territorial behaviour

[Jishot]

Hi there,

This is my first post so apologies if this has been discussed already. I am just looking for advice if anyone has encountered the same problem because over 6 years with an aquarium I have never witnessed this.

Last weekend I bought probably one of the most beautiful angelfish I have ever seen, it was a veiled angel and looked like a ghost swiming in the water, so I had to have it. Also one of my old angels had died recently so I thought this would be good for the one remaining angelfish.

When I brought the fish back home and acclimatised him with the tank and released him, he seemed nervous at first, but this is normal for fish so I switched the light off for a while to let the fish calm down a bit. After a few hours I switched the light on and saw my keyhole cichlid following the angelfish around, iassumed that this was not unusal since the keyhole has done this with my other angelfish for months, then I could not believe what I saw, the keyhole cichlid bit the angelfishs tail and hung on while the angel attempted to get away tearing the fins in his wake.

I was horified but thought, this is him just making his mark on his territory, so I switched the light off but the next morning I went down and the veiled angel had lost half of its fins, the keyhole was still swimming with him and staring him out of it so I removed the keyhole promptly.

What can I do though to curb this from happening as I want to release the keyhole back in asap.

Oh and the good news is, the angel, even though it looks shredded to pieces, was swimming about last night responding to me and eating very well obviously I have also put some finrot treatment into the water also.

Sorry for being so long about explaining this but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BrianNY]

Sorry about your dilemma here. I've witnessed this with other so called peaceful species before as well. Sometimes long flowing fins look too tempting to normally placid fish. Try rearringing the tank a bit before you put the keyhole back. If it's a territorial thing it may give the new angel a shot at establishing his own space.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[Jishot]

Well thanks for the quick response,

It just so happened that last night (1 day on) I decided to rearrage the tank in hope that the move will screw with the territories I am nervous that the flow on the fins may be the problem but tonight I might release the keyhole back in and see what happens. hopefully he has learnt his lesson and if not i think another home may have to be found for him

I will let you know tomorrow what happened.

 

[BrianNY]

I think you're doing all you can at this point. You just can't force fish to live harmoniously

 

[Sati]

Wow, that's really surprising to me. My keyhole is so peaceful and shy. He lives in harmony with my beta and the rest in the community tank.

 

[Jishot]

Well I went home last night and decided to let the keyhole back into the main tank (which as I said has been redecorated) and after 2 minutes he was back clinging on to the angels tail ripping it to shreds again, needless to say the net went back in to scoop him out again.

So it looks like I have no choice, one of them has to go and unfortunatly its going to have to be the keyhole since the angel needs to recover so I rang my brother in law and he is going to take the keyhole this weekend. As you say Sati he was shy but went psycho once this angel went in and I hate to say it, but I reckon if left alone this would have gone to the deathwith the angel the loser.

But I suppose after 6 years this is my first incompatible selection so thats not to bad. It's all a learning process. I just hope the angel's fins recover to the way they were :?

 

[BrianNY]

They will Jishot. I go through this periodically with my angels, especially when one falls in love LOL. You just have the 2 angles in that tank?

 

[Jishot]

Yes indeed only the 2 angels and I think they may be getting on well with each other. My older angel has taken very strongly to this new angel even protecting it when the keyhole attacked last night.

I have seens fins repair before but will the veins ( i know thats not what they are called) of a fin that were ripped off grow back :?

Maybe I am over reacting but I reckon half of the fins was eaten off, which to me was quite scary.

 

[BrianNY]

Not to worry. They will repair themselves

 

[Guest]

Not to worry. They will repair themselves

Agreed, My angels have grown back some fins I thought were damaged beyond repair.

 

[TankGirl]

I have used Melafix with great success for this situation with my angels. I think those flowy fins were just too much for that keyhole.

 

[Jishot]

Well Ive just used a finrot treatment and they seem to be starting to heal a bit he is swimming about much more and eating much more I also think I may have a pair at last!!!

The melafix you talk of is it the best treatment for this out there, I have seen it in shops but just never used it before?

 

[TankGirl]

I think Melafix is the best for fin damage, for sure. It can be used in the main tank without having to remove the fish for quarrantine, it won't harm the biofilter, and does not have to be "removed" when the treatment is over, like some medications. Some say that it is harmful to the labyrinth organ in bettas, but I have read discussions on betta boards from breeders who use it without trouble.

That will be so cool if you have a pair. It is almost impossible to sex angels when they are not actually doing their spawning thing, so it will be a nice piece of luck!