I have a 2-3” Dovii currently in quarantine. I just got him a week or so ago. He’s in there with a 2-3” Convict that I’m treating as well. The convict chases him around from time to time. He also chases the convict from time to time. My question is...he’s seems a little shy. Can I put him in my community tank with 2 Oscars that are about 5-6”, green terror that’s about 3”, 2 JD’s 2-3”, 2 convicts 2-3” and a Pleco? The pleco is the biggest in the tank. The tank is 60 gallon. I’ll be building a 240 gallon tank in the upcoming weeks. So this is just temporary housing for him. I guess my concern is “will he kill or be killed?”
Shy Dovii - Why ?
- Thread starter qguy
- Start date
I wouldn’t worry about the Dovii getting killed. However you will have to monitor it carefully. The juvies that I have had are harder on conspecific and a bit more lienient on other species...to a point. I have kept young Dovii with JD’s and cons before with very little problem. Just keep in mind to never be shocked if it decides to massacre everyone. Randomly. One day it can be reclusive, the next it could be barrating other fish., My advice would be to go for it but monitor closely and watch the tank from a distance to make sure that the Dovii isn’t imposing his will.
thanks. I put him in there and just like I figured, he’s being bullied by my green terror. Everywhere he goes, the GT is right behind him. At first they all had to get a good look at him, but they backed off eventually.
Anytime you put a cichlid in a tank that already has cichlids with established territories, the new one is at a disadvantage. It doesn't matter that it may become an alpha dovii when grown, at this point if they are all the same or similar in size, the ones owning the real-estate have more resources to lose, and in most tanks recourses are very limited in comparison to nature. The owners know the area and have certain turf lines within it, whether we humans can see them, or not, and the ones with the longest ownership may fight to the death to retain that turf.
This is why it is often suggested to rearrange a tank just before putting a new cichlid it it, blurring those lines, and putting all cichlids on equal footing.
This is why it is often suggested to rearrange a tank just before putting a new cichlid it it, blurring those lines, and putting all cichlids on equal footing.
