Help with Endlicheri aggression

[robroy]

Need some advice please guys. I got Endlicheri a few months ago. As you can see from the pictures there’s a big difference between the growth rate. The big one is 10 inches and the small one is probably six. The problem I’m getting is that the big one will occasionally bite the smaller one and has in fact taken a couple of bits off it’s caudal finlets. Often when I come down to check on them in the morning the smaller one is lying on top of some driftwood off the bottom. They are both eating but I individually feed them with tongs. The bigger one definitely is the better feed her and has a huge appetite.

I have a small 10 gallon tank and I’m wondering whether to put the small one in there for a short while to get some growth on him but I’m a little concerned he might get stunted in there. I did have them both in there while I waited to set up my 180 gallon tank and the larger one got up to 7 inches in no time at all in there. I was doing large scale frequent want to change his walls they were in the 10 gallon.

Do you think this is a good idea or should I just continue to individually feed them and hope that the smaller one eventually catches up in size?

 

[tlindsey]

Tbh I would personally rehome the aggresive one if it continues to attack the smaller one.

 

[robroy]

Tbh I would personally rehome the aggresive one if it continues to attack the smaller one.

This is what I’m beginning to think-powerfeed and frequent water changes. I’m unsure the smaller one will catch up otherwise

 

[tlindsey]

This is what I’m beginning to think-powerfeed and frequent water changes. I’m unsure the smaller one will catch up otherwise

You can give it a shot and see if things improve.

 

[DMD123]

Endli can be the worst when it comes to this dominant type agressive behavior. I have a wild caught Dabola endli that can be pretty mean and shreds other polys fins. Keeping her was a risk but one I was willing to try because I had an extra tank ready in case of serious issues and there were 5 polys in the tank so really one fish wasn’t getting all the beatings. Thats why most of us poly nuts have to keep quite a few polys together just to get along! So the solution is more polys...

Aslo after a few years the big girl settled down. She still rules the tank but doesn’t bite as much as she used to.

 

[jaws7777]

Separate the two power feed and heavy water changes for the smaller one. Reduce feeding for the larger one to twice a week. If the aggression continues even if the smaller one packs on some size. Tlindsey maybe correct and rehoming would be the best bet

 

[robroy]

OK thanks for the advice guys-going to separate them and see what happens

 

[Polyaddict86]

Idk about power feeding, power feeding can harm the fish in the long run,even if the small one gets to the same size as the big one it will still bully it. It will be worst when you take the small one out and put it in a different tank, once the big ensli claims the whole tank as its territory and you add the other endli it will be the same or worst. My suggestion will be easy but some might not agree. My suggestion is add another bichir, by adding another poly it will be able to turn its attention to two poly instead of one that way the other one can get a break from getting bullied.

You can also rearrange the tank, take out the DW so they cant claim any territory.

Another thing i noticed with polys is feeding, idk why you feed them in tong but its better if all the polys can come together in one spot of the tank and eat side by side, that way they can get used to each other.

Good luck with the endlis, they have a rep. of aggression but that can be stop.