How to get Red Zebra to give up a cave?

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Kobeclone

Feeder Fish
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Nov 25, 2007
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I have a 30 gallon tank, with an 8" sailfin pleco and a 2" Male Red Zebra. I bought a larger fake log type cave for my growing sailfin, and the second I put the cave in the Red Zebra claimed it as his, even though he has already claimed 2 smalller caves.:irked: The RZ wont even let my pleco in.:irked: How can I let my pleco get the cave?

I was thinking maybe removing the RZ for a day or so and making sure the pleco was in the cave before I let the RZ in. Will this work?
 
Nope, you need more caves. The Red zebra will always pick whatever he likes best, and usually it isn't just one cave but a territory. And in a 30 gallon he might even decide that the whole tank is his...
 
you really need a little bigger tank for him--with lots of rockwork..that way he cant claim a whole area.
 
With a samll tank its hard to separate territories for fish. The more aggressive fish will get the spot he believes is best some times that means the whole tank. there isnt much you can about it except give them more space (bigger tank) in that they can each have their lil corner of the tank given there is enough room.
 
As the only mbuna in the tank, the red zebra will probably claim the entire tank as its territory by the time it's 5" or 6" (if not before then). Removing the red zebra for a while won't help since mbuna's are predisposed to being territorial (it will pick up right where it left off when reintroduced to the tank).

You may want to consider trading in or selling the red zebra for several reasons:

1. It's an aggressive species and you won't be able to peacefully add more fish to the tank in the future (if your intent is to have the tank contain just it and the pleco, then no problem with this aspect.

2. Despite their aggressive/territorial nature, red zebras, like all mbuna's, are social fish and do best in groups with other mbuna. A solitary mbuna won't display natural behavior. With no social interaction it will probably become preoccupied with territoriality.

3. Adding more mbuna's (if that is the intent) won't work long term in a 30gal, especially with a male red zebra being the first established cichild in the tank.
 
i agree about a bigger tank, but another way might be to empty the rocks ect in the tank to reconstruct and break up/make up new territories, adding plenty of flat rocks and creating crevases and caves of all sizes, the more the better.... then add a ~dither~...to keep that zebra occupied defending his territory against another....
but there is no way you can select what territory your fish are going to claim...specially a mbuna...
 
oh i agree that it will cause a few scuffles, but creating new territories gives fish the chance to re establish new ones...hopefully a bit more equally...

i have noticed that many seem to like to put a pile of rocks on one side...and a pile of rocks on the other side of a tank bottom....this tends to create two territory options for the more dominant fish in the tank....fine if you have two...but creating a bit more across the bottom and a bit higher up....gives more options, and evasion routes as well....
 
I am all for rearranging, I just wanted to warn everyone that if there is no a problem in the tank needless rearrange will start the sparing all over again for the spots...

I agree most have two piles I have two piles that stretch about 3ft across each and 12 inches high...lots of places...
 
yep thats how our tanks are, unless they tend to be open water fish, those tanks have more open areas, but our large tank tends to be filled with caves, flat rock surfaces, and crevases...normally half way up the tank,referring to a 135, but set a bit back from the front area. this way it keeps those squabbles to a min...
congrats! ya guessed the fish i posted...LOL
 
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