HELP! Green Terror Lip

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Depending on the size tank, certain cichlids don't play well with each other, and should not be kept in the same quarters.
Since they are divided its obvious(because both are territorial) the tank is not large enough for both, and they are lip locking to determine,( thru an egg crate divider )over dominance for the entire tank. And the festae has ripped off part of the GTs jaw. I have seen many cichlids lip lock thru dividers if determined enough.
How big is the tank?
 
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duanes said:
Depending on the size tank, certain cichlids don't play well with each other, and should not be kept in the same quarters.
Since they are divided its obvious(because both are territorial) the tank is not large enough for both, and they are lip locking to determine,( thru an egg crate divider )over dominance for the entire tank. And the festae has ripped off part of the GTs jaw. I have seen many cichlids lip lock thru dividers if determined enough.
How big is the tank?
Click to expand...
It's a 5 foot by 24 by 21
 
Approximately 100 gallons, should be OK, but seems the fish have determined its not enough for the both of them.
This is often the case, just because humans think it should work (be large enough), the fish don't, and it may be their opinion that matters most (I know way too anthropomorphic).
And maybe its just because there is only the 2.
Cichlids are often better off with many distractions to keep them occupied and keep the focus off each other, so with only 2 there is nothing else to focus on except killing each other.
I have kept female festae in a similar size tank without problems, but beside others territorial cichlids, I have used Tilapines as diversions, their constant back-n-forth keeps the territorial types guessing. And because they are also cichlids, sometimes do better as dithers/targets than non-cichlids. The problem with the crowding is maintenance like water changes often need to be doubled or tripled.

You may also notice, my other cichlids are larger than the festae, any smaller cichlid may have ended up toast.
 
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I had a similar issue.
One side of my divider was rougher to the touch than the other side and of course the more aggressive cichlid was on the rough side and he tore his lip up a bit.
I rotated the divider around so he had the smoother side.
Try that in the short term.
 
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duanes said:
Approximately 100 gallons, should be OK, but seems the fish have determined its not enough for the both of them.
This is often the case, just because humans think it should work (be large enough), the fish don't, and it may be their opinion that matters most (I know way too anthropomorphic).
And maybe its just because there is only the 2.
Cichlids are often better off with many distractions to keep them occupied and keep the focus off each other, so with only 2 there is nothing else to focus on except killing each other.
I have kept female festae in a similar size tank without problems, but beside others territorial cichlids, I have used Tilapines as diversions, their constant back-n-forth keeps the territorial types guessing. And because they are also cichlids, sometimes do better as dithers/targets than non-cichlids. The problem with the crowding is maintenance like water changes often need to be doubled or tripled.

You may also notice, my other cichlids are larger than the festae, any smaller cichlid may have ended up toast.
Click to expand...
So being that I currently can not move the festae or green terror to a different tank what do you suggest I do? Also do you belive the Lip will grow back?
 
If the bone is severed it may not grow back.
I would put another piece of egg crate over the current one to make it harder for them to make contact, and also put vertical and horizontal pieces in, to close any side gaps they can get a nose thru.

That said, any and all cichlid keepers need hospital/quarantine tanks, they are almost "the most" important accessory to keeping cichlids, without them, death and maiming is eminent.
 
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duanes said:
If the bone is severed it may not grow back.
I would put another piece of egg crate over the current one to make it harder for them to make contact, and also put vertical and horizontal pieces in, to close any side gaps they can get a nose thru.

That said, any and all cichlid keepers need hospital/quarantine tanks, they are almost "the most" important accessory to keeping cichlids, without them, death and maiming is eminent.
Click to expand...
So it’s been about a month since this happened and it started to get better until today when I noticed he damaged it further. I covered up the the eggcrate with two of the cheap 55 dividers so he couldn’t make contact with It until I could make a permanent fix but one fell down and now his lip is much worse. I added the salt again and I’m just wondering if now it’s just further damage from ramming into the divider or if something’s growing on his lip that shouldn’t be.
 
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