poor targets - r.i.p.

[CichlidAddict]

So I'm trying to find targets for my 240 gallon dovii tank to keep aggression between the pair down. First I get a group of large silver dollars. They last about 4 days before they're all beat do death/half eaten. Then I find large (10"-12") tinfoil barbs at a LFS and pick up 3. They're tough sob's, and they lasted about a month. But from day one they were missing half their scales and were constantly chased. And the female dovii was worse than the male at beating on them. Anyway, the last 2 went belly-up last night.

Is there anything big and fast enough to survive as a target in this tank?

 

[Doviiking]

Try red devils they seem to be slightly faster swimmers than my dovii and can get out of the way just in time. how big are your dovii?

 

[FishHeadSoup]

ever try giant danios?

 

[unknownuza13]

I don't think the a red devil would last a day in that tank... I am about to go thru the same thing with a dovii pair at my ex girlfriends house. THe male is beating the crap out of the female. I was going to give her 6 red hook silver dollars and 4 decent sized "java barbs" to act as dithers or target fish. The Male Dovii is probably 9-10" and the female about 6-7". I will let you know how this works. Maybe you just didn't have enough target fish. I am hoping that by adding ten decent sized fish.. 4-5" that school together they won't receive as much of a beating. I really don't know what to tell you I would have said to try silver dollars or some kind of barb but you have already done that. I hope someone has some good advice to offer us both.. GOod Luck

 

[repair]

I think we need to ask a couple of questions.

What are you trying to do with these dovii?

What size tank are they in?

 

[CichlidAddict]

I think we need to ask a couple of questions.

What are you trying to do with these dovii?

What size tank are they in?

The male is around 13", the female is around 9". They are in a 240 gallon tank and have bred several times.

I guess I could add giant danios, but those would just amount to fast feeders.

 

[repair]

Does the male beat up the female? if so I have a nice separator that will let the female escape the male.

 

[Mourinho18]

Does the male beat up the female? if so I have a nice separator that will let the female escape the male.

yep, perfect idea, make a divider with a whole that's only big enough for the female to get through when he gets to rough and you should be fine

 

[CichlidAddict]

yep, perfect idea, make a divider with a whole that's only big enough for the female to get through when he gets to rough and you should be fine

Yeah, I have a divider like that already. I just like seeing the tank without it if possible. But I may not have a choice but to put it back in.

 

[Honda12]

Get some Melanochromis auratus or some Melanochromis chipokae. Yeah they are africans but they are mean as hell, or at leat mine were. They are small enough to be able to get away if you put rocks in but big enough not to get eaten. Plus they are fairly cheap if they get killed.