Crazy Territorial Mbuna!

[fishlover500]

i have a male pseudo tropheus aurora. He owns half the tank!! He chases away anyone on his half.
Is there any way to stop this?? Add more rock? I do have a reasonable amount of rock but I would sord of like to do one of those big rock piles.

 

[Ferris]

You can try completely re-arranging the decor but this is pretty normal Mbuna behaviour and one of the main problems with keeping them - you may have to return/re-house the fish in question if its that bad.

 

[8inary]

if you really want to keep it, i would remove him from the tank, rearrange the tank, add some rocks etc then put the other fish in first, after which put him back and see what happens.

i have had fish in the past, which have turned out to be dominent males, ive had to take them back and swap them for none dominent males, normally works out for the best IMO

 

[kj23502]

Just throwing in, I don't remember how big your tank is. But if it's smaller than the 4 feet then that could be part of it. It's possible in smaller tanks, but harder. I'd maybe try rearranging like stated above and if that doesn't work then rehoming him.

 

[kj23502]

I found it: 65 gallon tank.

Today I bough another pseudo acei (total of 2). I also bought 2 pseudo tropheus aurora's.
A few days ago I bought 2 yellow labs that are now quarantining.

1 pseudo aurora is male one is female.

Should these fish do well with the fish mentioned above?

I couldn't freakin find the fish to double check what it is I found it now...aka Metriaclima aurora, Maylandia Aurora.

I think it should be alright, imo. Metriaclima and Pseudotropheus have both been known to be really aggressive. It could be alright. I don't know much about them. You could always try it if you have a back up plan.

that's odd because the pseudo acei and pseudo aurora seem like some of the gentlest in the tank.

Shows how they can change temperaments overnight, huh

 

[fishlover500]

Ya lol ur right kj. But the pseudo acei are still very gentle.

And the Metriaclima aurora male waas getting picked on and hiding in the corner until I rearranged the tank a day or
two after I got him cause I felt sorry for him. Then he turned into the little terror he is today.

I might try that 8inary

 

[kj23502]

Which one was picking on the aurora?

Yea, you challenged me w/the acei in that topic and I answered that as far as aggression I was talking about the aurora b/c that's what you asked about.

 

[fishlover500]

When I got him I sord of forget but probably kenyi and yellow lab where the ones picking on him.

Since he has become crazy dominant the electric blue, even though being a lot smaller has still been able to chase him
occassionally, but the elec is starting to lose this feature.

 

[kj23502]

Crazt stuff! good luck

 

[fishlover500]

thanks, may be going to lfs soon for algae eaters soon, don't have any in any of my tanks. Glass is starting to turn green.

 

[kj23502]

I'm planning on getting a pair of albino bristlenose plecs

 

[fishlover500]

Would you recommend a pair of bristlenoses or just one?? As soon as the bns are introduced will cichlids attack them?
Oh, and just wondering why bristle noses are better than any other plecs for mbuna tanks.

My lfs isn't the best for algae eaters so I will try and get what I find, besides I have another 30 gallon that needs algae eaters.

 

[kj23502]

I'd think one would suffice just fine.
IMO, I'd get the new fish in the evening before the store closes. Then you can go home, turn the lights off on the tank (a little early bedtime), and float the bag or whatever you do and put the new fish in in the cover of darkness or semi darkness. They they have awhile get accustomed to the new surroundings a little bit. You can do it however, but that's my opinion.

 

[dthoffsett]

Would you recommend a pair of bristlenoses or just one?? As soon as the bns are introduced will cichlids attack them?
Oh, and just wondering why bristle noses are better than any other plecs for mbuna tanks.

My lfs isn't the best for algae eaters so I will try and get what I find, besides I have another 30 gallon that needs algae eaters.

The main advantages of bn pleco w/mbuna are that the plecs can handle higher ph, they eat algae their entire lives (many plecs only eat algae when juvies), they only get around 5-6" so don't overwhelm the tank, and spend much of their time out and about during the day. They're also very good at ignoring the cichlids for the most part, however, some people have found any pleco is killed by their mbuna, so, I'd probably sort out your current aggression problems before introducing any new fish.

 

[mike os]

If you have a malawi tank & algae problems you are almost certainly understocked, which will also account for your aggression problems.

otherwise reduce lighting times & check nitrates, BN/ansuistrus will be stressed in a malawi tank as the water should be hard, and tankmates are too aggressive.