African Cichlid trouble...

[misterpenguin4]

I get 4 cichlids about 3-4 weeks ago. I got 1 moori dolphin, 1 yellow lab, 1 OB peacock, and 1 Compressiceps. Anyway about a day after i got them the OB peacock kept running into the glass really hard and eventually died of a concussion. But about 2 week ago the moori dolphin started to bully the yellow lab and Compressiceps. At first it was just chasing them off but about a week ago I noticed riped fins so i put the moori in a fry basket for a week and i just put him back in the tank last night and the Compressiceps immidatley swam up to him and they rubbed sides for a few seconds and did a damce then fast as lightning the Compressiceps swung around and bit the moori dolphin and i saw 2 scales fall. When i got home today from school the moori dolphin was laying on the bottom pretty torn up and the Compressiceps was biting at him and the yellow lab would also go at him if he came close to the yellow labs cave. I guess they are getting pay back? I dont know what to do. I had to put the moori dolphin back in the fry basket so they dont kill him.

 

[Taiken5968]

I'm no cichlid expert but I'll give you information that I have. First off what size tank is that. Cichlids need a large 40 to 50 at least.

If you start seeing aggression, move your decorations around. This forces everyone to find a new territory.

Last if you add a fish to your tank or release one like you did, you need to move around your decorations. If it is just plopped in there it has no territory and will get bullied by all the other fish who have staked out a claim already.

 

[misterpenguin4]

Its a 36 gallon but they are pretty small and I keep them until they get too big then I sell them back to the LFS.

 

[Taiken5968]

Its a 36 gallon but they are pretty small and I keep them until they get too big then I sell them back to the LFS.

That is a good strategy. Do you have a lot of structure in there i.e. lots of plants rocks and decorations.

 

[misterpenguin4]

Yea i have 1 huge rock and 2 smaller ones so i dont know how i would move them around.

 

[Taiken5968]

Yea i have 1 huge rock and 2 smaller ones so i dont know how i would move them around.

You may want to get some fake plants and some drift wood.