[zoie]

I've been watching my fish and so far, just a little racing and chasing. Then this afternoon I noticed a nibble taken out of someones tail so I keep watching. It appears two males are fighting for the same territory. It's not much to fight over, but they both want this little hollow in the sand.

So I have read that you need to move the rocks around when you start seeing aggression so I put a small cichlid stone where they were fighting over :-? Is this how I do it? (Funny, it's how i deal with my daycare kids, when thye fight over a toy, no one gets it )

But is that basically how it's done?

Oh I forgot to mention they are dems, about 1" and they were put in the tank on Sat. along with all my other fish and there were no other fish in there at the time. My tank is 4'long, 13"w and 12" H

 

[DanniGirl]

That's one way.
It's best to re-arrange the surrounding aqua-scape as well.

 

[Nina_b]

also, I know this sounds crazy, but put a mirror against the glass close to where they are fighting. I don't know how long this works, but for nearly a week now my yellow mutt fish-zilla is happily posturing and posing for his reflection, and there is peace in the tank. Everyone else's colour is better. The female has healed fins. Worth a try, even if it's a failure, since this is such a simple procedure.

 

[zoie]

That's one way.
It's best to re-arrange the surrounding aqua-scape as well.

re-arrange how? just move things around?

 

[zoie]

also, I know this sounds crazy, but put a mirror against the glass close to where they are fighting. I don't know how long this works, but for nearly a week now my yellow mutt fish-zilla is happily posturing and posing for his reflection, and there is peace in the tank. Everyone else's colour is better. The female has healed fins. Worth a try, even if it's a failure, since this is such a simple procedure.

I'll try that, thanks

 

[Nina_b]

re-arrange how? just move things around?

pretty much

I like rearranging. Redecoration is fun

 

[dielikemoviestars]

Yes, rearranging is simply moving your rockwork around. Establish new territories so neither of them have any leaning of dominance.

 

[Nina_b]

Just a note, that doesn't always work. I can rearrange as much as I like, the right half of my tank belongs to Mr. YellowZilla (Simba, actually).

 

[DanniGirl]

Yes, rearranging is simply moving your rockwork around. Establish new territories so neither of them have any leaning of dominance.

Agreed.
Since they're still establishing their territories, it should do the trick. :thumb:

 

[zoie]

So far just moving hte rock there has worked, but I'm sure it will come up again.

Thanks everyone.

 

[DJRansome]

With mbuna you are going to have nipped fins. Totally normal. Just make sure no one fish is harassed too much. I would not rearrange unless a problem develops...

 

[zoie]

With mbuna you are going to have nipped fins. Totally normal. Just make sure no one fish is harassed too much. I would not rearrange unless a problem develops...

Oh, that's a good thing to know. Thanks. I didn't want to rearrange too much, because then I was thinking I might start someone else fighting

 

[713J]

Just a note, that doesn't always work.

+1

I have an adult pair of J. marlieri that no matter how often I rearrange the scape they still dig out under a rock then push everyone else up against the glass. Worth a try but it doesn't always work.

 

[zoie]

Just a note, that doesn't always work.

+1

I have an adult pair of J. marlieri that no matter how often I rearrange the scape they still dig out under a rock then push everyone else up against the glass. Worth a try but it doesn't always work.

Thanks
So far so good, but the are still little :wink:

 

[stefan88]

I usually put caves on opposite sides of the tank.. Keeping them as far apart as possible.. This way males some what stay out of eachothers territory and have there own caves to call home..

 

[zoie]

I usually put caves on opposite sides of the tank.. Keeping them as far apart as possible.. This way males some what stay out of eachothers territory and have there own caves to call home..

I read a lot of people suggested caves and hidding places, that's another reason I went with all cichlid stones. They were lighter and had tons of caves and hidding spaces.

The Labs love the rocks, the dems hang out in the open and fight over hollows of sand. :-?

But hey it's working so I guess it's good.