Bunblebee cichlid help!!

[Ptrick125]

I have an albino African cichlid, a yellow lab cichlid, and a bumblebee/hornet cichlid in my 20 gallon together. The tank has been up and running for about 7 months now, I have aragonite sand for them and I do a 3 gallon water change every week. it is a 20 gallon but it is wider than normal, but not a 20gallon long.

My bumblebee cichlid has been in the corner for the last week and a half, the other two have been picking on the bumblebee and have been very territorial. What should I do!?

 

[New]

get them a bigger tank, just my opinion

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Move them all to at least a 55gal!

 

[fishcakes]

Get a few stones for him to hide in for now if your not going to upgrade to a larger tank. Also rearrange everything when you do your water changes, this will keep them busy.

 

[Duddits]

I agree. A bigger tank is a must. You can pick up a 55 cheap on Craigslist. Also rearrange the tank so the other two can keep busy with their new areas. Buy some rocks, plants and/or clay pots for the bumble bee to hide in for the time being.

 

[kay-bee19]

I have an albino African cichlid, a yellow lab cichlid, and a bumblebee/hornet cichlid in my 20 gallon together...

In addition to getting a larger tank you'll need to boost the number of mbuna's you have. Small tanks and small quanties of mbuna equates to amplified aggression.

I'm assuming they were small when you got them 7 months ago, and they are now maturing which may explain the recent ramp up in aggression.

When you get the larger tank you can triple or quadruple the number of fish you have (going from 3 to 9-12).

The larger tank and number of fish will balance the aggression situation. You may also see the bumblebee (which hit 7" or maybe even 8" when full grown) eventually reverse it's relationship with the yellow lab.

 

[Ptrick125]

When I got them they were practically my first fish tank, I got my advice from petsmart...

I can't get a bigger tank right now because I'm setting up a 75 gallon SW FOWLR with 1 volitan lionfish. And also because I have no room for a larger tank, and I don't have the money (I'm 12 and I can't get a job yet.

Should I try to rehome them? Or if possible can I rehome the bumblebee cichlid?

 

[New]

I would definitely try and rehome them before they all kill each other

 

[kay-bee19]

Yep.

If you removed the weakest one, the remaining group will focus on the new weakest one (the group will determine which one that will be).

If you remove the most aggressive one, one of the remaining will take on that new role.

With very small mbuna groups (very small is defined as 5 or less) this becomes very easy for mbuna's to accomplish.

 

[Ptrick125]

What would happen if I kept the yellow lab with the albino?

 

[Ptrick125]

I would definitely try and rehome them before they all kill each other

As an addicted aquarist what can I get in the 20 gallon (with ARGONITE sand) ?

 

[New]

Quite a bit, you could do a small community, or if you really like cichlids, a dwarf cichlid or two with some dither fish maybe

 

[kay-bee19]

What would happen if I kept the yellow lab with the albino?

One of the two would bully the other. The smaller the group size the greater the focused aggression.

In a tank with 10-12 cichlids (or more, if one chooses to overstock), the aggression is generally spread throughout a good portion of the group, which in the end means less aggression that any one cichlid receives.

With only two in the tank, one cichlid is assured to receive 100% of the aggression (e.g., singled out), increasing the odds that you'll end up with only one fish if they're kept in their present environment.

 

[Ptrick125]

Thanks, I guess I'm going to rehome them. Any ideas on what I can put in there? Can a pair of crayfish live in a 20 with Aragonite sand?

 

[T-man02]

You could do a dwarf cichlid with dome dithers

 

[Ptrick125]

What are dithers? A single dwarf cichlid?

 

[New]

Smaller schooling fish, sometimes for the bigger fish to chase around

 

[Ptrick125]

Oh ok, like neon tetras?

 

[T-man02]

Is it a 20 long if so then you could probably get away with 2 and some dithers

 

[Ptrick125]

I'l stick to one, I don't want the same thing that happened to my cichlids...

On aquaria central they suggested that I put them with some barbs. Also maybe some dithers.