The "Whipping Boy"

[CichlidDan]

Ok up until now all of my peacock bass have been able to fend for themselves quite well, but I now have one who is definately picked on by the whole group and was wondering if it is normal for the "Whipping boy" to stay away from the other cichla, he also appears stressed a lot of the time but he does get food still.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

how big is he? he will most likely be fine but if you start to notice that he is scaleless and looks like he is about to die, take him out and put him in a qt to build his strength back.. in all the years of owning cichla i had to do this only once. most of the time i just let nature take his course because when you take the whipping boy out they will just pick on the next runner up.

 

[silverdragon]

with b00st here.. i used to have one whipping boy who use to cop it all the time.. i watched them closely and it slowly stopped.
While he was getting picked on he was constantly dark in colour, but now everythings settled in the tank, cause i think theyve finally sorted out their pecking order/heirarchy everyones coloured up nicely.. now the whole group just pick on any other fish besides cichla in the tank lol.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

and sometimes the whipping boy will have the best colors

 

[CichlidDan]

He has not damage at all, just always seems to have his stressed colouration, which looks fairly nice anyways. Thanks for the help.

 

[bassman24]

Mine still gets picked on but that's usually only when they don't eat for a day or two. Every now and then I'll see one of the larger cichla turn his back and he gets a cheap shot in. It's pretty funny.

 

[High City Rida]

I have one seperated right now. It's normal just seperate if it get's to bad or you can loose him.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

He has not damage at all, just always seems to have his stressed colouration, which looks fairly nice anyways. Thanks for the help.

no harm no fall.. your fine if there is no damage.. your going to see this all the time as they get to the 6 inch mark and start to develop black mohawks

Mine still gets picked on but that's usually only when they don't eat for a day or two. Every now and then I'll see one of the larger cichla turn his back and he gets a cheap shot in. It's pretty funny.

hahahah mine does the same thing

 

[channarox]

should all be fine.
my second smallest tem is the whipping boy.
when theyre not busy looking for food,they pick on him and he always hangs out with the group further than any other one.
but no damage is done and he still eats as much as the others.
my smallest guy is the dominant one for now.

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

even so.. almost all my guys get scratched and banged up from fighting.. you can tell who has been getting abused and whose been all the abusing