Agressive male fish ?

Any other shots of the fish? It almost looks like a cross between a red zebra and a kenyi, which would equal an overly aggressive fish! (I would have also bet female by the finnage!)

What size tank is this?

What are the tank mates?

Kim

The tank is on the small side for kenyi, so this may be your problem. I wouldn't recommend less than a 75G, and even then, that can be pushing it. Do you only have the one female for him?

It sounds like he's maturing and ready to spawn. This is when their true aggressive nature becomes evident.

Kim

Females are blue. Take a look in the profile section under Lake Malawi mbuna, Metriaclima lombardoi.

He is really beautiful, but after looking at your other thread, that's a pretty aggressive mix you've got for that tank size.

He would need several females, at least 2-3, and it might disrupt your tank even more than you're seeing right now. They really need a 75G minimum.

Kim

It may not be...

You're already having problems with him. This usually gets worse as they mature, not better. Giving him a few females can go either way...It could calm him a bit, but it could also make him worse than he already is.

They are one of the more common mbuna, and readily available. Unfortunately, they can be really aggressive and require more space than others.

I don't blame you for wanting to keep him - he's very nice, but he may be more trouble than he's worth.

I had an adult male and 3 females that I kept in a tank that size for quite some time, but in the long run, it just wasn't worth it considering all the trouble and stress they caused the rest of the tank.

Kim

You're always going to have one that is more dominant than the rest. It sounds like this is your guy. That doesn't mean the other males won't take him on now and then, they don't seem to give up easily.

You have alot of zebra types in this tank, and with one of this and one of that, the aggression will be intensified.

If you're looking for a more peaceful tank, you may have to work on your stock somewhat. You'll be able to tell more as they all mature - some of them look pretty young.

Good luck!

Kim

No problem, gaz131...

It can be really difficult to get your stocking right initially. These fish have taught me alot in the past 5-6 years, but I still have to make stocking changes every now and then.

The thing that worries me most about an overly aggressive tank is the toll it can take on the fish's health. A stressed fish usually becomes a sick fish, and at times, you can wind up with an entire tank of sick fish because of the stress level. It can be very frustrating, so you have to stay open minded and observant of the tank on a regular basis.

Kim