Flag fish

[nell]

I just need to know if other people have flag fish. Every where I read flags are supposed to be placid. mine is very except toward bala shark. Anyone else have this same problem?

 

[BigC]

By Flagfish I take it you mean the American Flagfish Jordanella Floridae a killifish from Florida and parts of Mexico. If so, they are really peaceful except against males of their own kind. Have you got females in the tank, if you have, they spawn quite easily given the right conditions after which the males guard the eggs(mimicking cichlid behaviour), then he can become quite aggressive.

 

[nell]

American Flag fish that is what I have it's a good looking fish. It has no mate she died within days of introducing to the aquarium. He looks great lots of checkered red and the blue spot. He is very aggressive toward my bala sharks though. Has anyone come across this before? Do you think I need to get a mate? I'm not 100% sure if mine is male but I just guess he is because of his brilliant colours and the fact that his "mate" was a lot duller.

Also have 10 neon tetra
1 red tailed black shark
1 clown loach
1 bala shark
10 xray neons

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I thought flag fish were cichlids? I looked them up once because I saw them at a fish store but they wouldn't fit in my tank with my stocking... I don't know how peaceful they are though.

 

[sylvia]

American-flag fish (note that the name is for the American flag - not for a flag fish that is from America if you get what I mean - many people get this mixed up) are killifish but have behaviours similar to both cichlids and gouramies. IME, they are relatively peaceful though some can be nippy and males do become especialy aggressive during breeding times and are territorial. I suspect the problem you are having with the bala has more to do with the circumstances than the fish itself. You may or may not be aware that balas get to 12" and require a tank of at least 125 gallons. If your tank was this size and the American-flag fish was chasing your bala around I would then suspect the problem to be that balas are very skittish schooling fish so a lone bala is an easy target for a relatively boisterous, though small, tankmate. If your tank is large enough (at least 100 gallons), you could add a couple more balas and this should solve your problem. If the tank is smaller, the bala shouldn't be in there in the first place and the tank size is likely the cause for your problem.

Oh and there is a flag cichlid but I am pretty sure this thread reffers to the killifish as the red and blue markings are very characteristic - especialy of the brighter males.

 

[nell]

Thanks for the advice Sylvia my tank is just over 100 gallons so I think I will try another bala.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Thanks for the advice Sylvia my tank is just over 100 gallons so I think I will try another bala.

are you quite sure that your tank is 100+ gallons? because in a different post, you said it was 100+ liters. 100 liters is only about 25 US gallons ~ not even close to being big enough for balas.

a bala shark will easily reach a foot in length therefore it must be kept in a tank that is wider than a foot.

 

[nell]

Hi there pica_nuttalli

Your right my tank is 91*30.5*40cm making it 111 litres not gallons how does this match up with US Gallons? And is my tank big enough for another bala?

 

[Paul_MTS]

your tank is touch under 30 US gallons.

this is far from enough to house a single bala- which shouldn't be the case as there a schoaling a fish.

I suggest you remove the bala.