Dealing with aggression

[Valwow187]

So I have a 55 gallon with a Severum, gourami, and 2 fire mouths. My fire mouths are pretty aggressive toward my sev and I was thinking of rehoming but I read that adding more fish cuts down on aggression. Anybody have any input on this or suggestions on what kind of fish I should try ?

 

[93MSB]

ive never had a cichlid specific tank, but I have also heard the same about adding more. The idea is to add enough fish so they cannot claim any territory which should reduce aggression. You cant just add any cichlid though, thats where you need someone with experience to chime in and let you know what species and how many.

 

[Jon Ala]

It depends on what type of aggression. Are they being aggressive when the sev goes into their area or is it all over the tank?

 

[Valwow187]

It depends on what type of aggression. Are they being aggressive when the sev goes into their area or is it all over the tank?

It's pretty much all over the tank. They have their territory on one side of the tank but they come over to the other side just to be *******s

 

[Jon Ala]

I'm afraid adding fish might not fix that. Have you rearranged your decor? Or made sure of hiding spots?

 

[Valwow187]

I'm afraid adding fish might not fix that. Have you rearranged your decor? Or made sure of hiding spots?

Yea i rearrange every week when I clean my tank. I was just hoping there was another solution to this other than rehoming.

 

[mikem691]

How big is the severum and the firemouths?

 

[Valwow187]

How big is the severum and the firemouths?

The Severum is about the size of a hand. He's pretty big compared to the fire mouths because they're just and inch or 2

 

[mikem691]

Maybe try adding a few clay pots or something big enough for the severum to hide in but if the firemouths are female and male and pair up you may still have problems. My severums are more agressive than most. The only other thing that may work are some target fish like silver dollars but I think that will over stock you when the sev and firemouths reach full size. Ill post a pic of the clay pots in my tank.

 

[mikem691]

They don't look so bad with plants infront of them.

 

[Valwow187]

They don't look so bad with plants infront of them.

That looks nice. I actually bought a pot but my Severum is quite big and he was too big for the pot so I purchased a 50 lb box of lace rocks to make my own caves and things for him but the fire mouths like to dig under the rocks and make them fall so that's why I only have a few little caves. I could try looking for a larger pot than what I got.
I've actually been worried about them mating because just based on their size and color it looks like ones a male and ones a female, do you think that has something to do with the aggression?

 

[mikem691]

That looks nice. I actually bought a pot but my Severum is quite big and he was too big for the pot so I purchased a 50 lb box of lace rocks to make my own caves and things for him but the fire mouths like to dig under the rocks and make them fall so that's why I only have a few little caves. I could try looking for a larger pot than what I got.
I've actually been worried about them mating because just based on their size and color it looks like ones a male and ones a female, do you think that has something to do with the aggression?

That could be it. I have no experience with fire mouths. Hopefully some one else will chime in on them.