My unknown fish

[Nina7777]

I finally figured out what my unknown new cichlid was! Its a: Pseudotropheus Lombardoi

I am not sure if it is a female or just a juvenile but it is blueish purple with the black bands and look exactly like the fish on the website.

Ok so now that i figured out what it was, I still have a problem.

This fish has decided to claim all the rockwork in the aquarium to itself. Therefor anytime anyone elsse wants to go into any little crevice this fish chases them away.

At feeding time it will not let anyone else eat. and in between it chases everyone all around the tank.

So not liking this at all, as it appears my yellow lab and rusty are very calm and peaceful, i called my lFS and asked if i could bring this one back in and get one more lab and one more rusty. They said no! They dont take back fish just because they are aggressive. (well lets just say this is thelast time i shop there) But now i am torn. Do i leave it in there and let it terrorize the tank, or do i buy more, to see if that may help, or do i get rid of it?
I don't have the heart to euthanize it as other than his terrorizing my other fish he is very healthy and would make a great fish for somebody else, so please do not suggest this. and i don't really want to put him in my 55 gallon because i don't want him terrorizing my bigger fish or killing my tetra.

PLEASE HELP! any and all suggestions welcome!

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Well, once you said the word 'Lombardoi' you needed to speak no further, they are very aggressive fish, and species like Sprengerae are not very good tankmates for them, and any tank under 4 feet long is not a good tank for them.

If you can't take him back, take him to another fish store. most places around here will take back fish, and even give store credit for them usually. You don't have much choice. Putting him with community fish is not an option, and you risk the health of the rest of your mbuna right now.

Is there any chance that you can set up a 10 gallon or something for him for now till you figure it out? It doesn't need to be fancy, just a tank of water with a simple filter, and a heater if your room temperature water gets below 73.

 

[Nina7777]

i was thinking i could move my platties into my 55 gallon and move him in my 10 gallon for now. I guess this is what i get for buying a fish on impulse. I will try another store after work and see if they can take him back. I feel so bad fo my other fish now.

 

[CMC]

Nina,
I have the exact same problem you have and it sounds like we have the exact same fish causing the problem. I have some earlier posts where I complained about this rascal chasing my yellow cichlid out of every hiding place in the tank. They are in a 55 gallon. It was suggested that I add some more africans to the tank. I bought two more Sunday that are slightly smaller. The aggressiveness seems to have eased some. It hasn't stopped, but it is definately better. I also bought a pleco Sunday and the cichlid and the pleco tangled pretty good shortly after I added him to the tank but the pleco showed him what was boss. The other 2 new cichlids also don't really act like they are offended by him so he pretty much leaves them alone most of the time.

I also had plans of putting him in a 29-gallon all by lonesome if he continues the be mean . Check out this pic of mine from an earlier post and let me know if that is what yours looks like.

Good luck.

http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=28157

 

[Nina7777]

Umm mine doesn't really look like that, however he/she still is young.

Good news though.....i called a reputable fish store (far far from my house but i had to give it a try) and they said they would take him, and give me credit like cichlidaddict said! They also said that the fish store who sold them to me should never ever had sold these four fish together. They also said that i could return my red zebra if i have problems with him, but i haven't so far so i think i will keep him. So after work tonight I'm off for the hour and a half ride to the fish store to bring back this little devil. Now since i do have credit, would it be possible and wise to put in another lab and another rusty? (the rusty's are a bit hard to find so i am not sure if they will have any but i do love this fish! it is sooo cute and pretty)
What do you guys think? yah or nay

 

[thecichlidaddict]

By all means add more. If you remove the fourth and add two more each of the Lab. Caeruleus and Iodo. Sprengerae then you will have a more active and social tank, and more fish for your May. Estherae to spread the aggression out on - it will be the most aggressive fish in the tank, but it should be fine, they are nothing like Lombardoi.

 

[Nina7777]

Great! Thanks so much for the advice. I won't be making that mistake ever again! This is what i get for buying an unknown fish!

 

[CMC]

Glad to hear the lfs will take him back and give you credit. I haven't asked mine yet, I'm just going to see how it goes for now. I'm thinking about adding one more african to my tank. Can you take a pic of your rusty and post it? I would like to see it, sounds pretty. If it was me I would probably add another rusty since you said they aren't aggressive. Do you remember the name of the website you found the rusty's picture on? I would love to see what it looks like, I might try to find one around here.

Good luck.

 

[Nina7777]

rusty cichlid

Here ya go. The rusty on here is an adult though. Mine is a baby and is rusty colored with blue and purple edging on fins and around gills.

I am definately going to try and find another one!

 

[CMC]

That looks like one of the new cichlids I just added to may tank. The body shape and color of the fins look the same. The body of this fish is more of a yellow/green/brown mixture but not really a rusty color. I got it at Petco Sunday, it was actually a rescue fish. It was being picked on by the others and it's fins were about 50% nipped off. It is such a gentle fish and doesn't bother anyone else in the tank and the other fish seem to leave it alone, even the bully. It will stay closer to the middle and top of the tank so that is probably why the bully leaves it alone.

As soon as we get our camera back, I'll post a picture of it.

 

[Nina7777]

Yup probably is a rusty then. I got mine at petco too. Never will i another fish from them though. They are the ones who wont take it back.

I am taking it back to a locally owned store not a chain, and their fish are usually very healthy....so I am hoping they willhave a rusty i can get!

 

[vantgE]

What about the sthing where you take him out for a week and then rearange all the rockwork so he can't recognize his territory, or so that each fiah has it's own territory by breaking up the line of site and marking areas with stones so the fish will recognize this. I just reasd about this and maybe you could try

 

[Nina7777]

Hi Everyone,
I ended up taking the little devil back last night. They did have a rusty so I bought him and another yellow lab. The new rusty is acting a little strange (hiding up in the corners) but its only when I turn the lights on and he is eating like a little pig, so I think he will be ok. I was thinking about buying some pvc piping, to make a few more caves for them.

Thanks for everyones help.