[Bpiche]

I have a curious case of Marlieri bullying. I have two pairs of Brevis's, within a few inches of each other. They're seperated by a 1-2" 'wall' of shells. They're very entertaining as the Males & females will nip at each other if either dares cross the line of shells, but are content if they're on their own side....

Then i have a Marlieri, who is only concerned with picking on the pair that is the furthest back in the tank, and what i would say is also the furthest away from where the Marlieri calls 'home'. He only 'attacks' if he can see them, so i've put up a higher wall of shale to block his line of sight from his rock pile, but he does like to explore to the brevis side of the tank.
He'll chase them from their shells and then leave, with no real interest other then getting them off the substrate. He completely leaves the other pair of Brevis alone.

Any ideas why?

 

[Bpiche]

My tank layout is like this:

I'd like to keep the two pairs in proximity to each other, as they're entertaining to watch. Not sure what else to try!

The Marlieri isn't hurting anyone, but i think it's probably leading to them not spawning as they're a little pushed around

 

[Fogelhund]

That is what the larger Julidochromis do when kept with shelldwellers. They'll go after the fry too.

 

[Bpiche]

why does it only go after the one pair? It's the Gombe Marlieri, so its maybe 1/2" bigger then the male brevis

 

[Fogelhund]

Ok, if it is the Gombe's, you should be able to find a way to make things work. That pair of brevis must be in the area that the Gombe's claim as their own.

 

[eeztropheus]

Juli marlieri can be very nasty... I've seen them go heads up with bull trophs, large yellow labs and demansoni and make them all back down...

 

[shellies215]

I had the same thing with a marleiri and brevis, The juli was only bugging whichever one of my 3 pairs had eggs in the shell. You can use your camera with flash as X-ray vision to see eggs through the shells

 

[Bpiche]

Were those Brevis defending it? Mine just go straight to the top and wait for the gombe to get bored, and then come down. They have no interest in defending

 

[Bpiche]

Also, would moving the rock pile from the left to the right, while the marlieri is pulled out of the tank, be enough of a disorientation of territory? or would it just do the same thing?

Any suggestions?

 

[shellies215]

My brevis tried to defend, but that didn't bother the julie. My brevis tank is only 24"x12" so I decided to keep the julie in my 55gal instead. It didn't matter much, because unless I pull the fry as soon as they come out of the shell, the other brevis eat them. They just don't seem to be good parents.