# Malawi Trout Aggression



## squalls (Jan 25, 2008)

Hello All,

I have been a lurker here for quite some time now and finally I have a dilemma I cannot solve.

I have a 180g tank, 2'X2'X6'. Stocking consists of:

5 placidochromis phenochilus (Alpha male is over 6", Beta male 5", females over 4")
1 Fuscotaeniatus (Male, 5")
2 Frontosa (between 4-6")
4 small yellow labs
2 male peacocks (OB 4" & Benga 3")
3 clown loaches
and one 8" Champsochromis Caerelus (trout*)

In my support tanks I have 2F OB peacocks & 2F otto lithos, 1M large Yellow Lab, 1M large Socolofi, other misc fry and juvies.

My issue is that recently the trout has been harrassing the alpha male phenny and only him and he is relentless. The stocking has been this way for a few months. The trout was added to the tank when he was about 6 or 7 inches in size over 3 months ago, the phennys were there earlier. All fish got along fine. I added the Fusco maybe a month ago and all was still under control. The trout has grown considerably adding on a good 2 inches and is now obviously the master of the tank.

My question is:

Is there any way to calm him down? I know trout are considered mildly aggressive, but this is too much.

I have tried changing the aquascape to allow a break in the line of sight allowing the phenny to get away, but the trout paces the top of the tank, spots the phenny and resumes his attack. Also, any crevace/hole the phenny can get through, the trout can as well.
I have also tried placing the trout in a pen and reintroducing him later, but this failed when he broke out and resumed the attack.  I may try this again.

I also tried stocking only males in the tank.

Maybe I should overstock the tank to confuse the trout? Maybe I should lower the temp (currently 78F)? Maybe I should sell/trade the trout 

Maybe I should let this go for 2 or 3 weeks and let the trout establish his dominance and he will calm?

I really would like to keep the fish, he is beautiful, but when he is not present in the tank, the tank is perfect - everyone is calm and colorful; the little guys come out of hiding.

I do weekly 40% water changes. Parameters are fine, Nitrate is between 10-40, PH above 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrite 0. I also have a 55g wet/dry with a bioball set up and an algae scrubber as well as a 32w turbotwist.

I would love to hear some ideas on what I could do to limit the trout's aggression. Thanks for reading.

Jim


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## letstalkfish (Dec 25, 2008)

I would suggest maybe getting more fish that way it wont spend its whole time chasing down that particular individual.


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## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

I have had these same issues, with different fish, in the past.

Sometimes a few changes work. Sometimes the problem fixes itself, and sometimes I just had to get rid of the trouble maker.

Have you considered getting him some female?

.


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## squalls (Jan 25, 2008)

I thought about the females, but they are hard to come by and I really just want the trout to be an ornamental fish in the tank, where the yellow labs and the phennys would be spawning and the Fusco and the trout and peacocks would be cruising and showing some color.

I originally had more fish in the tank, but nitrates were out of control. I had to cut back and I think that is why he is so aggressive. He thinks the tank is his and wants any rivals OUT. He is going to learn a hard lesson I guess.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Single male Haps will attempt to breed with whatever females are available in the tank, if they don't have their own. They will seek to eliminate their competition in many cases.

In time, the trout will likely be replaced at the top by the fusco.... who will probably act just the same. In my opinion, it is best to have all male tanks, or breeding groups, as single fish mixed with breeding groups often don't work, particularly when the singles are bigger fish than the breeders.


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## squalls (Jan 25, 2008)

Thank you Fogelhound. This is exactly what I am seeing and I didn't think it would be an issue since the female phennys were a differrent color. I was hoping the Fusco would not turn into the same thing.

I will remove all females from the main tank. I had thought this might be the issue which is why I removed the OB females and the Otto females. I had the phennys removed as well, but once the trout was in the pen I added them back.

How long would I have to keep all males to clear the trout of any ideas of breeding and possibly see a more peaceful tank?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Forever, right?


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

squalls said:


> How long would I have to keep all males to clear the trout of any ideas of breeding and possibly see a more peaceful tank?


As long has he is healthy, or until someone takes his place at the top, at which time it starts all over again. Still, there is no guarantee that going all male will calm him down. If you want to keep him and the Fusco, then I would at least try it out.


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