Inherited grudges

[Hybridfish7]

What I've come to notice is, in Honduran convict localities, they absolutely despise livebearers. Meanwhile, the nicoya convicts hate tetras. I am not sure where the livebearer hatred comes from, but my HRPs and Rio mongo convicts have thrown probably about dozen (collective) limia and gambusia out of their respective tanks. I theorize the latter however evolved to do everything in their power to prevent and or eliminate the threat of the highly prevalent astyanax in their natural habitat. Their large size and accelerated growth may help get and keep their fry off astyanax radar as well. I am also aware of the hypsophrys/neetroplus rivalry.

What I'm wondering is, if there's any other non strictly predator/prey "rivalries" you've observed.

 

[duanes]

I believe these "rivalries" are purely captive care induced phenomena , mostly due to the severely limited space of any average aquariums.
The average aquarists 50 , 75 , or even 100 gal tanks are mere puddles compared to the space cichlids have available in nature, even for the smallish Amatitlania. types.

No self respecting cichlid (even a semi adult convict) would be caught dead, in such a tiny puddle, or rut in the road in nature.
In fact when they are found in such spaces, the cichlid has usually been trapped and cut off by dry the season, and predatory birds are feasting on them.

I spend a lot of time observing cichlids and other fish in nature these days, and the only fish I see naturally and willingly living in a space the size of just about any tank, are tiny and juvie live bearers, and killifish.


In nature large livebearers like mollies and small to medium size cichlids easily share habitat without incident, just as cichlids and Astayanax, and other tetras do.
And even when predatory cichlids strike to eat the smaller fish, in the space of nature miss at least 9 out of 10 times, unlike how easily prey are cornered in aquaria.

 

[jjohnwm]

Fish that hold grudges are much like fish that "love" their owners; i.e. entirely imaginary.

 

[aussieman57]

I believe these "rivalries" are purely captive care induced phenomena , mostly due to the severely limited space of any average aquariums.
The average aquarists 50 , 75 , or even 100 gal tanks are mere puddles compared to the space cichlids have available in nature, even for the smallish Amatitlania. types.

No self respecting cichlid (even a semi adult convict) would be caught dead, in such a tiny puddle, or rut in the road in nature.
In fact when they are found in such spaces, the cichlid has usually been trapped and cut off by dry the season, and predatory birds are feasting on them.

I spend a lot of time observing cichlids and other fish in nature these days, and the only fish I see naturally and willingly living in a space the size of just about any tank, are tiny and juvie live bearers, and killifish.
View attachment 1511378

In nature large livebearers like mollies and small to medium size cichlids easily share habitat without incident, just as cichlids and Astayanax, and other tetras do.
And even when predatory cichlids strike to eat the smaller fish, in the space of nature miss at least 9 out of 10 times, unlike how easily prey are cornered in aquaria.
View attachment 1511381View attachment 1511377View attachment 1511380
View attachment 1511379

One of the reasons I am a killifish fan.

 

[newworld]

Fish that hold grudges are much like fish that "love" their owners; i.e. entirely imaginary.

Hahaha

 

[Hybridfish7]

Fish that hold grudges are much like fish that "love" their owners; i.e. entirely imaginary.

I didn't mean literally. I just noticed the pattern of multiple individuals of a naturally occurring variant, in multiple tanks, targeting the same group of fish for reasons other than consumption, while leaving others alone.