Keeping cichlids has educated me far more than any other fish I've had. And having generations of HRPs has given me some things to think about moving forward.
First thing to mention. In the 125 I am now down to Little Frick and Frack, Bumper, and Deuce. That's it! Shade was found this morning. He was one of the long surviving beta males but finally reached the end of the road. His behavior was erratic recently even though he had no wounds or injury. I suspect stress/bullying as he stayed near the top but then recently he started to mingle with the others, so I couldn't pinpoint. In any case, four small fish in the 125 now.
In the other tanks (much smaller) everyone is fine with no assassinations. So it isn't always about space and territory, in fact the opposite.
The all female breeder tank is just fine with a few squabbles here and there.
The 30 Long growout with several adults is also ok.
Lazarus' tank 20 long is ok with several adults.
The 30 gallon donation tub with sub adults is fine.
Yet the 125 has been nonstop "Game of Thrones" for a year and a half. WHY?
Here's the difference...females! The females can all live together once hierarchy is settled. The males just can't do it, not long term. They kill each other off either fast or slow. The mixed tanks also are all survivors and doing ok.
In a nutshell:
1. Females will fight everybody in breeding mode but rarely kill.
2. Males will fight and/or injure, stress each other to death.
3. Males don't fight the females.
4. The females cause chaos (esp in breeding mode) but seem to moderate the kill mode of the males.
5. The 'pink' hrps are consistently more aggressive across the board. They are always the last ones standing. This only appears to apply to the males. Females both pink and striped are equally aggressive. The stripes take each other out but the pinks take out everybody.
6. The 'more peaceful CA' tag is a bunch of junk.
So maybe the males get too pent up with no females around to the point where their aggression runs out of control and they turn on each other. I'm not saying this is true of every specie but that's been my experience with the hrps.
On another note, Lazarus my miracle stunted fish who survived months with no food or water is now HUGE. This specie doesn't appear to permanently stunt. I've had others go on growth spurts once relatives were offed.
First thing to mention. In the 125 I am now down to Little Frick and Frack, Bumper, and Deuce. That's it! Shade was found this morning. He was one of the long surviving beta males but finally reached the end of the road. His behavior was erratic recently even though he had no wounds or injury. I suspect stress/bullying as he stayed near the top but then recently he started to mingle with the others, so I couldn't pinpoint. In any case, four small fish in the 125 now.
In the other tanks (much smaller) everyone is fine with no assassinations. So it isn't always about space and territory, in fact the opposite.
The all female breeder tank is just fine with a few squabbles here and there.
The 30 Long growout with several adults is also ok.
Lazarus' tank 20 long is ok with several adults.
The 30 gallon donation tub with sub adults is fine.
Yet the 125 has been nonstop "Game of Thrones" for a year and a half. WHY?
Here's the difference...females! The females can all live together once hierarchy is settled. The males just can't do it, not long term. They kill each other off either fast or slow. The mixed tanks also are all survivors and doing ok.
In a nutshell:
1. Females will fight everybody in breeding mode but rarely kill.
2. Males will fight and/or injure, stress each other to death.
3. Males don't fight the females.
4. The females cause chaos (esp in breeding mode) but seem to moderate the kill mode of the males.
5. The 'pink' hrps are consistently more aggressive across the board. They are always the last ones standing. This only appears to apply to the males. Females both pink and striped are equally aggressive. The stripes take each other out but the pinks take out everybody.
6. The 'more peaceful CA' tag is a bunch of junk.
So maybe the males get too pent up with no females around to the point where their aggression runs out of control and they turn on each other. I'm not saying this is true of every specie but that's been my experience with the hrps.
On another note, Lazarus my miracle stunted fish who survived months with no food or water is now HUGE. This specie doesn't appear to permanently stunt. I've had others go on growth spurts once relatives were offed.
