will over stocking cut down on aggression in sa cichs

[cmbtengnr43]

I'm just curious if over stocking south and central American cichlids will cut down aggression the way it does for African cichlids

 

[Jmunroe]

No. They will mature and the dominant fish will kill the others if it decides it doesn't like them. There are things you can do though. Like rearranging the tank and letting them re-establish territories and hoping they will be satisfied or as I had to do last week with one of my oscars that was trying to kill the other, move the aggressor to another tank for a few days and re introduce it. This seems to have worked for me this time as it is not being aggressive now. Hopefully it stays that way. But you never know... They can turn again quick. Even if they have gotten along fine for years it may happen sometime.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

Ok I didn't think so but was just checking I'm pushing my limits now I have a 75 with 1male convict 3 female convicts a jack Dempsey and a parrot cichlid all juvinille

 

[Jmunroe]

Honestly i would consider that overstocked for a 75. You are running the risk of having the Dempsey kill everything or more likely 2 convicts will pair up and kill everything before the others mature enough to look after themselves. Convicts start breeding at a small size. In fact you'll have fry very soon. I just rehomed a 2.5 inch male convict that was beating on my 8 inch oscars in my 125.

 

[Jmunroe]

Did you want breeding fish or just display fish? You could rehome all fish but the Dempsey and get a couple more small dempseys and try to get a pair and rehome the outcast in several months down the road when they mature and pair off. 75 is probably big enough for a pair. Dempseys are one cichlid I haven't kept over the years, maybe someone could let you know if that is a good size tank. Or keep the convict pair once they start breeding and rehome rest. 75 would be a nice home for a pair of convicts.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

I'll prob end up finding someone who wants the male I thought I grabbed all female but turns out I got one male and I don't think my rank would be big enough for a pair of dempseys

 

[oscerman]

I'm just curious if over stocking south and central American cichlids will cut down aggression the way it does for African cichlids

Nooooooo, SA cichlids may be friends when young but as tgere aggrrssion curve kicks in the will not like eachother, the more rook, the less fish the better