# Does isolation work (peacocks) ?



## jsimatic (Feb 23, 2007)

Wondering what your opinions are on whether isolating a naughty / aggressive male will decrease aggression...?

AKA removing from a 75 gallon all male peacock tank and putting in a 10 gallon for a week or two. Then re-introducingÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ in your experience does this help or only make things worse?

Curious as to your experience with this type of approach... THANKS!


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

I've never had any luck with this and sometimes it is even worse afterwards. I've had fish become more territorial and aggressive after being isolated.


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

I have secluded fish in a separated tank. 1-2 weeks seems not to do much. When I isolate for 3-4 weeks it seems to work better. I did this to a large 10" Fossie. He seemed to settle down after 3-4 weeks of isolation. I've also netted an aggressive fish after his aggressive chases and left him in the net for an hour or so and that seemed to work also. Of course I have a large net and wedge the net at top of the tank with the glass lid on top of the net in order to hold it. I have also built a timeout cage using a egg crate light diffuser cut in 4 sections and using plastic cable ties. I can then place this in the same tank.


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## jsimatic (Feb 23, 2007)

I was afraid that is what the first reply would be. Do you usually try to return or re-home... or how long to you let it go on ( or how many times do you try re-doing the decor) before getting rid of them?

This is my first go at a male only peacock tank. I knew it was a possibility that I would need to return some, but thought I might be safe because I introduced them all at roughly the same time as juvies... The agressor is actually from the last group I introduced, so was surprised when he de-throned the red shoulder who was king before his arrival.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

How bad is the aggression?

Are fins being shredded? Lots of marks on the body?

If it is just chasing and a few nips I wouldn't worry about it. I have an all male mbuna and for the most part let them be unless they are really trying to kill each other.

Are you sure you have all males? One female can make the other fish freak out.

If aggression isn't all that bad there is a good chance they will eventually get along. If aggression is bad you might just have to get rid of the fish.


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## jsimatic (Feb 23, 2007)

gverde said:


> I have secluded fish in a separated tank. 1-2 weeks seems not to do much. When I isolate for 3-4 weeks it seems to work better. I did this to a large 10" Fossie. He seemed to settle down after 3-4 weeks of isolation. I've also netted an aggressive fish after his aggressive chases and left him in the net for an hour or so and that seemed to work also. Of course I have a large net and wedge the net at top of the tank with the glass lid on top of the net in order to hold it. I have also built a timeout cage using a egg crate light diffuser cut in 4 sections and using plastic cable ties. I can then place this in the same tank.


Thanks for the feedback Gverde, that is an interesting approach. Instant isolation for the yard brawl!


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

is it possible that you have a female in there,
I have an OB that is being a bully,I say bully,because when confonted he backs down,as long as there isn't any damaged fins etc. and no one trying to hide in and around a heater or filter ,I would give it more time

edit:slow typer :lol:


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## jsimatic (Feb 23, 2007)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> How bad is the aggression?
> 
> Are fins being shredded? Lots of marks on the body?
> 
> ...


Thanks again GA. 
Not shredded or lots of marks, just some nipped and split fins. I could be over-reacting I suppose. Maybe I was just anticipating more of a peaceful tank with the peacocks (had mbuna before). I will probably let it ride and try to keep an eye out for if they are really getting shredded. 
Pretty sure that it is all males now. There were a few that turned out to be females, but they didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t make it much longer than a couple weeks with all of the dudes.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> I've never had any luck with this and sometimes it is even worse afterwards. I've had fish become more territorial and aggressive after being isolated.


I had a 4-5" Blue Neon that was the alpha of the tank last year. He was the largest fish in the tank but never displayed ANY signs aggression towards the other tank mates, he was very peaceful. I noticed for a few days he wasnt eating and hanging out in his cave so I put him in a 10g for about a month while I treated him for bloat. He made a full comeback but as soon as I put him back in the main tank, within minutes he became VERY aggressive towards the other fish. He was spreading his fins and getting right up in the other Peacocks face biting them.

So just be careful if you try that, it could back fire on you and make the situation even worse.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I had luck with removing one of my aggressive male peacocks to a 30g grow out tank for about a month. When I reintroduced him the tank went a bit crazy for a couple hours then it settled down. Now no issues.

Also...are you sure the tank is all male and there is not a female in there by accident?


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## mmz3 (Sep 7, 2009)

i have had a little luck with this but was a 20 gallon i put him in.he was in there for about 1-1.5 months and when he went back into the main tank the other fish were bigger and not as easily bulled. he did regain his domancy but was not trying to hold down 3/4 of the tank.

but i have had to bring back 3-4 fish cause this did not work. it is hard because they are the ones that are showing the best colors


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

jsimatic said:


> Wondering what your opinions are on whether isolating a naughty / aggressive male will decrease aggression...?
> 
> AKA removing from a 75 gallon all male peacock tank and putting in a 10 gallon for a week or two. Then re-introducingÃ¢â‚¬Â¦ in your experience does this help or only make things worse?
> 
> Curious as to your experience with this type of approach... THANKS!


Only time I've had success is when I pulled my Walteri out, again, last time for about 3-4 months and added a number of additional males when I re-introduced him.

I believe part of it was his (several) _targets_ grew and settled in in the meantime and several more _targets_ were added to spread the joy.

I consider that more than just timeout. No success here with just timeout, though 3-4 weeks seems a lot better chance than less time from what I have read.


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## nudge (Aug 1, 2011)

i have found that isolation never really worked for me. Whanever i reintoduced the peacock the whole dominance issue would kick off again. I have found all my male peacocks to be very aggressive. There was always been someone trying to become the king.

They have been the worst for fighting. The few times i have had to pull a peacock out the next biggest peacock would become the bully, i am yet to find a mild peacock mine have all been snotty little buggers. They have shown no real aggression to other fish but when i,ve had more than 1 peacock in the tank it has led to carnage. Kinda gutting cause they are my favourite cichlid.


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