Hi, I have a 100 gallon containing 2 female convicts(one normal one, and one pink) where both is around 2 inches, a 3 inch electric blue acara, 3.5 inch redhump female geophagus, a 3.5 inch male nicaragua, a 2.5 inch firemouth,and about 14 large tetras. Despite being the smallest of the cichlids, both the female convicts especially the pink one are very aggressive, and they focus most of their aggression on each other while mostly ignoring everyone else in the tank, its got to the point both have visible damage on their fins. I was thinking about adding another small aggressive cichlid to stop the 2 convicts from focusing on each other so much. The current petsmart closest to me only have male convicts and I don't want them to form a breeding pair so I am thinking about getting a 1.5-2 inch Mbuna fish to break up the aggression. Do you think its a good idea to put a small demansoni or a random female mbuna with them, since all the other more peaceful cihlids are already larger, and I don't think a single mbuna will cause problems with large tetras like colombians or buenoes aires.
Putting a single small Mbuna cichlid to break up convict cichlid Aggression.
- Thread starter CichlidMan64
- Start date
I wouldnt recommend it, these ideas rarely work out as planned or expected.
Its just as likely the new fish will decide to attack any other fish or destroy the tetras for fun, thats not even considering the different water conditions they require.
I would say you are better off rehoming one of the convicts if them fighting is the issue, of course the remaining one may start to target other fish. Thats the unpredictable balancing act of keeping mixed cichlids.
Its just as likely the new fish will decide to attack any other fish or destroy the tetras for fun, thats not even considering the different water conditions they require.
I would say you are better off rehoming one of the convicts if them fighting is the issue, of course the remaining one may start to target other fish. Thats the unpredictable balancing act of keeping mixed cichlids.
It won’t work. Agree with above…get rid of a convict
The convicts are focusing their energy on the fish that is the biggest competitor. That will always be another convict (or convict relative) before any other fish. Most cichlids do worst with one that looks like them.
Adding an mbuna will only add a problem, not remove one.
Adding an mbuna will only add a problem, not remove one.
It will not work for the reasons stated above.
And also because the communication between the different species will not work.
I once kept Altolamprologus calvus and Amatitlania Honduras red point together just for a few weeks. They could not communicate at all. The HRP were constantly flaring their gills at the calvus and the calvus did their typical side stand with flared fins etc. After a few seconds you could see that they don't understand each other all because they both just swam away aimlessly. But it could have ended with dead fish because when they do not understand simple threatening they will definitely not understand something like a complex behaviour like a submissive posture etc.
And also because the communication between the different species will not work.
I once kept Altolamprologus calvus and Amatitlania Honduras red point together just for a few weeks. They could not communicate at all. The HRP were constantly flaring their gills at the calvus and the calvus did their typical side stand with flared fins etc. After a few seconds you could see that they don't understand each other all because they both just swam away aimlessly. But it could have ended with dead fish because when they do not understand simple threatening they will definitely not understand something like a complex behaviour like a submissive posture etc.
Okay, I will monitor the fish for a few days and see if the aggression continues, if it does I will set up a divider for one of the convicts. Thanks for the input guys.