strange behavior?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Teke left

Teke left

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2015
45
4
8
39
So in this tank, I have a RD, Jag & GT, there all about 5.5 inches long, I believed they were all female so I posted a thread for second opinions though I only got one response ppl think there all female as well. Usually the Jag & GT hang out on one side & the RD stays on the other the RD clearly was the leader for some time but I rearranged the tank about a month ago & made a cave from rocks the Jag hangs out there, & he has completely cleared all the gravel down to the glass under the rock cave & the RD hangs out in his pot mainly now & the GT & jag constantly bikker with each other , I suspected breeding behavior but I think they are all females? Just curious if anyone has had a similar situation? or what do you guys think is going on? thanks in advance!
 
Well only way you're going to sex the red devil is by venting it. If you have a vent picture then you might get a more accurate answer. Other wise, you're just guessing.

As for the bickering, females will fight too. It maybe not be breeding behavior. If the red devil is running the tank and the other two are living in a corner, they might be fighting because they're living in a small space.

What size tank are they in?
 
What size tank?

I think your Jag and RD have taken opposite sides of the tank because they don't like each other anymore. The GT sure doesn't want to go by the RD because that could be a serious beating. So he goes by the Jag, which is probably gonna give him a serious beating pretty soon anyway.

I have had similar situations. This behavior seems to start when fish grow to be around 6-8 inches. So, you're right on schedule.

If I were you, I'd "have a plan" if you don't already have one.

Plan One -- have a divider ready to go, or maybe 2 so you can separate all 3 fish in one tank for a day or two until you figure out what you're gonna do.
Plan Two -- have a second tank stood up and ready to go in case you have to separate some fish for a longer period of time.
Plan Three -- start the process of acquiring a MUCH LARGER tank. a tank so big that all 3 of those fish can live in it without even seeing each other except for feeding time -- at least 8 feet long. Like a 600 Gallon?

I keep an air pump with a big sponge filter on it running all the time in my sump for situations like "Plan 2". When I have to throw up a tank real fast, I have a cycled sponge filter to just drop in a new tank with busted up fish. Instant cycled tank.

Get ready, man. Sounds to me like things are about to get interesting in your tank. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tyler_Wentworth_150
no there not in a corner they still swim freely but its just like the RD has a side & they have there side ,, there is only little aggression but nothing major,, & there in a 125 I know maybe not for all those fish fully grown but they have plenty of room currently.
 
Yea I figured it would get interesting in the tank that's mainly why I chose those fish But I have dividers ready haven't had to use them though, but sadly I don't have a solid plan 2 I have another tank as a festae growout & none of those can go in that tank, I know the lfs would buy them but I really want all them to mingle together until I eventually pick one as a permanent but I didn't plan for it to be this soon,, , 600 Gallon is out of the question My old lady gives me hell about the 3 tanks I have now,, I have no room ,, so ,,, idk,, I only see bickering in the tank, but I also work 12 hours & spend quite some time away so.
 
Yeah, man. 125 for 3 fish at 5.5 inches. That's great right now.

Jags are not big community fish. They kinda like to be off by themselves, under and around their hole on their side of the tank, that nobody else goes around or into.

I have a Midas, lot like a RD, that acts the same way---kinda off by himself, and likes it that way. None of this sounds unusual to me.

But, I'll tell you this...the GT needs to quit bickering with the Jag. I don't WHEN it's gonna end, but I'm pretty sure I know HOW it'll end.

At 5.5 inches, your tank size is good. But if the Jag and the RD are both 8 inches, then a 125 COULD be cramped--depends on the fish. That could be just 4 short months from now--both those fish should grow at 1/2 inch a month, maybe a little more. And the Jag and RD should be growing a good bit quicker than the GT, so the GT will become a smaller fish in a tank that's getting cramped.

It could all work out, man......but have a plan.
 
And I'll say this. I keep mostly Vieja, and they turn into totally different fish when they reach about 9-10 inches. totally different personality from that point on--more aggression, more territorial, and more mood swings, too.

I've had 1 Jag and 2 Midas -- they seem to do the same thing a lot earlier--about 6 inches. And they grow a little faster, too.

So, how your fish interact in your tank could, COULD, change dramatically.

It's like the stock market. "Past performance is no indicator of future returns".
 
Maybe not in a corner but they're still sharing a smaller area. Even in a 125. If they're sharing half the tank. It's big enough for the red not to kill them but half that tank isn't that much.
Sometimes a big tank can turn into a small tank if you have fish or a couple fish that don't want to share the room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom