tank? It seems that its the orange colored ones (Red Zebras and the OB Peacock)are the one that harass them the most, maybe its because they see the yellow labs as competition?? Some feedback would be great! 
Thanks guys,

Phil

Oh and here is the stock list. I really dont know a lot of the genders but I know both the red zebras are males. Here are the tank mates and the genders (that I know of).

1 Johanni (not sure)
1 Aurutaus (female)
2 Kenyi (I M/1 F)
3 Acei (1M, 1F, 1unknown)
2 Red Zebra (both male)
1 Peacock (Male I think)
2 Albino (1 M, 1 unknown)
2 small yellow cichlids from an assorted tank, possibly yellow labs (unsure of gender)
2 Cobalt Blue (1 M, 1 F)
1 Rusty (un-sure)
3 Bumblebee (3 F)
5 Yellow Labs (1M, 1F, Not sure of others)


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Yellow labs are usually passive, and you have a number of aggressive fish. Would you be willing to keep the yellow labs, acei, and cobalt zebras, and try to find a fish store that will let you trade the rest towards more of those 3 species?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

For all-male, even with overcrowding there are too many fish in the tank. Shoot for about 10 individuals in a 55G.

For mixed gender, as brinkles suggests, choose three species and stock 1m:4f.

Malawi are harem breeders. If there are not four or more females for each male, the male is likely to harass the female and make her sick or kill her.

These are aggressive and/or large fish which do better in a tank larger than a 55G:
1 Johanni (not sure)
1 Aurutaus (female)
2 Kenyi (I M/1 F)
3 Acei (1M, 1F, 1unknown)
3 Bumblebee (3 F)


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## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

Red zebra's readily cross breed with labs and are most likely going to eventually kill the female labs from the stress. Since there isn't enough females to males they take much more aggression than they are capable. Short term you should put the labs that are being harassed into a hospital tank or failing that a breeder net to recover. Them sitting behind the filter is never a good sign. Stressed fish are susceptible to bloat, which can put all of the fish in the tank at risk.

Long term your stock simply isn't going to work and it will be alot easier for you to adjust the stock to match the recommendations from DJ.


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## PBengtson (Jun 8, 2012)

how about demasoni? could those work with my 55 gallon? are they aggressive?


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

IME - Zebras are... hmm... can't really use any appropriate adjectives that won't be edited but... they're aggressive. They're jerks. I have one in particular right now that is making me angry to the point I want to fillet him lol. Even their fry are a... aggressive.

I'm getting away from zebras. I have some in my all male tank and some juvies that will be given to the lfs and that's it. There's other more interesting fish out there that are simply less interested in harassing and/or killing other tank mates.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I've never kept them, but from what I keep reading, demasoni require "advanced" care. I would hold off on them until you have some more experience, or at least do a ton of research on them first. Beautiful, though!


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

demasoni are a fish u need to find cheap. typically a group of 20 will slowly whittle itself down to a sustainable number. sometimes u get a real killer and you can lose the whole group. its why demasoni are reccomended only if u have extra tanks and such. id pass on them and stick with some tried and true species. yellow labs are a good start, maybe consider some hara, or labeotropheus fuelleborni maybe. both are stunning fish with a relatively passive demeanor. GL in picking out your tank but in the future try to avoid the random fish store trips  those singles can get u into trouble. anyways again GL and i hope things work out.


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