Hey everyone new peacock bass keeper. I have 2 kelberi bass 4.5-6.5 and 2 xingu bass both around 6 in a 210gal. Everything was going well for a while but then noticed one of my xingu pretty much charges all 3 bass n puts his mouth on them but isn't bitting but it's non-stop for a day and then everything is normal and then a few days later it comes back. I'm assuming he's showing his dominance but no one is fighting back so not sure why he will keep doing it over and over again. Would a dither fish like tin foil barbs, geophagus or silver dollars help with this aggression or do I need to add more bass?
Aggression
- Thread starter Been_away2long
- Start date
Sounds like they are just figuring out the pecking order. Adding more bass may help but if there is a particular one the dominant guy hates it won’t solve much, and it is a heavy increase on bioload. Dithers don’t really act as targets, they just make fish feel more comfortable.
Try adding more breaks in the line of sight and rearranging decor.
Try adding more breaks in the line of sight and rearranging decor.
It's a dominance display. It keeps reminding the others that it is higher in the hierarchy than the rest of them, especially if it sees the other bass going after food. It's basically saying, " Hey, I'm top dog, so you better not take food from me!"
No need for dithers because he will still do it to the other bass.
No need for dithers because he will still do it to the other bass.
Ok they have been in the tank for 3 weeks or so that's what I figured was going on. Hes picking on all 3 but not hurting or chasing more like showing aggression, but my kelberi is bigger then him and is starting to get annoyed and is opening his mouth and flaring but then backs down. I also have 2 rays in the tank so I only have some drift wood on the right side of the tank where he hangs out
Does the 1 Xingu chase them when they swim to the area of the driftwood? If so dominance and this is my space. Maybe try rearranging the driftwood and see if that will help.