Diamond Tetra VS. Krib Cichlid?

RocketGarStar

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 7, 2018
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Okay, so, I've absolutely never seen this before - but I recently just bought a pair (Male and female) of kirbensis cichlids for my 29 gallon community. I have had a school of 6 diamond tetras for since I got the 29 up and running, and the leader of this school is the biggest, flashiest diamond I've ever seen. his fins are longer than the rest of the school's, and he is just bigger than the rest of them. He's also kind of aggressive for a tetra. So, the male krib is settled right away after I put him in, nice and easy, and has already staked out and started to defend his territory. Then, here comes "Big Daddy", as my mother has nicknamed the leader of the diamond tetra school.
They actually started to do that mouth fighting thing that many cichlids do, but I had NEVER seen it done between species! Has anyone else seen this before, and know how/why?
 

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
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Okay, so, I've absolutely never seen this before - but I recently just bought a pair (Male and female) of kirbensis cichlids for my 29 gallon community. I have had a school of 6 diamond tetras for since I got the 29 up and running, and the leader of this school is the biggest, flashiest diamond I've ever seen. his fins are longer than the rest of the school's, and he is just bigger than the rest of them. He's also kind of aggressive for a tetra. So, the male krib is settled right away after I put him in, nice and easy, and has already staked out and started to defend his territory. Then, here comes "Big Daddy", as my mother has nicknamed the leader of the diamond tetra school.
They actually started to do that mouth fighting thing that many cichlids do, but I had NEVER seen it done between species! Has anyone else seen this before, and know how/why?



Yes made a fatal mistake putting a lemon tetra and diamond tetras in with Mbuna African Cichlids even though the tetras fought back they were no match for the Cichlids I felt real bad afterwards. The Kribs may possibly out match the Diamond Tera especially if the Kribensis spawn.
 

Ogertron3000

Potamotrygon
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Nov 6, 2017
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I've never seen this before, wouldn't have imagined a tetra would be territorial. Hopefully the tetra will realise it's outgunned and stay out of the kribs turf. I don't think it will end well for the tetra if he persists in trying to state down a krib, especially if they start breeding.
 
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RocketGarStar

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 7, 2018
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
I've never seen this before, wouldn't have imagined a tetra would be territorial. Hopefully the tetra will realise it's outgunned and stay out of the kribs turf. I don't think it will end well for the tetra if he persists in trying to state down a krib, especially if they start breeding.
Yeah, I hope they don't tussle too much, because the tetra is actually a lot burlier than the krib. I'm not worried about either, I was just very curious about the mouth to mouth behavior.
 

Ogertron3000

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Nov 6, 2017
1,260
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Australia
Yeah, I hope they don't tussle too much, because the tetra is actually a lot burlier than the krib. I'm not worried about either, I was just very curious about the mouth to mouth behavior.
Hopefully the krib will just stake out a small area and they will leave each other alone. Will be interested in seeing a pic or video if you can get one as I think it would be amusing to see.
 
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tiger15

Goliath Tigerfish
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Oct 1, 2012
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I've never seen this before, wouldn't have imagined a tetra would be territorial. Hopefully the tetra will realise it's outgunned and stay out of the kribs turf. I don't think it will end well for the tetra if he persists in trying to state down a krib, especially if they start breeding.
Tetra is no angel. Tetra include some of the most vicious predators such as piranhna, wolf fish, vampire tetra, pike and barracuda characin that prey on cichlid. Most aquarium tetra are small tetra that appear harmless, but they all exhibit strong pecking order and males fight for females. So it is advised to keep a group of 6 or more or else the weaker ones will be target of bully to death. Keeping a single tetra will make it either skittish or once settled it will pick fight with other fish.
 

RocketGarStar

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Mar 7, 2018
107
37
31
24
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tetra is no angel. Tetra include some of the most vicious predators such as piranhna, wolf fish, vampire tetra, pike and barracuda characin that prey on cichlid. Most aquarium tetra are small tetra that appear harmless, but they all exhibit strong pecking order and males fight for females. So it is advised to keep a group of 6 or more or else the weaker ones will be target of bully to death. Keeping a single tetra will make it either skittish or once settled it will pick fight with other fish.
My school is a school of 6.
 
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