[blackfoot]

i have more than just questions about the aggressive bavior of my fish. i know these fish are naturally aggressive but i introduced a few fish into my tank and a few of them started shaking like crazy suggesting its some sort of mating ritual... after that a few of the fish are chasing eachother in an extremely aggressive manner and i mean AGGRESSIVE. not really any biting or anything but it is concerning. i dont want the fish that are being chased to get to stressed and end up dying. i have a pretty good amount of rocks and caves in my tank so they can hide but it doesnt stop them that much. the temp on my tank is on average 78d.f. its a 60 gallon tank. and there are about 14 fish in the tank and one sucker.
my questions...
is this behavior ok if not what should i do?
is the temp ok?
also i cant manage the temp of my tank that well i dont know if this is common or maybe my heater isnt working properly?
im new to the hobby so if anyone has useful information id really appreciate it

 

[quiksilver]

When ever you add or remove fish they are going to do what you’re describing. they are sorting out who is dominant.

 

[acreal]

Hello blackfoot,

Could you give us the dimension of your tank and name it's inhabitants ? You may post a few pics here if you're not sure about the fish you have.

 

[Gary Biggs]

Hey Blackfoot,
extra aggressive cichlids, aren't they cute. lol The shaking and stuff is usually males working it out. They're figuring out whos dominant. A trick for introducing new fish to a tank. Just put your hands in before you dump them in. Move rocks and caves around, change scenario, and make sure you add a spot or two for the new guys. That'll take their minds off intruders, and put it on looking for a new home. By the time they get it all figured out. They forget about the new guy, and he kinda slides into the mix. lol Works. Don't worry, they'll usually work it out, and calm down. Take a few days to a week or so. But your tank will be reasonably calm again. Good luck. Peace, Gary Oh yeah, and 78 degrees F is fine. anywhere from about 76 to 82,84 or so, is fine dude. If you want the temp up a bit. First, check for drafts or anything coming right at your tank. Window, door, whatever, then you'll work it out from there. If still staying low for your liking. Might have to get a bigger heater, to compensate. But 78 is actually fine, and they'll breed easier in a little cooler water. Again, peace and good luck with your new hobby. Gary

 

[gunnerx]

When I introduced 11 Julies in my tank, everyone and I mean everyone took their turn chasing them around. Eventually they all got bored and went their own ways. It only took a day for the Julies to settle in and find their spots but the males definitely like to show others who's the boss. It looked like a Hazing ritual to me and I actually found it rather amusing. My Tang tank is at 79-80F and their doing fine.

 

[cichlidaholic]

If you only add one fish at a time, it's pretty stressful for that one fish. It's always best to add more than one to disperse the aggression.

Otherwise, it's pretty natural behaviour!

It would be nice to know what species you have in the tank. It may be that you are understocked...

Kim