# Aggressive Melanochromis auratus



## Seetah (Apr 12, 2013)

I have a Aggressive Melanochromis auratus she has killed 2 other fishes in the last 2 months I don't want to get rid of her because she is so pretty and fun to watch swim around. I just need some advice on how to solve this issue, I know deaths in a cichlid tank is common she has killed a elecric yellow and I dont know the species of the other one she killed. It was all Orange. Here are some pictures of her. Thanks for taking the time in reading this.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

hi what is the tank size? and what do you have stocked with her?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

pfoster74 said:


> hi what is the tank size? and what do you have stocked with her?


Good questions that need to be answered. Not sure it is actually an auratus, maybe a chipokae, and probably too young to determine gender.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

it looks like an auratus to me. chips are a bit darker and the belly wouldnt be that yellow.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

regardless what else you have in the tank the auratus are probably the most aggressive mbuna you can find. i have a colony of them as well. mine are in a 125g. i recently rehomed my male auratus he was killing my female kenyi. after his removal the aggression has calmed down quite a bit. the 2 species i have kept with auratus successfully are Pseudotropheus crabro and Labeotropheus fuelleborni. the auratus male was dominant over those species but he wasnt able to kill them. i have a thread about this on here and a different cichlid support site. person on other site suggested to me to consider trading in the auratus for chipokae. he says they are a little less aggressive and may balance out better. other people may have great success mixing auratus with kenyi but i have had this happen twice now with 2 different males. i guess what i'm getting at is you may need to rehome the auratus or rethink the stocking in the tank. everybody has different experiences though and maybe i'm the oddball having the auratus kill the kenyi i really dont know.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

pfoster74 said:


> consider trading in the auratus for chipokae. he says they are a little less aggressive


Never kept chipokae, but I have read a variety of opinions over the years from people who have kept both species and just as many claim chipokae to be the more aggressive of the two species. I would think their aggression level is fairly similar, largely dependant as well, on particular individuals, particular circumstances, size of tank, ect. and how many years the person experienced keeping the fish.

I'd have to agree with Fogulhund, the fish does look more like a chipokae-----the snout, thin striping and tail markings doesn't really fit M. auratus.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

ok maybe it is chip just looked to light in color to me. i do agree the mouth looks a little weird for auratus


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## Seetah (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies I think you are all right its a chip. I thought it was a Melanochromis auratus because of the coloration but I see what you guys are talking about with the chip coloration. He is with 8 other cichlids I dont know what all the other breeds are other then he is with 2 electric yellow cichlids, a all orange, a blue with black strips up and down. A all dark blue with black around the tail.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Seetah said:


> Thanks for all the replies I think you are all right its a chip. I thought it was a Melanochromis auratus because of the coloration but I see what you guys are talking about with the chip coloration. He is with 8 other cichlids I dont know what all the other breeds are other then he is with 2 electric yellow cichlids, a all orange, a blue with black strips up and down. A all dark blue with black around the tail.


Need to know the size of the tank and its dimensions.


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## Seetah (Apr 12, 2013)

It's a 45 gallon bow front tank 30" long, 18" high, and 12" deep


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Tank is too small for most of those fish except the yellow labs if that is what they are. I think you have a kenyi and a red zebra as well. Really need a 4' tank minimum. If you don't have plans to upgrade to a larger tank you need to rethink your stocklist. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

As they continue to grow and mature you are going to run into the same problems you are having now.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

when i said auratus i was on my work computer and the colors looked different. i have egg all over my face now after looking at it on my home pc.


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