Victim: Bocourti

[xraycer]

Got home from tonight and was looking over my 180 SA/CA cichlid grow-out tank when I noticed one of my 2 bocourti was all color faded, fins ripped up, and breathing heavily. Of course, upon seeing me, all the fish are up at the front of the tank waiting for their food to be dropped in. So, I feed them and went up to take a shower. When I came back down I kept the room light off so they couldn't see me and would act more natural. Saw that quite a few of the tankmates were coming after it.

Stock in the tank includes 3" juvie: bocourti, synspilum, argentea, hartwegi, regani, green Texas; a 4" flagtail; 3 x 3.5" severums; a ram; a large angel; a 2.5" roseline

This is the first time I've seen aggression with the Viejas since I picked them up 3 weeks ago. The victim is one of the medium size fish in the tank so not a size issue. Wonder if it is sick and showing weakness thus triggering an attack(prey on the weak) behavior by the other fish?

So, I netted it and transferred it into a quarantine tank. I'll put in some melafix to see if it'll help it heal from all the nippings.

Any ideas?

 

[lp85253]

viejas can be pretty rough , you might have to adjust your stock

 

[bbortko]

Could have been sick. I've had peaceful fish half the size of more aggressive mes srart attacking tge more aggressive fish the second it wasn't 100%.

 

[fwprawn]

Yes, most of your fish are rough customers. Viejas can be brutal.
And, you cannot go by who is going after it NOW, since the fish is already "disabled" so makes an easy target, so naturally the others will start picking on it as well.

 

[fug202]

I've had situations in my mixed Vieja tank where all of a sudden a fish becomes a target. It doesn't have to be a fish that is ill or noticeably weak. But once it shows signs of being spooked, everyone takes a shot. The only solution is to remove it and let it recover in another tank. Good luck.

 

[xraycer]

If any fish were going to be the victimsI was sure it be the angelfish, roseline or ram. I was in the dark studying them for a while and the Viejas aren't even bothering these 3 easy targets.

 

[xraycer]

I've had situations in my mixed Vieja tank where all of a sudden a fish becomes a target. It doesn't have to be a fish that is ill or noticeably weak. But once it shows signs of being spooked, everyone takes a shot. The only solution is to remove it and let it recover in another tank. Good luck.

Done

 

[xraycer]

viejas can be pretty rough , you might have to adjust your stock

Nah, this is going to be the Vieja tank ultimately, so it'll be survival of the toughest

 

[xraycer]

Could have been sick. I've had peaceful fish half the size of more aggressive mes srart attacking tge more aggressive fish the second it wasn't 100%.

That was my exact thinking

 

[bbortko]

Could have been sick. I've had peaceful fish half the size of more aggressive mes srart attacking tge more aggressive fish the second it wasn't 100%.

Holy poop my typing is pad!