I want to do a pair in a 135 w/out a divider, as it will be in the wife's room vs. the fish room. Her flowerhorn unfortunately passed, so I have a free tank and too many of the above growing and starting to scrap in the 300. Based on experience of the above 5 (Trimac/Chancho/Amarillo/Barred & Regular Midas), which pairs do you find are the most and least aggressive towards the female? I'm interested in the fish pair bond as much or more than the fry, so that is another reason I don't want to do the divider.
I ask as I have Males on all above, and only a pair of the Trimacs, which has been a pain. They can do a lot of damage very quickly. I started off w/ similar sized Trimacs around 6" and she wanted to kill him. I grew them up to where he was a little bit bigger, and he tried to kill her. I had to use a full divider as they were too close in size (nowhere she could go that he couldn't get to). I now have a 10" male and 7" female w/ an open divider for her (has multiple holes) in a 75 gallon. I tried w/ tons of pots and pipes, and when he goes nuts she panics and doesn't go to these safe places. I can only seem to keep her safe if she has a guaranteed getaway w/ multiple openings. She comes over now and then, but won't lay eggs now. He really intimidates her - nice as can be, and then just flips a switch. I fear it would be the same thing in the 135, only that I have a ton of Kribensis and a synodontis that they could chase. She would still have her safe pots and driftwood piles, but I fear she would panic again, and it could end quickly. He is getting very powerful.
Any suggestions, and do you all think it would be different getting a girl for my Chancho, Amarillo, Barred or Regular midas - and just keeping the male Trimac as a wet pet?
I ask as I have Males on all above, and only a pair of the Trimacs, which has been a pain. They can do a lot of damage very quickly. I started off w/ similar sized Trimacs around 6" and she wanted to kill him. I grew them up to where he was a little bit bigger, and he tried to kill her. I had to use a full divider as they were too close in size (nowhere she could go that he couldn't get to). I now have a 10" male and 7" female w/ an open divider for her (has multiple holes) in a 75 gallon. I tried w/ tons of pots and pipes, and when he goes nuts she panics and doesn't go to these safe places. I can only seem to keep her safe if she has a guaranteed getaway w/ multiple openings. She comes over now and then, but won't lay eggs now. He really intimidates her - nice as can be, and then just flips a switch. I fear it would be the same thing in the 135, only that I have a ton of Kribensis and a synodontis that they could chase. She would still have her safe pots and driftwood piles, but I fear she would panic again, and it could end quickly. He is getting very powerful.
Any suggestions, and do you all think it would be different getting a girl for my Chancho, Amarillo, Barred or Regular midas - and just keeping the male Trimac as a wet pet?
