# my tank is brutal! ! !



## klc9100 (Apr 14, 2009)

i've got a 75g with 14 mbunas in it. they are VERY active. they chase each other around all the time. they're very entertaining to watch. they nip at each other some (but i think all cichlids do). but for the most part, they all seem to get along fine. there is never any "real fighting". anyway, my intention was to work my way up to 20 to 22 fish. i've been adding fish slowly, because i had an ammonia problem early on. the last 3 fish i added (one at a time) didn't make a whole day. when i put them in, the others immediatly gang up on the new one and start attacking it. it's not a pretty site. the first 2 were killed. so yesterday, i went to the store and intentionally got a large fish that seemed to be very aggressive. i figured it would be able to defend himself and the others would leave him alone. well, by yesterday afternoon, i had to take him back out and return him to the store. they had eaten one of his fins and about 1/2 of his tail off. they would have surely killed him.

what can i do to add more fish????? i know that increasing the number of fish is suppose to reduce aggression. they won't let me add more fish though. should i add 3 or 4 at one time, maybe? i don't know. any advice would be appreciated.


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

What r the dominant fish in ur tank? Try adding more than one fish, it worked for me. :wink:


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

One thing that can make the addition of new fish easier is if you take out all your decorations: plants, rock work, and make a nice water change. After the water change, re-arrange your rock work and plants in a new style so that no fish has his or her claim to a space. Shortly after feed your fish and turn off the lighting. Once your tank has been clean, re-arranged, and the lights are off add your new fish. Try to do this while floating your new fish, if you do this then wait days to add new fish your fish will establish territories. This may give them a better chance especially if everyone is in the mode of trying to re-establish themselves to their new surroundings. If that doesn't work you might need to take out some of the big dogs and place them in another tank for a couple of days to allow the new fish to feel comfortable, then re-introduce them.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Adding fish to an established African tank can be challenging. If would help if we could see a list of all the fish you have and their sizes. It's highly possible that your mix is problematic to begin with . . .


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

To add to Bigfish77's post, I also make sure to do everything stated and add new fish right before lights out for the entire night.

When fish wake up the next morning, they are more concerned with the tank rearrangement than these "new" fish that there at the same time.


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## klc9100 (Apr 14, 2009)

thanks for the replies:

jhunbj - i wouldn't really call any of them dominant. they all have their "moments". there isn't one, or a few that are bullies. they kinda all seem to do their thing, and all is well, until i put a newbie in there. i may try adding more than one at a time. i added too many at once before my cycle was complete and caused a tremendous ammonia spike, so i've been nervous about it every since. the tank still isn't even 2 months old.

BigFish77 - i may have to try rearranging. i hate to, because i just finally got it like i like it. i have to try something though.

hollyfish2000 - i don't know much about the different species. i'm new to the hobby. the guy at the pet store told me they were mbunas. when i go in, i always buy from the same display tank. since yall are trying to help me, i did want to put some effort in. according to the ID chart here:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/a ... allery.php

i think this is a list of my fish (to the best of my ability):

4 x metriaclima lombardoi
2 x pseudotropheus crabro
2 x labidochromis caeruleus 
1 x labeotropheus trewavasae
1 x malanochromis auratus
1 x metriaclima estherae
1 x nimbochromis livingstonii
1 x jewel cichlid
1 x shiny silver w/ black verticle stripes (didn't really look like any at that link)

* they are all between 2.5 and 3.5 inches long.

Number6 - should i add the new fish while the light is on, and then turn it off? or should i turn the light off, and add the fish in the dark?


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## sarah79 (Apr 14, 2009)

i would add a bag of live food in with your new fish. The others will be too busy chasing that around and will soon forget about the new fish, that usually works for me  and rearanging the tank decor too as soon as the fish is introduced is a good idea too


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

A tank of bruisers! Good luck!

To add new fish do as the others are saying and add food to the tank when adding the new fish as it acts as a distraction.


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

sarah79 said:


> i would add a bag of live food in with your new fish. The others will be too busy chasing that around and will soon forget about the new fish, that usually works for me  and rearanging the tank decor too as soon as the fish is introduced is a good idea too


Not a good idea. Most of the fish that klc9100 have r prone to having bloat, so again not a good idea . BigFish77's suggestion is a bit extreme, I don't think I'll take out all the rocks and decorations out of my 90G just to add 3 fish.....take out NO....rearrange YES. :lol:


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## BigFish77 (Feb 1, 2009)

Well most people need to take out their rock in order to re-arrange it :thumb: I thought that was pretty much common knowlegde :lol:


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

BigFish77 said:


> Well most people need to take out their rock in order to re-arrange it :thumb: I thought that was pretty much common knowlegde :lol:


Take out some not ALL OF IT!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:


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## josmoloco (Aug 23, 2008)

BigFish, I do the same thing when doing a good snd cleaning, 90% of the rock goes.

And to jhunbj
:lol: :lol: :lol: :?

I don't agree


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

josmoloco said:


> BigFish, I do the same thing when doing a good snd cleaning, 90% of the rock goes.
> 
> And to jhunbj
> :lol: :lol: :lol: :?
> ...


Well obviously you have less than 250 lbs of rock in ur tank....just wasn't practical in my case to remove all those rocks(not to mention all the deco) just to introduce 3 freaking fish :lol: . I've been doing this for more than 4 yrs and didn't even bother cleaning the sand.....powerhead does it for me.  :lol: :lol: :lol: and a group of Syno Petricola. :wink: :wink:


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## Scooby01 (Apr 1, 2009)

I added 2 Red Jewels and 2 Electric blue johanni with no problems and all I did was clean the tank and an obvious water change. My tank is setup with deco's but designed in a method that no one can really claim anything as their fortress of solitude. Adding new fish to an already mature tank is hard; In my opinion observing your individual fish behavior is critical to knowing if it's going to be easy or succesful for that matter. Anything is possible and you do not necessarily need to re landscape the entire tank but it all depends on your individual fish. If they are very territorial then, yeah I'd re do the landscape but if not then it may not be necessary.


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