Cichla tank aggression

[joshs801]

so i have a male kelberi who is being an ass so i assume, but he is bullying the tank and chasing what i suspect to be a female mono the smaller of the two monos both females and he is reletless on attacking her and pushing her around and violently chasing her and nipping (biting) her

Is this some type of pre spawning behavior? cause i am sure with everything i have read and seen he (kelberi) would be mature at his size where cause i have another male ocell much smaller and he dont do this type of things and the kelberi dont mess with any of the other tank mates just her and he is making her freak out and hurt herself from running

help lol no deaths is the goal

 

[gangster]

maybe try and seperate her or add another cichla....

 

[haynchinook334]

or add another cichla....

I agree 100% with this. Three cichla in a tank with not target and/or dithers will attack the "weaker" one. I always had luck keeping three in a tank with silver dollar's, tin foil barbs and so on. Try and add a forth cichla and/or dithers. But if space is a factor, line of sight, add some floating plants (fake or real).

 

[joshs801]

there are four cichla in that tank two mono 1 ocell and the one kelberi and a bichir it seems to only be happening for 1-3 hours and then he is calm the rest of the time