Pissed at my cichlids

[Dubs1281]

My cichlids are really starting to piss me off. I love them to death, but they are nothing but trouble!!! It started about a month ago when I did a complete 180 on the tank design. I switched my brown and white gravel with black sand, and my plants and driftwood with rocks and swords.
I know cichlids are aggressive and smart, but are they smart enough to all pick on one guy? My hierarchy changes. My johonni usually runs the show but occasionally my rusty peacock and unknown hybrid jump in. They have killed three fish in the past two months. A female rusty peacock, a dragon blood peacock who died in the first three days with shredded fins and a missing eye and most recently a red zebra whose bones I found in the sand.
What I've been trying to do is mix up the decor around so they are trying to find or make a new territory than pick in each other. I added plants in hopes they will grow large and break up lines of sight. And when I add new fish I watch them to make sure they are mean and large.
What I am thinking of doing is getting a fuel grown fish in there, this will stop the ever-changing hierarchy and hopefully create peace. A place away from me that has a huge tank with show fish. They are linked nfs but if I offered the right price, I doubt they would refuse.
Any advice?
55 gallon long.
12 fish all 1.5"-3.5"
8.2 ph at 78-80º

 

[haleybeth30]

I suggest more rock work built up into the water column and driftwood. My tank looks a jumbled mess (yet still pretty) but I could probably use more..

 

[Dubs1281]

I suggest more rock work built up into the water column and driftwood. My tank looks a jumbled mess (yet still pretty) but I could probably use more..

Mine dig too much for me to stack to high. They always make my rocks collaps after 5-6 days. That's when I try to redo the decor. I am thinking of adding lots more, but I want to see my fish too.

 

[Jmunroe]

Doesn't look like you have much in there for caves an hiding for that many fish. That will make things worse. Especially in such a small tank. Needs decor built up higher to break sight lines. Then don't rearrange so they don't fight for dominance as much.

 

[Dubs1281]

Doesn't look like you have much in there for caves an hiding for that many fish. That will make things worse. Especially in such a small tank. Needs decor built up higher to break sight lines. Then don't rearrange so they don't fight for dominance as much.

I have about 6 caves. But they choose to ignore them and dig there own. I do not want to stack up too high in fear of collapse. I was told before to rearrange about 2 times a month. I notice a drop in aggression because they are all trying to find a good housing place or dig one. One they have it settled, they go to conquer more. And then the littlest guy gets the short end of the stick.

 

[cgthebeast]

Use aquariam safe glue , and stack the rocks up on the bottom then add substrate if you ever do a redo.

P.S.
The admins are going to have a fit with all the cussing. Might close the thread. Just looking out for ya here

 

[ghostking010]

Mine dig too but I got big rocks that are on the bare bottom and smaller stacked no collaps rocks and the fish love it add IMF more rocks soon

 

[Dubs1281]

Use aquariam safe glue , and stack the rocks up on the bottom then add substrate if you ever do a redo.

P.S.
The admins are going to have a fit with all the cussing. Might close the thread. Just looking out for ya here

I was steaming at the time because they just ripped up a plant I had put back in this morning.
And what I am trying to say is that I don't think its a good idea one rockua scape (get it? aqua, rockua) because if you try to indroduce new fish the new guy doesn't stand a chance. And even if I'm done adding fish. They are always trying to expand their turf once they have theirs complete. I was looking to see if I should stock moreor less, increase water changes, increase or decrease feeding or just learn to deal with it. I don't want to seem like a guy who is ignoring what he doesn't want to hear, but I don't believe it's the problem.

 

[cgthebeast]

I understand, they can be little pains. You just got to fe what you
Got to do. Mabye add driftwood and fake plants to help.

 

[Lady_Alia]

I ha the same issue until my red zebra female killed the Dom male of the tank. (at the time all the fish were basically the same size). Then I got Muffin. He was over twice the size of the others and all aggression has stopped. I've not had another dead fish in over a year. Good luck to ya!

 

[Rivers2k]

I had in issue with a Dominant peacock single out fish and stressing them to death. I separated him out and put him in 5 gallon bucket for 3 days. This gave the tank a chance to establish a new hierarchy and when I introduced him back he was no longer top dog and he has so far stayed in check. The new dominant male is much more "normal" and if the previous bully get out of line the dominant male corrects it. This might work for you.

 

[Dubs1281]

I had in issue with a Dominant peacock single out fish and stressing them to death. I separated him out and put him in 5 gallon bucket for 3 days. This gave the tank a chance to establish a new hierarchy and when I introduced him back he was no longer top dog and he has so far stayed in check. The new dominant male is much more "normal" and if the previous bully get out of line the dominant male corrects it. This might work for you.

My heiracy changes thought should Isolate a three fish?

 

[Rivers2k]

My heiracy changes thought should Isolate a three fish?

Cant hurt to try or maybe just the most dominant one. The others might be following his actions. If it doesn't work you haven't lost anything. I also didn't feed the 3 days he was in quarantine so when he was introduced the others would be in better shape.

 

[haleybeth30]

I recently got a slightly larger fish too. At first, my bully peacock chased him a little too. But now that the hap has chosen his spot the bully has been knocked down a peg or 2. He still chases the others, but not as much and the hap seems to break it up sometimes.. he's my new ref lol

 

[Wy Renegade]

Johanni in particular are notoriously aggressive, personally I really wish they wouldn't sell them as a easy cichlid to keep. If you've got one in your aquarium, you've generally got aggression until all the other fish are dead. Personally I would start by removing and rehoming that one and see what happens. Pretty fish, but just doesn't play well with others typically. I've had a single Johanni kill every other fish in an overstocked 100gal tank, even other Johanni.

 

[Dubs1281]

He doesn't pic on everyone. Just my demesoni. The real guy who runs the show is the green terror. Now let me explain. When I first bought him, I thought all ciclids could be together. I now know that this is not okay and will require him when he becomes a problem. He never starts a fight. But he will Finish one. No one has a set big enough to take him on. The whole tank is his territory and he is free to swim everywhere with out worry ing about being attacked. Again I know it is wrong to keep him with my others now. ..but he is not a problem and will rwhome him when he hits 5 or so inches or becomes a problem. I am going to redecorate my tank on Saturday, isolate my jahoni for a day or two to let others establish before adding him. And when I am at my lfs on Saturday too. I will look for the biggest cichlid I can find. Does this sound like a good deal?

 

[haleybeth30]

I don't know if adding another cichlid to this mix will help.. and I see the gt becoming a problem before he reaches 4 in.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Just get a ton of slate and use aquarium silicone to glue them together and add them to the tank. I believe that this problem is caused by the lack of hiding places in the tank.

 

[Dubs1281]

Was talking to a guy on craigslist today because he is selling his red top peacock. It is full grown at six inches, should/could I get him? I will first do a large water change. Rearrange my tank. Add him. And isolate my johonni for three ish days. Its a combo of everything. What do you think. The guy also has some other cichlids. I was thinking of maybe trading my johonni?

 

[Dubs1281]

Well. Today was a great day. I went and bought tons of new rocks from a landscapeing place and went nuts. I have every single rock I originally collected, with most of the new ones. Have tons of caves and am stoked about the new fish I got. Months ago I asked my lfs if they could get more victorians, went there today and they just got a huge order of xmas fulu, and ngara flamebacks. He gave me the biggest and most colorful one of each for $10. He is selling them for $30. I am also going to get a 6" red top peacock from my soccer coach, who I just found out was a hobbiest. He also has some others that I might be interested in. What do you think?