Aggression & Feeding

[zyno]

Does underfeeding or skipping feedings lead to aggression?

In two of my separate tanks recently, the large alpha cichlid of each tank respectively, killed the next largest cichlid in the tank. All the fish in both tanks have been raised together since juveniles and never showed any signs of aggression out of the norm.

I have been busy recently and have not given the tanks as much attention as usual. My feeding schedule has been erratic and the fish have been underfed a little.

Could this lead to aggression? It is odd to me that two separate tanks in the course of two weeks had the alpha fish kill the next dominate.

Please reply.

Thanks,
T

 

[woofy]

Survival of the fittest. Reducing competition when food is scarce. Less food all of a sudden means in there mind something has changed in their environment. In the wild they would think theres no rain, its about to fight over mates or some other change. So other males start challenging each other.


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[Breid22]

Yup like any other animal when things are scarce competition is enhanced bringing out aggression! Usually the biggest threat is eliminated first