Is this mbuna sick or just battered?

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Nick Park

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 11, 2017
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Drogheda, Ireland
Over the last 3 or 4 days one of my mbuna (a despised yellow lab hybrid) was hiding a lot in a cave and seemed to be turning darker. In fact its head was almost black. Today it emerged enough for me to get a better look, and I noticed that it seems to have a lot of scrapes. I had been worried that it was sick - but now I'm more inclined to think it just came off worse in a fight. Any more experienced fish keepers here have an opinion or advice?

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The water parameters haven't changed (hard water, no nitrites, 40ppm nitrates) and the tank is a 450 litre bow front with loads of rockwork and hiding places. The stocking is nuts (fish came with the tank) with 7 yellow labs of varying degrees of hybridisation, 2 rustles, 2 dogtooth, 1 demasoni, 1 jewel, 3 hero efasciatus, 1 blood parrot, 1 synodontis, and 1 black shark. I've had the set up for 5 months and the mbuna have been peaceable enough up to now, with occasional chasing but no serious fighting.
 
He's beat up. Clean water and a little salt will help him heal, but he'll probably get beat up again. I would remove him or the aggressor.


Thanks for confirming that. I'm relieved it's not a sickness thing.

If the aggression continues I may have to remove him. He used to occupy a particular cave, but a younger male has grown in size and confidence and taken that spot over - excavating quite a little hollow for himself.

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So I'm hoping the damage was in a one-off territorial battle or asserting dominance. On the plus side, there are loads of hiding places in the rock work, so any fish that wants to avoid aggression can do so.

I find the interactions between these fish fascinating.
 
I'd also like to add, stressed fish lead to illnesses. If he is constantly stressed his immune system will weaken and allow diseases to present themselves. Then there's the chance of it spreading throughout the tank.
 
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You probably have a female about ready to spawn. My labs are peaceful until a female is ready to spawn..
My nondominant males also darkened up, I had one that has resorted to becoming a flounder. To avoid confrontation.
I found it easier to just keep a bunch of females and juveniles with just one large adult male.
 
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