# Geo. Bahia Red Relocation Options - Need Advice



## intermediate_noob (Nov 21, 2006)

Well I have fell in love with my Geophagus sp. "Bahia Reds". I have six total, 3 males and 3 females in a 135 with a couple red and blue columbian tetras, six plecos, and three severums. My problem is that the largest male is laying waste to the other, smaller males. Missing pieces of tail, the males hiding behind drift wood, and constant harrassment are all common.

My question to you all is about relocation of a the larger male (he is approx 7") into a smaller tank with another female. What is the minimum size you all would recommend? I know they do not need a tall tank, but is 4 feet long a minimum or is 36" considered acceptable? I am trying to work with what I have right now so I do not have to spend any additional money. I want the fish to be happy and healthy, and if that means another 4 foot tank then that is what that means, but wanted to get everyone's opinion.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I would think you would need at least a 4' tank becuase he has more growing to do ... but more importantly, the female will need the space when she isn't ready to bred.


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

I sure hope she is tough. She will need to stand up to him for a while, but they can make a nice pair if she lives through the aggression. I would seriously consider some dithers for the adjustment period. I would go with at least 48" and more if you can swing it.


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## intermediate_noob (Nov 21, 2006)

Thank you for the replies. I am certainly going to go with some type of dither fish (some tetra or maybe pencils), but just want to try to separate the fish for now. The other two males only seem to be getting worse. In the mean time I am going to move the driftwood around the tank to hopefully break up the aggression areas. It does not help that the big male and one of the females are courting one another either.

Thanks again for your help.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

I kept the Brasiliensis Bahia Red my selves and know a bit abouth their aggression. You can see a pic of the big male in the profile section. I sold the Bahia Red becouse of their aggressive behaviour and had a similar situation like you. They were nice fish and doing well in a community until they reached 6 inch and aggression kicked in. The largest male became just over 11 inch within 1 1/2 years and was still growing. In good circumstances they might grow to 12 inch. They can have quit a temper as you notised and this only becomes worse over time. If you take out the dominant male the next in line will stand up and display the same agresive behaviour with fin ripping and hitting the sides of the opponent cousing missing scales and ripped and destroyed fins. IMO they do best as a pair in at least a 4 ft tank by their own. Pencilfish will defenately end up as snacks. If you want a tetra then go with the larger once like adult blackskirts but imo they should not been kept with smaler fish. You will need lots of shelter for the female like driftwood or pots. It helps to create cave like structures were the female fits in but the male doesn't fit.

Brasiliensis Bahia Red is a beautiful fish but does have quit a temper. They have nothing to do with Geophagus species and I wish they change the name to Brasiliensis. Why? Because they don't belong to the Geophagus group and becouse of the name people think they are mild mannered fish like almost all of the real Geo's.

I hope you can provide the fish (especially the female) a good shelter and save environment and lots of escape routes.

Ruurd

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=456


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

They will deffinately be renamed *Dutch Dude*, as it is they are no longer in the _Geophagus_ genus ... but becuase they haven't been given a new genus yet, sadly they are still called _'Geophagus'_. Most don't know that the quote marks mean no longer in the genus though, perhaps we should use ex_Geophagus_ like they use for salvani and beani (aka ex_Cichlasoma_).


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

Dwarfpike,....Yes they are talking for a long time to put the Brasiliensoids in a separate group. Maybe I'm to stupid for it but I realy don't understand why they don't pick Brasiliensis as group name. They already discovered lots of "sub" species like the Bahia Red, Sao Paulo, Obscurus and so on. The Geophagus label with or without quote still make people think they belong to the well mannered more peaceful eartheater group while the behaviour of Bahia Red and Sao Paulo have more in common with a GT. :?


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

It's only been twenty years now *Dutch Dude*!!! That's nothing in scientific time!! :lol:

Yeah, the group name is brasiliensoids ... but until they describe it, they will remain attached to the genus_Geophagus_. And my brasiliensis was far worse than a GT, I once lost a 8-9" WC Silversaum (and a 5" royal pleco) to a 4" brasiliensis!!! Pretty but mean fish.


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## Dutch Dude (Sep 14, 2006)

:lol: :lol: I see,....I'm impatient :lol: So we can discus the new name in an other 20 years from now,...or ame I impatient again. 

Wow Dwarfpike,....you lost a GT and a 5 inch pleco to the brasiliensis! Well mine were messing with the pleco's as well. I feed larger cichlids tetra wafer mix (pleco food) becouse it contains vegitable matter and meat matter and isn't as messy as flakes and does sink unlike most pellets. So when the big bad Bahia reds ate the pellets they were turning the pleco's up-side down and attacking them to steal their lunch. They are indeed very beautiful fish but I'm very sure I won't ever buy a Brasiliensoid again. I like the peaceful cichlids much better,....some nice looking discus for example.


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## intermediate_noob (Nov 21, 2006)

So in the interest of options. I have a 90 gallon, a 55 gallon (14.5x48" base), and a 125 gallon that needs to house 8 pterophyllum scalare (most are approximately 4-6" tall) , 3 severums (9" and two 5") and the six Bahia red. As stated previously the Bahias are three males and three females? I also have two 30 gallon longs and a 29 gallon for options as well. What do you all think as far as housing them? Anything to try to keep from buying a new tank is what I am going for here.

I am willing and open to any suggestions. I just want to know what you all think is best even if it is "get rid of them", but again, I really love these fish and would rather not. Thank you.


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

Put a pair of the Bahia Red in the 90, sell the rest of the Bahia, put the Scalare in the 125 with the Sevs and watch them. I have wild Scalares in with a Sev Pair, and they are fine, but it is a large and 31" tall tank. I would save the 55 for Bahia fry if that is the direction you are going, or keep it to remove the female if the male gets too crazy and mean.


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## intermediate_noob (Nov 21, 2006)

Thanks again for all your help. One quick question. Would it be better to have the larger male with two females rather than one, or will that make matters worse?

Also, what dithers would you all consider to be optimal? Something 2-3"?

thanks again!


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## spxsk (Mar 29, 2006)

intermediate_noob said:


> Thanks again for all your help. One quick question. Would it be better to have the larger male with two females rather than one, or will that make matters worse?
> 
> Also, what dithers would you all consider to be optimal? Something 2-3"?
> 
> thanks again!


I am not really sure what the best set up would be. I am guessing keeping two females might mitigate the aggression, but eventually someone is going to die in that tank when the pair forms. As far as dithers go, pick something inexpensive and fast with a higher body. When the Bahia get bigger, they are aggressive, but also my experience with them says they are lazy, and like to be fed, not chase down food. Make sure when you set up the tank, that you break lines of sight so that anyone getting beat on has at least some place to run to. Set up an area where you think a nest might be made, so they can quickly ignore that place. Ha right! They never spawn where you want them do they?! Finally, have that hospital tank set up. Search youtube for Brasiliensis, and Bahia. I have seen some very cool, very large Brasiliensis pairs on there, and their tank set ups might give you ideas for your fish. I wish you all the luck in the world.


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## intermediate_noob (Nov 21, 2006)

spxsk said:


> I am not really sure what the best set up would be. I am guessing keeping two females might mitigate the aggression, but eventually someone is going to die in that tank when the pair forms. As far as dithers go, pick something inexpensive and fast with a higher body. When the Bahia get bigger, they are aggressive, but also my experience with them says they are lazy, and like to be fed, not chase down food. Make sure when you set up the tank, that you break lines of sight so that anyone getting beat on has at least some place to run to. Set up an area where you think a nest might be made, so they can quickly ignore that place. Ha right! They never spawn where you want them do they?! Finally, have that hospital tank set up. Search youtube for Brasiliensis, and Bahia. I have seen some very cool, very large Brasiliensis pairs on there, and their tank set ups might give you ideas for your fish. I wish you all the luck in the world.


Thank you very much for your kind words. I came home today to find one of the males resting on the bottom of the tank, most of his caudal fin completely gone and missing many scales. I immediately moved him to my 55 gallon tank that has my angels in it. He is now just resting on the bottom, but his breathing has slowed. This may not be a 100% solution but my LFS will not take the beat up version of the Bahia so maybe when he recovers, I can get him to a good home. Anyone in ABQ want him 

Right now I have 5 very large pieces of drift wood (most around 24-30" long) that are stacked around to provide some hiding places. The problem is the severums are coming into their own and taking over one side of the tank, leaving few places to hide for the two males. I have rearranged the driftwood again because seems to break up the territories, but who knows how long that will last.

Thanks again for you help, and I will see what I can do as far as some characins for dithers, possibly some Buenos Aires tetras or the like.

Thank you again for everything. Hopefully they will all make it through this...and hopefully so will I


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