After 4 Years I Have A Problem

[snowflake311]

Not sure anyone here will remember me. I use to be on here a lot. I still have my 100 Gal and now I am down to one of my rescue Uarus and my pet Severum Nip who is about 5 years old now. I have some other non Cichlids in there too. 
 
Poor nip was looking so bad very stressed and even had HITH. All the other fish including the Uaru still look great and act fine. So I moved Nip into a hospital tank and treated the HITH.  He is doing great made a full recovery and I want to put him back in the 100 Gal but I am scared to. My Uaru has become a bully. I have 4 LARGE Silver dollars as Dithers and the uaru chases them and nips at them too. BUt they don't seem to care at all. 
 
Nip is my Fav fish and I don't like to see him stressed and ill. They have been living together great for the past few years till now. They are both about the same age and 8". 
 
The options are 
 
A. Give away my Uaru 
B. Give the Uaru a Time out and let Nip run the take then add the Uaru back. 
C. Get another Cichlid to even out the aggression. 
 
What do you guys think? 
 
I got this 100 Gal for NIP I love that fish he is my pet. 
 
Here is my baby Nip this photo is like like 9 months old
 

 

[DerpPH]

either A or C, Many people experience this aggression problem even in the biggest of tanks. It is not rare. B would only stress both the fish out

 

[star4]

I remember you rescuing the Urau. I would give B a go, if the urau starts chasing again remove him again. If you remember me, I rescue cichlids, I have found it better to have more cichlids to spread any problems.

 

[snowflake311]

Thanks guys. Hey star I do remember you. I have been playing with the idea of getting a rescue oscar. But that might be too much fish for my 100gal. The problem is I have to find another large fish I can't get a baby and that's what I find at stores. I could find a good size jack Dempsey .


What other cichlid would be a good addition?

 

[star4]

The trouble with an oscar and a bullying fish is if the oscar looses its temper they have a big mouth, unless you find one like chops with a deformed mouth, he is pretty safe with anything. I have aquidens metae and a rainbow in with my urau (I must say the rainbow is not normal, its the most nasty fish I have lol) A JD should be ok, they are pretty placid but wont take sillyness, I have had a JD with severums. Another option would be more severums if you can find some.
 
I always say should be ok, knowing cichlids you can never guarantee.

 

[Wills]

What about a rescape of the tank? That can often help with situations like this. In that situation I generally take out the aggressor to the tank and totally rescape the tank - so completely change the structures and the outlines in the tank. 
 
It can sometimes help.
 
Wills

 

[snowflake311]

I will try the move stuff around and take things out really mess with the tank. I am going to give Nip the whole tank and remove my uaru give him a time out and let nip recover and feel safe. Then I will see how they get along. I might have to let the uaru go after all these years.

I would love to get another Severum but not sure that would help what if I get a female then I have a pair. I know how cichlid pairs can be. I do really want to get a wild Heros notatus Spotted Severum. It's my dream Severum I had one as a baby years ago but a freak tank accident caused me to lose it .

 

[star4]

I had a thought today, what food are you using? I only ask because I was having some terrible aggression problems and I ran out of Hikari pellets so used another food and the aggression levels of all the fish on Hikari dropped. I fed hikari again and the aggression levels increased so I stopped feeding hikari altogether.

 

[snowflake311]

Hikari is what I feed I will try switching food. It's worth a try.

 

[star4]

Let me know how you get on

 

[snowflake311]

Well today I moved the Uaru to his time out tank. I moved Nip back into the 100 Gal that I re did the whole thing. He is happy to be home. 
 
I found someone that will take the Uaru. I think that might be best for everyone in the tank. I don't know what to do. 

 

[star4]

It is a difficult decision, I remember the state of the urau when you got them and you did an amazing job getting them right. If you feel its best to re-home him then do so, unless the person offering the home is willing to wait until you try changing the diet.

 

[snowflake311]

I found a few good homes but when it came time to pick one I could not let my fish go.

This weekend I will add my Uaru back in the tank and see how it goes. I really want to get another severum for the tank. But we will see. I am going to be on the look out for a 3rd cichlid.

Fingers crossed that this seperation and tank re model will help. Oh and I need to switch the food.

 

[star4]

I have to say switching food worked wonders on my lot

 

[snowflake311]

I put my uaru back in the 100gal where my Severum has been .

My Severum nip has calmed the tank. The uaur is now getting bossed around. We will see how it goes after a few days. I still have people interested in my uaru.