Fish Fighting

[Lols182]

Hello,

I recently purchased a new 55G tank (long) and ever since I have made the Jack Dempsey stop being anti social, he has done nothing but harass the Blood Parrot and Geophagus. In the former tank he had a log that he sat in and guarded with his life. Pushing and even lip locking the parrot to push him out if he ever attempted to come in, and he'd never leave this log unless it was night time. As you can imagine for a JD this is quite boring so I haven't promoted such a lifestyle in the new tank, but instead I've done heavy plants.

With that said, the JD follows the parrot around consistently. We're on day two of this and he never loses sight of the parrot. And if by any chance they end up on different sides of the tank, you can bet that within a minute or two they'll be back together. The parrot isn't really putting up any kind of fight. It's a lot of stare downs, sitting still right next to each other, and pushing by the JD.

The Parrot, due to his personable nature and the JD's rather anti social attitude for whatever reason have prompted me to take sides with the parrot in defending its interests in a healthy lifestyle. I understand that cichlids will do what they do, but there is typically a point in which they cut it out, but I haven't seen it yet. And for 3 fish in such a large tank at a young age (little under a year) this shouldn't be such an issue.

I am just curious if you all think this is something I need to take note of, or will the parrot be just fine? It can't be good for a fish to be stressed and hovered over 24/7. Let me know what you think.

 

[Aquanero]

Cichlids have varying levels of agression, some being more apt to accepting tank mates than others. When you say I made my JD stop being anti-social does that mean you added the parrot to the JD's tank? If that is the case the JD views the parrot as invading it's terratory and could/will kill the parrot which due to it's deformed mouth is going to be unable to defend itself against a JD. The harrasment could be relentless and will continue until the parrot is driven from the tank or dead whichever comes first.

You could try removing the JD from the tank for a week or two reaganging all the decor to create different terratorial boundrys and then reintroducing them. This could work but there is no garentee. If you put the log back in the tank he might just calm down too. It's worth a shot.You didn't mention how big these fish are but remember a grown or even a juvi JD will easly clame the whole tank as it's own. With cichlids compatability is always a crap shoot. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. You maight want to consider using a divider and split the tank in half if you have no other tank available. GL

 

[letstalkfish]

JD's seem to have a varying degree of aggression and it seems to basically be a personality trait. Honestly, if you want to keep them together, I would give the JD his log back. I've had mean JDs and wimpy JDs, but I've never been able to change one

 

[Reaper13]

Sounds like the JD has claimed the tank and will not tolerate the parrot. Which if the parrot is as passive as you let on then it will probably end up killed. You can try removing the JD for a few months then try reintroducing it. Good luck you might just have a JD that will not tolerate any rommmates. 55gal isn't a lot of territorial footprint either though. You might have better luck in a 75g-125g

 

[Lols182]

Nah, they've been tank mates since they were tiny little fish. He literally never left his log in the other tank, I don't understand why because I made sure myself and everyone else approached the tank calmly and never thumped on the tank etc. For the longest time those two never harassed each other, but I think it was because they had a common enemy being a belly crawler pike. Once I removed the pike, the balance of power shifted and the Dempsey took over the bullying position, albeit up until the tank change and now that he doesn't have a log to sit in 24/7 he is up everyone's ass all of the time. He isn't even biting, just pushing and staring/hovering. I know no matter what it's unhealthy. I can't say I am willing to put the log back in the tank, as he is getting larger and will eventually outgrow the log and I didn't buy a JD to have it act like a catfish. I'll likely give it to a LFS if I can't come to some form of fix. I also don't view a divider as a fix. I know it sounds like I'm being stingy but the parrot and Geophagus have always been calm natured, and now the JD is being the bastard child lol. Oh well I suppose...

 

[cichlidfish]

Cichlids varry in temperment, and the aggression never calms down. IME sometimes even large tanks don't always make a difference with certain fish. A 55g is smaller sized tank, so chances of things working out in the long run aren't good.

 

[Lols182]

Well, I expected tempermental fish from the beginning, however, I am as I said before more concerned about the Parrot than I am the JD. He's my gentle giant and I may just donate the JD to a LFS. Up until now I had been having such good luck with this group of 3 fish. Everyone says a 75 is much more necessary than a 55, even though other than depth (FtoB) they're the same dimensions. I don't think my problem would have been solved in a 75. If I were to get rid of him, I don't even know what I'd get in place of it. Nothing, perhaps.. Or maybe another parrot, or a bottom dweller. I don't know. I'm just frustrated as this Dempsey and Parrot have been nearly a years work in the making all for the Dempsey to make himself unwelcomed.