African Butterfly Fish Fighting

[baker360360]

The bigger one is forcing the others into corners and and below the top part of the tank. I have half the surface still the other has a gentle current by the outlet also floating plants to give them some cover.

They have been in the tank a few days now. Problem noticed this morning.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Provide a mangrove-ish setup and yeah lots of floating plants with long roots like water cabbage and water hyacinth

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

How big is the tank (dimensions, not volume)?
How many ABF?
Were they all added together, or is the "big bully" more established in the tank?
Any line of sight barriers at the water surface (floating plants, emerging bogwood/ornaments)?

 

[baker360360]

Corner tank with bow front 50g , got amazon frogbit in there. It's growing quick it covers about a quater the surface at the moment. Long roots. The 3 butterflys were the only 3 in the shop in the same tank added at the same time.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

How many males and females are there in the group? If their anal fin is not damaged/nipped, you can tell by the rear edge of the anal fin, it is very vertically straight for females and in males the lower half tends to trail back.
 
See if you can play around with the filter output, so you get some water surface rippling, but more areas of static surface water where the frogbit can create zones for each ABF to settle in.

 

[baker360360]

How many males and females are there in the group? If their anal fin is not damaged/nipped, you can tell by the rear edge of the anal fin, it is very vertically straight for females and in males the lower half tends to trail back.
 
See if you can play around with the filter output, so you get some water surface rippling, but more areas of static surface water where the frogbit can create zones for each ABF to settle in.

I've already tried sexing them but I'm useless at that kind of stuff. Unless it's as simple as colour I'm not sure. I'm thinking the bully is male and the others are female but not sure. I will try to get a clear pic on here Monday.

 

[baker360360]

Good news I rehomed the aggressive abf. So the 2 smaller ones can swim in peace

Bad news (ish) I left the lid open for about half hour and one jumped out behind the tank. No way I could move it or reach it by hand. I ended up using a broom handle and some cable to shift it all the way under tank. After about 35 mins I got it it was covered in dust and looked in a bad way. That was about 18 hrs ago and he's still alive but I haven't seen him eat yet.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Dusty fishes are a pain lol. I remember finding a dusty loach 3 days after it escaped. It was still alive and kicking when i returned to the water.