Electric blue acara issue

[Raph02]

Just got a couple of questions for you all! I have 3 electric blue acara’s and for the last year they have all gotten along great now the last few weeks one of them has really started to lash out at the other two. This one I’m assuming is a female (see attached picture) but it’s been the one torturing the other two, lip locking and she’s damaging the other twos mouths and chasing them all over my tank which is a 135 gallon. So I have them separated and now my question is is she trying to mate or is this just purely aggression and should they not ever be put back into the tank together? I've tried rearranging the tank and re introducing her back into my main tank and every time she chases the other two around to the point where they are hiding in a corner at the bottom or sucking for air and the top they get so stressed when she goes back in. Any input is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[tlindsey]

Male and female EBA almost look identical. It could be a all males or females the best way to sex them is by venting. A female EBA can become highly aggressive if eggs , wriggler's , or fry is present.

 

[Raph02]

Male and female EBA almost look identical. It could be a all males or females the best way to sex them is by venting. A female EBA can become highly aggressive if eggs , wriggler's , or fry is present.

thanks for the reply! I’m not into venting haha so that’s out but I was just going by how much more round the dorsal fin was then my other two these are my other two the one older looking one is about 8 and a half years old. So he’s the main reason I don’t want this other one stressing him out to much at his age. But I just wasn’t sure what was going on since like I said the last year they have all been great together but they don’t have any eggs, wrigglers or fry in the tank I would have noticed those.

 

[tlindsey]

thanks for the reply! I’m not into venting haha so that’s out but I was just going by how much more round the dorsal fin was then my other two these are my other two the one older looking one is about 8 and a half years old. So he’s the main reason I don’t want this other one stressing him out to much at his age. But I just wasn’t sure what was going on since like I said the last year they have all been great together but they don’t have any eggs, wrigglers or fry in the tank I would have noticed those.

View attachment 1452595

View attachment 1452596

I would definitely seperate them. Great to hear about the 8 yr old one.

 

[tlindsey]

Fish especially Cichlids can grow up together and then one day one will go mad.

 

[Raph02]

Fish especially Cichlids can grow up together and then one day one will go mad.

Ya that’s kind of what I feel like has happened. I’ve tried everything I can think of it’s pretty much leave that one in and it would literally stress my other two out so much that they wouldn’t last long or rehome the other one which is what I’m leaning towards at this point.

 

[tlindsey]

Ya that’s kind of what I feel like has happened. I’ve tried everything I can think of it’s pretty much leave that one in and it would literally stress my other two out so much that they wouldn’t last long or rehome the other one which is what I’m leaning towards at this point.

Had a pair but when they spawned the female nearly killed the male. I seperated them for awhile but they never spawned again.

 

[Raph02]

Had a pair but when they spawned the female nearly killed the male. I seperated them for awhile but they never spawned again.

I’ve had quite a few of these over the years but have never had an issue until now but all my other ones have always been definitive males and this is the only one have had where I think it’s a female and I’m having issues. They never spawned again but were they able to live in the same tank anymore afterwards?

 

[BIG-G]

My guess is the first fish you’ve posted is a younger male that has finally reached spawning age.
In his frustration he is lashing out.

 

[duanes]

A 100+ gal tank is not a very large space when it comes to dominence issues for cichlids (even as small as Acaras) come into their own (maturity).
About 2 years ago I added 15 wild caught Andinoacaar coerloeopuntatus juvies to a 180 tank (close cousins to your EBs). They were mostly fine until about a year later, when recently when 2 males matured, and basically took over alpha status. These 2 males killed all the other males, and a number of non-receptive females.
One pair became totally dominent, and spawned 3 times.
I had to removed the lesser male to save its life.
The pair are now in total control of the entire 180 gal tank, keeping 2 other females in upper well planted corners of the tank
Below, one of the extra females, hiding in floating terrestrial foliage.

Non-cichlids like large tetras are in less peril from the pair, guarding fry, but that's only because of their lightning speed.

The male above is only about 6", female smaller by @ 2"
.
I know that in the 6 ft space of a tank (lust looking in as a human) that amount room seems significant to us.
But to a territorial cichlid carving out its life, its quite insignificant.

The male I moved to save its life (above)is barely noticeable in its new 125 gal space.
But that space is nothing for an alpha pair guarding ts coveted territory.