# One malawi cichlid with bad attitude



## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

So here is the situation, I have a pacefull tank with really less fights on where I have living:

2 Peacock fire fish
1 Peacock maleri
1 Peacock undefined
1 Copadichromis borleyi 
3 hybrids with sulphure head (maybe protomelas)
4 Blue hybrids that must be maybe a mix between copadichromis borleyi X Scianochromis friery

They make a normal life with really less problems, and recently I got this fish that Im not sure but I think can be an copadichromis Azureus and is so aggressive with all of them, also


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't think azureus are expected to be aggressive...maybe post a pic in Unidentified?

What are the dimensions of your tank?


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## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

Also, seems the fish is in heat, he try to spins with some of them, but they are males... ¿what can I do to reduce his agressivity?

You can see more pics here in undefined: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=256520

my tank is 240 liters, 1.20 x 40 x 50


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

anonimus said:


> Also, seems the fish is in heat, he try to spins with some of them, but they are males... ¿what can I do to reduce his agressivity?
> 
> You can see more pics here in undefined: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=256520
> 
> my tank is 240 liters, 1.20 x 40 x 50


Could be a display of dominance and as DJ mentioned the Azureus is not a very aggressive fish although if you have some females in your tank then that would explain it. As mentioned in your other thread I am not 100% certain it is a pure Azureus.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Definitely removing females and look-alike fish will help. For all-male you want one of each.

A lot of fish in there for an all-male 48" tank. I assume the 1.20=meters and the 40=centimeters?

Once you do that...you really can't make a fish less aggressive, but you can remove him which is something we expect to do with all-male tanks.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> Definitely removing females and look-alike fish will help. For all-male you want one of each.
> 
> A lot of fish in there for an all-male 48" tank. I assume the 1.20=meters and the 40=centimeters?
> 
> Once you do that...you really can't make a fish less aggressive, but you can remove him which is something we expect to do with all-male tanks.


Yeah and if you read through some of his threads in the unidentified forum you will see that many of the fish are similar and some very aggressive hybrids(some apear to be Borleyi, Ngara and sulfur head) as well. The problem he has mentioned before, living in Mexico, is his access to fish. I know how he feels because it is the same way in my area. That is why I resorted to buying online.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Borleyi are too big for the tank. Ngara and sulfur head are wimps so I would expect them to be harassed. Hybrids also can be more aggressive than pure fish. Just a couple of other thoughts for changing the mix.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> Borleyi are too big for the tank. Ngara and sulfur head are wimps so I would expect them to be harassed. Hybrids also can be more aggressive than pure fish. Just a couple of other thoughts for changing the mix.


It is actually the sulfur head hybrid haps coming in from asia. The Ngara is a hybrid of some sort with a hap. Who knows what they all are. It is just a very unpredictable mix he has.


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## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

hello guys! thanks for the answers...

well, In fact my hybrids, are not agressive, they all coexist very well in my tank (I dont know if I have some female in there). The problem comes with the possible "azureus" as I told before, I see him making the "ritual" of breeding with the maleri and with the one that have yellow on head... but at end he is very agressive with all the rest, everyone are hide on his presence.

The only one that he respect, is fire fish, the fire fish is not afraid of him, in that case is backwards the new blue, have afraid of fire fish...

here is a pic to give us an idea of what I have on my tank


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## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

BTW: the borleyi and the sulphure heads are very paceful guys, i´ve never see them chasing or fighting


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

the one on the bottom right MAY be a female since it appears to be the same size as the sunshine peacock with no coloration and rounded fins. I suspect the Azureus is trying to spawn with this fish and/or displaying his dominance to the tank as a whole. That is why he keeps siding up to and shimmying next to the other fish. He sees those other males as his biggest competitors. That won't last long though. The Borleyi, both sulfurheads and the sunburst peacock(orange one) will likely put a stop to that as they continue to mature because they will grow larger and just be flat out more aggressive. The sunburst will likely be the smallest of those but still pretty nasty. The haps will just grow too large for the Azureus to think twice about going after.

You may try removing the Azureus for a few weeks and see what happens. If you have a female in the tank it is likely that the next inline dominant fish will just continue that behavior.


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## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

13razorbackfan said:


> the one on the bottom right MAY be a female since it appears to be the same size as the sunshine peacock with no coloration and rounded fins. I suspect the Azureus is trying to spawn with this fish


That one haves just 4.5 centimeters, is just a camera effect, sunshine have 8 centimeters... is possible Azureus is trying with the grey peacock? :?

I mean, I see azureus and sunshine doing this: (Is just an example I find on youtube)





At te moment I will take the option to remove the azureus for some weeks, I hope this changes! I really like to keep it


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## anonimus (Nov 9, 2012)

By the way, I read this in another similar thread:


13razorbackfan said:


> Remove the aggressor to another tank for a minimum of 6 weeks. Removing for a day or two or to a net will do absolutely nothing to help the situation.


I think I will take this instructions, but I want to ask, why the aggressor fish should be separated by 6 weeks as minumum?

what exactly does this technique in the fish temperament or what are the effects after this?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The remaining fish have a chance to become brave and claim territories. When you add back the aggressor, since he no longer has a territory in the tank, it is possible the others will be able to compete better with him and fight back.

I have not had luck with time-outs...but a longer time-out has a better chance of working than a short one.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> The remaining fish have a chance to become brave and claim territories. When you add back the aggressor, since he no longer has a territory in the tank, it is possible the others will be able to compete better with him and fight back.
> 
> I have not had luck with time-outs...but a longer time-out has a better chance of working than a short one.


Yep....I tried a week to two weeks to three weeks and it took a minimum of 6 weeks on the occasions it worked for me. In one case it took 3 months. I think every fish is different so hard to say. May never work.

Anonimus you need to make sure you re-arrange all your rocks before adding the aggressor back to the main tank otherwise he will recognize his old territory and start the same behavior as before.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

you need to beat up the aggressor, try cutting off some part of the "tail fins" not tail.
then the other cichlids will start to bully the aggressor.
once the aggressor grows back the tail it will be less aggressive.

this method is taught to me by another local hobbists. who keep cichlids for more than 20years.
i tired on zebra obqliuens and it works. no joke.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

johnchor said:


> you need to beat up the aggressor, try cutting off some part of the "tail fins" not tail.
> then the other cichlids will start to bully the aggressor.
> once the aggressor grows back the tail it will be less aggressive.
> 
> ...


What?

Mutilation as a means to modify fish behaviour?

Frankly anybody who would do such a cruel thing shouldn't be keeping fish, and should be ashamed of themselves.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

johnchor said:


> you need to beat up the aggressor, try cutting off some part of the "tail fins" not tail.
> then the other cichlids will start to bully the aggressor.
> once the aggressor grows back the tail it will be less aggressive.
> 
> ...


Why not just dry it out like a sardine and put it on a pizza?


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## aicardi (Sep 15, 2012)

13razorbackfan said:


> johnchor said:
> 
> 
> > you need to beat up the aggressor, try cutting off some part of the "tail fins" not tail.
> ...


hehe... That'll teach him.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

aicardi said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > johnchor said:
> ...


LOL!! Bet he won't chase that other fish again!


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Fish aren't good or bad, they are just fish. They don't have bad attitudes, they have instinct. They can't choose to be 'good'. They can only do what their instinct demands of them. 
If you put together an aquarium and the fish don't get along, good grief!--Don't blame the fish and start chopping off body parts! Are you kidding me? Do some reading, ask some questions, (plenty of people here to help) and put together a tank that works.

Robin


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## cich2it (Jul 23, 2012)

Was that guy for real?? I NEVER thought I would read something like that...its disturbing..


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

cich2it said:


> Was that guy for real?? I NEVER thought I would read something like that...its disturbing..


That is like going next door and cutting a dogs tongue out because he won't stop barking.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

13razorbackfan said:


> That is like going next door and cutting a dogs tongue out because he won't stop barking.


I used to have neighbors who had their dogs' voice cords removed - no kidding!

I always gave those people a wide berth. No telling what nutters like that might come up with next :?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

fmueller said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > That is like going next door and cutting a dogs tongue out because he won't stop barking.
> ...


LOL...no telling what they would do to you!!


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