Lake Malawi Species • Red Albino Dragon Peacock

[OMG72]

I've had the Albino dragon for a few weeks, feeds fine, pH all good, nitrate levels good etc and all my other cichlids are doing well. He's not getting "bullied" at all but he spends all day at the top of the tank in a corner, as soon as I switch the main light off and put the blue moon light on he comes alive. Swimming all over the tank and behaving like he should. Any thoughts as to why? Many thanks

[DJRansome]

He IS being bullied, you are just not seeing it. Fish do not choose that spot voluntarily...it is the #1 sign of harassment.

What are the dimensions of the tank and what is your stock list including species and gender?

[Stu W2]

Hello OMG72,

My observations on bullied fish is the same as that of DJRansome. They will head to the top corners when bullied.

Regards,
Stu

[OMG72]

He IS being bullied, you are just not seeing it. Fish do not choose that spot voluntarily...it is the #1 sign of harassment.

What are the dimensions of the tank and what is your stock list including species and gender?

Hi, i've got a 55g tank with 2 x yellow labs (male and female), juvenille friesburg Peacock (male), juvenille rusty (male) and a breeding pair of Jewel cichlids. Generally a pretty peacefull tank although the Jewels have just had a load of fry so they are pretty fiesty and territorial at the momnent - moving them to a different tank in a day or so.

The others dont bother with the albino at all - completley ignored until the blue light comes on at night then he swims around with them all - but if you think he's being bullied (maybe not physically) i'll move him.

Many thanks for the help

[OMG72]

Hello OMG72,

My observations on bullied fish is the same as that of DJRansome. They will head to the top corners when bullied.

Regards,
Stu

Many thanks - i think i'll move him to another tank

[Auballagh]

Red Jewel Cichlid, Hemichromis bimaculatus.
-
And well, there you have it then. I'm actually kind of surprised your spawning pair of Hemichromis has left anyone alive in that 55 gallon tank?!! This must be their first spawning run? Heh.... give 'em time, those crazy kids are just warming up.
And, believe it or not your happy little, 'murder couple' in there are no where near the fiercest of the African Riverine cichlids.
Red Jewels are rather mild actually in comparison to the 6-inch long growing, 'Five Star General', Hemichromis elongatus.
-
WARNING: Tank Buster Alert!!!



And no Hemichromis should be stocked with anything but themselves in dedicated, African riverine aquariums.

[DJRansome]

Plus one on the jewels. Also Malawi are harem breeders. You want 1m:4f (or even more females) for every species. Or no females at all. In your 55G you might be OK with 1m:4f of each of these: Acei, rusty and peacock. However both the acei and the peacock would do better in a larger tank.

[OMG72]

:o Red Jewel Cichlid, Hemichromis bimaculatus.
-
And well, there you have it then. I'm actually kind of surprised your spawning pair of Hemichromis has left anyone alive in that 55 gallon tank?!! This must be their first spawning run? Heh.... give 'em time, those crazy kids are just warming up.
And, believe it or not your happy little, 'murder couple' in there are no where near the fiercest of the African Riverine cichlids.
Red Jewels are rather mild actually in comparison to the 6-inch long growing, 'Five Star General', Hemichromis elongatus.
-
WARNING: Tank Buster Alert!!!



And no Hemichromis should be stocked with anything but themselves in dedicated, African riverine aquariums.

yep they are getting fiesty now!! I'll mpve them into another tank tonight - thanks for the help

[OMG72]

Plus one on the jewels. Also Malawi are harem breeders. You want 1m:4f (or even more females) for every species. Or no females at all. In your 55G you might be OK with 1m:4f of each of these: Acei, rusty and peacock. However both the acei and the peacock would do better in a larger tank.

yeah i might have to split them up - all been ok until now. I'll see how it goes moving the Jewels out
Thanks for the help

[Mr Chromedome]

First, to clarify, the fish in the photo are Hemichromis elongatus, known as the Five Star General. More likely that OPs Jewels are Hemichromis guttatus, the Common Jewel Cichlid, which can be quite fiesty when breeding. H. bimaculatus is a name frequently used for the Common Jewel, though the species does not currently exist in the hobby. It is one of those misidentifications that persists despite a correction that was published in the 1970s.
https://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1348

The Five spot Hemichromis are all capable of reaching well over a foot, while the common Jewels rarely reach 5 inches. There is likely to be a division of the two groups into separate genera coming in the near future, according to Anton Lamboj.