My red devil destroys everything I put in her tank. I got her a new airstone and over barely 24 hours she's managed to pull the hose off and I fixed it while bein bit lol and she had it apart agian almost immediately. How do I get her to leave it alone??? Also, she has now started jumping up out of her water and smacking the hood. I find it barely on the tank every evening. Is this normal behavior? And I think she is hurting herself because she constantly swims from side to side of the tank at full speed ramming her mouth into the glass. I hear loud smacking and a pop noise over n over as she does this. Its almost a constant thing now. I dont want her to get hurt but I dont have any idea why she does all these things or if there is any way to fix it?? Any advice would be great. Thank you!
Red Devil Question
- Thread starter HB87
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tarpon
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have no experience with them but It sounds like its stressed. How big is it andd whats the tank size?
Alsso post your parameters and tankmates any other info you might think could be useful
Alsso post your parameters and tankmates any other info you might think could be useful
She is probably about 7 to 8 inches. Her tank is a 55 gallon. She has no tank mates. The temp of her water is 76° and the ph is at 7.1 last I checked which was yesterday evening. The ph has stayed between 6.8 n 7.1 since i've put her in the larger tank about a month ago. I do once a week water changes, last one was yesterday evening and I do 50% once a month or every 4th week.
Also, besides the behavioral changes i've noticed she also has had changes in color. She went from light orange with white stripes on her sides to very bright deep orange red. And she has been puffing herself up when i'm near her tank. Her fins stand up and she kind of shimmys back and forth at me. Not sure what causes that??
steez
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Maybe you should turn the light off for a while. Maybe I didn't see, but is she new to the tank?
I had her light off a while due to algea. She still does the same things with or without her lights on. She's been in the tank around a month or so now I think. She's always followed my fingers and messed up her gravel but she's never done like she's doing now. Also, she has had an airstone since I got her like a year ago. I just got a 2nd larger one and thats the only one she attacks.
steez
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Lol I don't know, it's weird. Sounds like it could be stress, but she has no tank mates and has been in there plenty long enough to be comfortable. Maybe you just have a crazy fish!?
Aski247
Aquarium Advice Addict
I also have about 5-6 inch male RD, he's a pure A-hole. I have no decor in my tank because he just flips it all and diggs all around it. The "side to side shimmying" is just her showing aggression. Mine does the exact same thing, smacks the glass and all. Mine will also flare his gills and puff up the fins to look larger.
As far as the jumping out of the water. I would lower the water lv in your tank by a few inches. 3-4. (I also do this)
The color changes are totally normal as well. Mine is the white/red specced when the lights off. And that deep orange/red when the light is on.
You should post pics. I dont think many people here keep RD's due to the aggression. It's always nice to see other peoples RD's.
Hope I answered your concerns.
-Andrew-
As far as the jumping out of the water. I would lower the water lv in your tank by a few inches. 3-4. (I also do this)
The color changes are totally normal as well. Mine is the white/red specced when the lights off. And that deep orange/red when the light is on.
You should post pics. I dont think many people here keep RD's due to the aggression. It's always nice to see other peoples RD's.
Hope I answered your concerns.
-Andrew-
Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
the previous post is very good for explanations and solutions 
personally, id think of putting a cheap but fast target fish in there (after a good QT!) and let her take out her aggression on that rather than on the hood and killing herself. Like danios for a good chase, or zebras as they are easy to get, cheap and can swim quite fast.
its horrible, but is a possibility. im just worried about the jumping thing
personally, id think of putting a cheap but fast target fish in there (after a good QT!) and let her take out her aggression on that rather than on the hood and killing herself. Like danios for a good chase, or zebras as they are easy to get, cheap and can swim quite fast.
its horrible, but is a possibility. im just worried about the jumping thing
Thank you guys for the advice. I have lowered the water level. I havent noticed her jumping yet. Fingers crossed. My main concern is for her safety. I may try the fish suggestion. Here is the best pic i could get. Shes more concerned with attacking the glass than letting me snap a decent pic lol.
Attachments
Aski247
Aquarium Advice Addict
Very nice. I am also thinking of getting rid of a lot of my substrate, as it always gets shuffled to one side of the tank or piled up in the corners.
At that size though a target fish is really nothing more then a meal. Even in you got one with size it will just be killed for the sake of killing. I'd recommend just doing 2-3 feeders a couple times a month. But add them cheap caves for them to hide in. It should help keep her occupied and distracted from the jumping and destroying the stuff in the tank.
At that size though a target fish is really nothing more then a meal. Even in you got one with size it will just be killed for the sake of killing. I'd recommend just doing 2-3 feeders a couple times a month. But add them cheap caves for them to hide in. It should help keep her occupied and distracted from the jumping and destroying the stuff in the tank.
tarpon
Aquarium Advice Addict
Feesing live minnows can increase aggression
Aski247
Aquarium Advice Addict
True, but if the fish is already displaying aggression to the degree that it is. Giving it something to go after instead of equipment / the hood. Will greatly decrease the chances of it injuring itself.
But he is right live feedings often increase aggression and territoriality.
But he is right live feedings often increase aggression and territoriality.
Aski247
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would say it's not a bad idea. Due to the fact the RD is already as aggressive as she is gonna get. I suggested the live feeding as a way to distract her more or less from herself.
I feed mine live once a month. And I switch between ghost shrimp, and comets every other month.
I feed mine live once a month. And I switch between ghost shrimp, and comets every other month.
Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
why not lower the temp a bit? as long as pwc/cleans are thorough, there is only a small health factor. it may reduce aggression, like how a fish is lethargic if the tank is way too cold. dont make it that cold, just a little cooler than it is atm?
i think ud be better with small cichlid juvie feeders as they have better survival insticts and would be a better distraction, and are often cheap form a local breeder or lfs. minnows as said can increase aggression, maybe more than the juvies idk?
i think ud be better with small cichlid juvie feeders as they have better survival insticts and would be a better distraction, and are often cheap form a local breeder or lfs. minnows as said can increase aggression, maybe more than the juvies idk?
