Can fish "gang up" on another fish?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
No.. there are 2 females in the tank. And the female RTM has only ever shown interest in the Jag. The others could care less.

The large male midas lived with 3 female midevils, and he ignored them all.

The only one trying to get freaky is the RTM.

So I know it wasn't a case of them pairing up. I'm not new to cichlids or them pairing up.. If there was any indication of them pairing up, they would have been removed, but it was only the RTM showing any interest.
 
Is the jag still alive? I've found a bath (I do it in a bucket after I net the fish for a few minutes) of methylene blue to help in this situation just from personal experience. Then lights out with lots of O2 in the water.

I mean, I have to ask, did you really not see something like this coming? I've told you this tank is a ticking time bomb for quite a while. It's not personal, I've lost a number of CAs due to aggression (EVERYONE who keeps these guys has!). Just lost my cutteri female a few weeks back after being in a community tank for months and months and being absolutely fine. Still have no idea who did it. And you're keeping REALLY aggressive species known to snap after being fine for periods of time.
What're your plans now? Gonna split some stuff up?
 
The Jag did not make it.

The RTM is moving to a 20 on my rack until she gets sold or until I can move her somewhere else.

And the barred midas are going to The Pet Place tomorrow.

The smallest fish 4" did the most damage. I assumed that because the Jag was much larger 9" that he could handle himself.. hell, he could fit the fishes whole face in his mouth. It wasn't the larger fish that did this to him. This worked out for more than a year, and other than 1 small fish doing the majority of the damage, this would have continued to work.

I have a male amphilo saggitae that I look to be moving into the tank, so it will be only 3 large cichlids, with the bichirs.

The MOST aggressive by reputation in my tank are not the aggressors at all. haha. The large mature Midas at 11", and the Male Festae at about 7-8".
 
He was my first cichlid into SA/CA cichlids. He never had a problem with anyone. This sucks.

I've got Hondurans I am growing out, but they already have an aggressive personality.. so it's gonna be hard to find one like him. :(
 
aclockworkorange said:
I've told you this tank is a ticking time bomb for quite a while.
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This was my thought before I finished reading the original post. I don't ever trust a cichlid no matter how peaceful they seem. I had a Texas and a black Shark that grew up together and were in a 125 by themselves for 3 years. Suddenly out of the blue the cichlid killed the Shark(they were both 11-12 inches).
 
Well, like I said, The problem cichlids are being removed.

there is actually someone coming to get them this evening. And then it will be a 3 fish tank (not including bichirs)
 
mshill90 said:
The smallest fish 4" did the most damage. I assumed that because the Jag was much larger 9" that he could handle himself.. hell, he could fit the fishes whole face in his mouth. It wasn't the larger fish that did this to him. This worked out for more than a year, and other than 1 small fish doing the majority of the damage, this would have continued to work.
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Size has no factor in this usually. I found this out the hard way as well. I had a JD and an O in a 125g together from juveniles and when the O started to grow much bigger than the JD, the JD saw him as a threat and beat the crap out of him daily, even being much smaller than the O. I had to separate them with a second tank. Definitely a frustrating situation to deal with in the keeping cichlid experience.
 
Jon M said:
Size has no factor in this usually. I found this out the hard way as well. I had a JD and an O in a 125g together from juveniles and when the O started to grow much bigger than the JD, the JD saw him as a threat and beat the crap out of him daily, even being much smaller than the O. I had to separate them with a second tank. Definitely a frustrating situation to deal with in the keeping cichlid experience.
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Well, every time I go downstairs the smaller female fish that killed him is sitting in the cave that he used to chill in, so I can only assume it had to do with her wanting that portion of the tank for herself.

The Jag is still alive, but he's upside down, and not moving.. only breathing. Going to Clove Oil him soon, and make a box for him and bury him. yes, I know it's just a fish.. but he's my fav.
 
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