Do fish respect other fish naturally?

[4kidsnomoney]

I bought two l brichardi for my tank (being sold in pet land as tiger barbs) they are way to small for the tank (will be moved purchasing new tank for them) - about the same size of the minnows fed to the belonesox. The belonesox will eat every minnow in tank after 2-3 days. In the midst of staring belonesox trying to get them to eat dry or frozen food. They do not even look at brichardi?
Any ideas?

 

[guppy]

Perhaps it is the wide body shape that keeps the belonesox from eating them

 

[4kidsnomoney]

Perhaps it is the wide body shape that keeps the belonesox from eating them

possibly but the pets store once put a goldfish in there with the minnows a big goldfish and they did not eat it but they killed it - I am just putting the question out there - i cant see it being true but u guys have a lot more exerience then me

 

[Epic Fabrications]

When I first put my EBJD in my 125 with 4 midsize Pacu, he was about the size of the feeders. They wouldnt mess with him for some reason... He's grown to about 6" now, while the Pacu are about 10-14"....they definitely respect him. He seem like the kind of fish thats just a good friend. He never fights for food, he sticks to himself, he breaks up fights quite a bit. He's almost the father figure, at half the size of his children. When the Pacu are near him, they straighten out, and act very docile. When he's sleeping behind the rock, the Pacu are fighting like ninja's

 

[Nabbig2]

When I first put my EBJD in my 125 with 4 midsize Pacu, he was about the size of the feeders. They wouldnt mess with him for some reason... He's grown to about 6" now, while the Pacu are about 10-14"....they definitely respect him. He seem like the kind of fish thats just a good friend. He never fights for food, he sticks to himself, he breaks up fights quite a bit. He's almost the father figure, at half the size of his children. When the Pacu are near him, they straighten out, and act very docile. When he's sleeping behind the rock, the Pacu are fighting like ninja's

Maybe they are afraid of your ebjd.

 

[Umbra]

Many predators might actually recognize cichlids and other "perch like" fish with spiny dorsal and anal fins as harder to swallow and tend to avoid eating them if other food is available.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

it probably didnt see them as an "easy" meal or the kind of fish that is likely prey.