# Bully fish, What to do ????????



## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

I bought a red peacock and a electric blue zebra. The zebra was maybe 1/4 inch smaller than the red peacock. Next day the zebra is gone.....

Go back to fish store, replace zebra with another cichild (orange solid color) and also picked up 2 cory cats

Red peacock will not stop chasing all of them around no matter where they are in the tank and the peacock is the same size as everything....

I don't know what to do !!!!! Should I get another fish that is bigger than the Peacock>?????


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

What are the dimensions of this aquarium?

What are all of the fish in the tank?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

The orange solid colored cichlid--if African--could be another zebra (metriaclima estherae--red zebra). And cichlids usually fight for territory, food, breeding rights, etc. So, tank size is important info for us to know. :thumb:


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

55 gallon long

2 african cichilds (red peacock and a orange one)
2 cory cats


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

You need more fish to spread the aggression of the African cichlids. Your peacock has probably claimed a large part of the tank and is now thinking it wants the whole thing, ha.

I've heard that, in general, with a 55g tank you can have 3 species with 1 male : 4-5 females.

Though, you need to find out if your peacock species is going to be okay with the mbuna you have.

You can have a lot of fun setting up a 55. Good luck :thumb:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

toume said:


> You need more fish to spread the aggression of the African cichlids.


Exactly... you'll need at least eight cichlids in this tank for it to even start to work.. and the capacity is for there to be more. If you are going to keep just males, or a bunch of different types, you'll want to pick up six to eight fish to go from where you are now. I would plan carefully what you get, in order to ensure some probability of compatibility.

If you want breeding groups, that is a different story altogether.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'm surprised that the red peacock is not the one who is gone. Maybe post pics of your fish to determine what you have now for sure. Check out the profile for metriaclima estherae to see if this is your solid orange fish.

Peacocks and mbuna may not be the ideal mix.

Cory catfish may be unhappy with the high pH that is ideal for Rift Lake Africans, and may be really unhappy with their aggression. I'd trade in the cories for a group of 5-6 synodontis lucipinnis.


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

the cory cats seem to be doing great, they actually have been chasing the peacock away when he gets aggressive !!! haha

it has calmed down a little today since yesterday first introduction them all

I would like to get about 6 more african cichilds but i can't add them all at once correct?

and no i am not trying to do anything with breeding


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Fogelhund said:


> I would plan carefully what you get, in order to ensure some probability of compatibility.


This part is really important to do before you go to the fish store. Have you decided to do all-male? Because if you have, you need one of each species with no two looking alike. You probably want to decide what to get before you go.

Most fish do fine for a couple days-weeks-months, but if you want the cories for long term you might re-think cichlids. If you do a search on cories you can read the experiences of some others. What I've seen reading this forum over the last 5 years is they have _maybe _a 50% chance to survive.

All male tanks are more challenging than mixed gender tanks because it's hard to predict which males will get along, the same mix does not work for everyone. Read about them in the all-male article in the library. With all-male it's good to have an extra tank or two for rejects.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

I just recently had to remove my julie cories from the tank with a mated pair of Central American cichlids. They were fine until the cichs laid eggs and hatched the fry. Cories are almost blind, going more by scent, and they just keep getting into trouble. They had almost all of their barbels ripped off. I'm not sure they'll grow back (one looks promising). They need the barbels to move around and find food. Now Af. cichs are moutbrooders, so it could be a different story...but cories are a very peaceful fish. I would remove them when you're fish start reaching a mature age (and can start breeding).


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

do not plan on breeding, prob going to get 2 plecos also


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

they have all mellowed out now and seem to be doing much better

plan on adding 3 more on saturday

not sure exactlly what yet, pet store had 2 all white africans, a pair of jewels, some zebras, bumble bees, and some all yellow


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

ok so I added a few more fish last Saturday....they definitely mellowed out a lot more now thank goodness

I added: 1 blue cobalt cichlid, yellow lab, pleco

total tank now:

1 red peacock
1 red zebra
1 yellow lab
1 cobalt blue

2 cory cats
1 pleco

trying to figure out if I want to add anymore yet or not...


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

With that many species, I'd watch them carefully. Especially the zebras. They're probably ok now, depending on how old they are--I'm thinking they're all juvies. But once they get a yr old, the zebras are going to get more aggressive with claiming their territory.

Just watch them, and see how it goes. But be aware that you may need a bigger tank to get more females for any male mbuna you have (they're harem-breeders, even if you don't plan to keep the fry--their aggression will heighten without females. Or run down the current females.)

Good luck!


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## mk3vdub (Oct 6, 2010)

im not that good at sexing them but i always though most of what was sold at generic places like petsmart (where all mine have come from) were males

i hadnt plan on breeding but again I am not exactly sure how that works either with females etc.... i had planned on just buying only one of certain breeds and trying not to get any of the same so they wouldnt team up on the others

any tips for other breeds/species to add? I don't want to over crowd my tank is pretty full or plants and rocks/wood which as the fish grow i had planned on removing some artificial plants if needed for swim space

i do have plenty of filtration tho also to add more


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you have one of each and mix males and females, even if they are different genus, they will crossbreed. Not to mention a bunch of males will fight over a single female in the tank, possibly killing her and each other. No guarantee the store sells only males and your fish have males and females with the same color, at least when juvenile.

If they are juveniles and getting along for now, you can try to ID females to remove as the fish mature.

You already have too many species and too many metriaclima to do mixed gender breeding groups in a 55G. The fish will breed if both genders are present with no effort on your part.

1 red peacock 
1 red zebra=Metriaclima estherae
1 yellow lab=Labidochromis caeruleus
1 cobalt blue=Metriaclima callainos?

You could add Iodotropheus sprengerae for rust/purple. Pseudotropheus Saulosi for blue bars. Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Maingano) for blue stripes. Pseudotropheus Socolofi albino for solid white.

With all male tanks there is no guarantee. You just have to try the fish and remove any that don't work.


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## Ctwells47 (Oct 1, 2010)

I was actually wanting to post question about aggressive fish....I have a 29 gal tank and I have 2 Cories and there are 6 African Cichlids and I added one this past weekend (making it 7) and he's (not really sure of the sex) chasing everyone around the tank...everyone was quite mellow before this last one was added. He dug out all of the gravel from under the "house" that I have in there (there are also other caves in the tank). Any suggestions?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Ctwells47 said:


> I was actually wanting to post question about aggressive fish....I have a 29 gal tank and I have 2 Cories and there are 6 African Cichlids and I added one this past weekend (making it 7) and he's (not really sure of the sex) chasing everyone around the tank...everyone was quite mellow before this last one was added. He dug out all of the gravel from under the "house" that I have in there (there are also other caves in the tank). Any suggestions?


What kind of Af. cichlids do you have (numbers and sex if known)?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Ctwells47 you might want to start another topic to get replies so we don't hyjack the mk3vdub's thread.


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