Texas agresssion

[Urgula]

Hello,


I've got a Blue Texas who lived with a pleco for a year.
Previously I had parrots and other cichlids in the tank, but they've died due to sickness.
The only survivors from a 500L and a 200L tank were the Pleco and The Texas.

I've got new fish, a pair of texas and a chocolate cichlid.

Quarantine was fine, no agression.
I've moved the fish in my bedroom tank and Blue has gone bersenk, so I had to install the divider.
After a while, I've returned the other male texas, since it was bullied by everyone (including the Pleco, who ate his food)


Currently, the chocolate and the female texas don't fight (ocasional nipping, but no fin damage), however, when I try to remove the divider, Blue chaces everyone, but the pleco.


What I've done to reduce agression:

- disconnect one of the lights
- put aeration
- keep nitrates "light orange" level
- install additional hiding places
- remove gravel to see if no digging = no nest = no stuff to protect = no agression
- re-add gravel
- lower temperature

What I want to do:

- poke holes in the separator, so female and chocolate can swim through, but not the male texas.

When there was no gravel, the female was able to swim to the male's side.
He chanced her very lightly (almost no agression). Sometimes they've just hanged around. Someteimes the female started poking him and he ignored.

However, this only happens on small space. When the divider is not there, he chaces her too.
The fish can see each other through the separator.

Did anyone had success introducing new fish to old cichlids?
Please advice. I don't want to get rid of the new fish, but permanent separator is not an option.


Thanx!



male texas: ~25cm (5-7 years old)
Female texas: ~7cm (??? years old)
Chocolate male: ~10cm (??? years old)
Pleco: 30cm (13+ years old)
aquarium: 200L

PS: I know my aquarium is overstocked, but I'm able to keep good water quality.

PS2: the only reason I've bought new fish is because he wasn't territorial at all with other fish. This was when he was on his adult size.

PS3: Yes, I know the Pleco should be in the 500L, but he grew up in the 200L and when we moved him to the 500L, he got "depressed" and started loosing weight (rest of "native" fish were fine and water paramethers were good). We put him back and he re-started eating and acted back to normal. So my huge pleco is staying in a small tank because he likes it there.

View attachment fish.jpg

 

[duanes]

When cichlids are first put together, and grow up together (especially from a young age), they can set up a hierarchy, and territorial lines, that allow the group to live tother peaceably.
If things change, like a disease kills every other cichlid. The tank belongs to the one thats left. And any new fish added are considered by the alpha cichlid territorial owner, to be interlopers in its territory, and are usually not tolerated.
You may never be able to add other cichlid to that tank.
Other than reducing temps, none of those strategies are likely to change aggression levels.

 

[Urgula]

What if I move out the big bad cichlid for a week.
When I put him back, will he still consider the tank his territory?

 

[duanes]

He may, or he may not, but if the other cichlids are smaller, they may not stand a chance either way.

 

[Hidan]

Its also a size issue. He is huge compared to the other two, so when he decides he is the boss, they can't fight back or even hold their own.
Sometimes bigger cichlids just ignore the smaller fish as they don't consider them threats (often happens with fish used to community tanks).
However as mentioned above, if the fish has already got territorial then its often hard/impossible to get it to change its ways.

 

[james99]

I think the 200l tank is just too small for all of the fish, the larger Texas see the whole tank as his. From what I understand, chocolates are also really peaceful so having them with the Texas may never work.

 

[duanes]

I agree with james99, your tank (approx 50 gallons) is barely big enough for 1 Herichthys alone.
And South American cichlids like chocolates, are not equip to deal with the innate aggressiveness of North/Central American cichlids like Herichthys.
The difference between South and Central/North American cichlids is huge.
I know people like to lump them together, but this is a fallacy.
Water temps tend to be different, (warm water tends to make Herichthys more aggressive) preference of the chemical properties of water can be different, (hard water for Centrals , soft for "Amazonian" S American's) and then there is the aggressiveness and territoriality.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Completely agree with Duanes.
Your tank is too small to ever work with this species.
I would go back to the drawing board and re stock your tank with smaller more peaceful cichlids.
I think you will always have problems with that heritchthys unless it's kept alone.

 

[Urgula]

Well... that sux.
So there's pretty much nothing that can be done to change cichlid behaviour?

I won't re-stock, unless Blue dies. He's like a dog to me.
I guess I'll wait till they reach full size to see if they can get along.

The chocolate was flagged as agressive enough by the store (yes, I know, it was stupid to trust the store)

 

[duanes]

There are things you can do, but not in that size tank, I find high general cichlid aggression is almost always due to too small a tank. If you provide the right size tank, much overt aggression can be avoided. Adding stock all at once while young is also advisable, adding fish pice meal, a little at a time, does not work.
I believe one should always tailor the type fish to the size tank you have room for, and/or can afford, and to the chemical components of your tap water. If you don't the hobby is almost never satifying.
Below is an only half grown Herichthys carpintus. As for adult Herichthys, I believe " minimum tank size should be at least 6 ft, and more than 100 gallons.