Angelfish Bullying!

[djceri_g]

I know this is common in large, but I had 2 adults and 3 smaller ones in the tank. Today, I bought a large aultum from the lfs and the other large has been chasing him around!! should I be worried or is this just normal?

 

[ox5477]

If you try to introduce another adult cichlid into an established cichlid's territory then you will get this. The best thing to try is rearrange the tank decor and do at least a 50% water change. this should give them each equal opportunity to claim territory and should help the aggression.

Ox

 

[djceri_g]

Ive just dont approx 30% w/c. have added extra stress coat! I will re-arrange some decor now. Is there a chance this new angel will die? The other adults havent been in there long, but obviously long enough for them to make it their territory! Thanks!

 

[ox5477]

If you dont do somethign to try and give it an even playing field then yes, it will prob be bullied enough to kill it or be stressed enough that it will contract an illness and die from that.

Try the re-decoration and if that doesn't work, best thing is to return the new guy to the lfs...

Ox

 

[djceri_g]

I do have a spare tank. Its not cycled but I have a spounge filter I could put in, now i wonder if I could move the 3 adults into that for a few days. or will that just make them all stress??

 

[ox5477]

well if it isn't cycled, then you will be putting stress on the fish because the poisonous wastes that they naturally produce will not be dissolved by bacteria. If anything, I would move the new guy there. If you removed the other three and left the new guy in the big tank, it may claim the whole tank for itself and you may be in the same spot, just on the other side.

Didn't ask before, what size tank is this?

Ox

 

[djceri_g]

I think they will be okay for a few days in the other tank. A spounge filter will so the trick. Along with w/c every day. I thought it would be good to move all the adults from the main tank to the other for a few days as then, its no-ones territory right?

My tank are a Juwel corner 190liters, and a juwel rekord 96 liters. another thing i thought of was I could move the internal filter media from the main tank to the juwel 96liters and put new spoundes into the main tank, as in the main tank I have a powerfull external filter also.

 

[ox5477]

The second filter set-up you mentioned will be better so you have some filtration left in the main tank then will filtration for the other.

Ox

 

[djceri_g]

Ta for the advice. Ill see how they get on in the main tank first, i have moved decor around. the lights are off noe and I can see that things are calm in there

 

[djceri_g]

had anyone else got some tips for me?one of the larger angel still seems to be chasing the new one today!

 

[Fishy_7]

I recently added a small Angel and the most dominant one ( I have a total of 4) in the tank, which is also larger, is giving it grief. The new one has been in there for about 2 weeks but there is no fin damage, so I just let them carry on. I have Elodea and some large leave plants in there and the little Angel goes in there to hide when it feels stressed. Does not stay in there for long, so I take that as a good sign.

I don't think seperating them is really an answer as when it is introduced again, you will have the same problem. I would be inclined to let them carry on as long as there is no damage done physically.

 

[djceri_g]

I totally cannot believe this!! The one that bullied more was actually not happy yesterday, and this morning, it died!!!!!! nothing at all with my water prams so maybey it was just stress!

 

[ox5477]

It prob was stress. Sorry to hear

Ox