Hi, I'm sure I don't have nearly enough info to get good advice... and I will do my best to find out... but this is it for now.
Our local library has a tank of what I'm assuming are African Cichlids (about 4-6 inches long), but now I have learned there are "american" ones too (is that the same as "new world"?) so I honestly don't know what kind. I also don't know the tank parameters. But for general behavior, maybe this can be answered:
There is a bully in the tank. He/she is NOT the biggest by a few good inches, but the bully none-the-less. My 9 year old daughter observed the behavior and as novice fish keepers ourselves, we were concerned. We wrote a note to whatever librarian is in charge of the tank... but I'm just wondering whose bright idea it was to get this species to begin with, because everything I have read makes me feel like the are not low drama. SO, would taking out the medium sized bully help, or does that mean some other fish will rise to top bully status? Is it like taking out a dictator which gives rise to the rebels or some other dictator?
Other question, there is an albino one in that tank which my daughter is in love with. It's mutual, he follows her from one side to the other. He is lowest on the totem pole. He mostly goes from hiding spot to hiding spot and doesn't swim freely like the others. Would it be a step up or down for his well-being if we could rescue him and keep him in a 10 gallon... I know that is technically too small for them.
Any thoughts are appreciated. Or at least a list of things I should try to find out beside the obvious gallon/species/number of fish...
Thanks guys!
Our local library has a tank of what I'm assuming are African Cichlids (about 4-6 inches long), but now I have learned there are "american" ones too (is that the same as "new world"?) so I honestly don't know what kind. I also don't know the tank parameters. But for general behavior, maybe this can be answered:
There is a bully in the tank. He/she is NOT the biggest by a few good inches, but the bully none-the-less. My 9 year old daughter observed the behavior and as novice fish keepers ourselves, we were concerned. We wrote a note to whatever librarian is in charge of the tank... but I'm just wondering whose bright idea it was to get this species to begin with, because everything I have read makes me feel like the are not low drama. SO, would taking out the medium sized bully help, or does that mean some other fish will rise to top bully status? Is it like taking out a dictator which gives rise to the rebels or some other dictator?
Other question, there is an albino one in that tank which my daughter is in love with. It's mutual, he follows her from one side to the other. He is lowest on the totem pole. He mostly goes from hiding spot to hiding spot and doesn't swim freely like the others. Would it be a step up or down for his well-being if we could rescue him and keep him in a 10 gallon... I know that is technically too small for them.
Any thoughts are appreciated. Or at least a list of things I should try to find out beside the obvious gallon/species/number of fish...
Thanks guys!