Problem mixing cichlids together

[JESTERX626]

So I would like to know how you guys mix aggressive cichlids together. In my 240 gal, I have a 8" F0 male severum sp. inirida that kept lunging at a smaller 5" F0 parachromis freddy. I threw in a F1 8" male red terror to try to balance out the power, and it kind of worked. The red terror holds his ground from the severum and now they dont bother each other anymore, but the F0 freddy is being chased by both severum and red terror and has hid for 2 weeks behind driftwood and hasnt come out to eat.

I scooped up wild freddy and he's looking healthy, no torn fins. I threw him in a 50gal with an established 4" male freddy 'la ceiba' and now the la ceiba is in hiding because he's being chased now. I feel bad for the la ceiba but I want to make sure the wild freddy is eating and puts on weight. How would you guys get them to coexist? Throw in dithers?

 

[dan518]

If there both male, you won't get the two to live together in a 50 gal,

 

[jeaninel]

I've found that a large enough tank and growing them all up together has been the most successful. It's really hard introducing large fish into an already established hierarchy with other large fish.

 

[axs377]

Just depends on the fish really. Some cannot co-exist in mortal sized tanks. I have an aggressive tank that has evolved over time (just posted about it) and from the start I had 2 small trimacs that were mean sobs even at 3 or 4 inches in an 8'x33" footprint and had to be removed.

 

[cichlidfish]

Keeping a community, I have stuck w/ the more peaceful CA cichlids. No aggression issues other than some chasing.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

Yeah the balance can be very difficult to achieve. Especially large wild caught cichlids like yours. Do you have much rockwork/hiding places in the tank?

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

Yes dithers. Giant danios or rainbowfish school really well. I also change up décor and move hiding spots around EVERYTIME I get a new fish. This helps to take away the home team advantage a bit.