# Strawberry peacocks /overly aggressive?



## fancy diver (Mar 21, 2009)

I have a strawberry that has recently claimed dominance over most of the tank. This is a well established group of mostly male haps and peacocks evenly distributed. I knew something strange was up when I added him, He was added solo and that usually entails being hazed by the residents. Instead he started to try to gain dominance right away. after that he was knocked down a bit but since then he has been really owning the tank (chasing the arguably dominant peacock to no end at times). 
Should I just accept the ever changing pecking order, or should I be wary of this "peacock" which I know to be a hybrid that may inherently have some "EXTRA" aggression.

Any insight would be great.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

If I have a male take over a 1/3 of my 6ft tank he goes. Some individuals are simply UFC fighters and there is nothing you are going to do with them.

The point is to 'craft' a tank that works for you - e.g. - all male has been an on going balancing act for me, I don't find relentless chasing relaxing or enjoyable so I don't tolerate it, someone goes.

The mixed gender approach without breeding groups will be difficult to add to if you have a balance IME, for me one of the males always became hyper-aggressive at some point. I stopped trying that about 20 years ago.

IME, the pecking order will always change some, and some males will be extra aggressive as they don't tend to read their profiles on how they should behave.

Basically, what can you tolerate watching because they are not going to shake fins and become friends.

Good Luck.


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## marvo (Nov 24, 2010)

i isolated a bad boy in a 10 gal. for a while it worked


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

IMO, I would take the aggressor out. 
Relentless chasing leads to stress which can equate to illness. If you don't want to get rid of him quite yet, remove him into a quarantine tank. Then rearrange the rock work and re-introduce him.


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