Territories and interesting behaviour.

[SAChichlidLover]

Hiya everyone!
So I wanted to discuss something that really fascinates me about my cichlids.. Territories, my bolivian rams and firemouths are so fussy when other fish come into they're safespace and I've only had the firemouths for two days! I've seen the bolivian rams try and chase off my gold severums and fail and also my heckelii and fail aswell its very brave of them to actually try and do that to big fish and unexpected aswell. As for my firemouths well this was going to happen sooner or later as they are quite fiesty but they never actually injure anyone which is good. I use large rocks, plants and driftwood to help cichlids define they're teritories although I do need more plants haha, whats everyones cichlids most interesting behaviour? Does anyone own any new world cichlids they'd like to discuss? Please feel free to send pcitures as I absolutely love american cichlids hahaha

 

[Guyb93]

Hiya everyone!
So I wanted to discuss something that really fascinates me about my cichlids.. Territories, my bolivian rams and firemouths are so fussy when other fish come into they're safespace and I've only had the firemouths for two days! I've seen the bolivian rams try and chase off my gold severums and fail and also my heckelii and fail aswell its very brave of them to actually try and do that to big fish and unexpected aswell. As for my firemouths well this was going to happen sooner or later as they are quite fiesty but they never actually injure anyone which is good. I use large rocks, plants and driftwood to help cichlids define they're teritories although I do need more plants haha, whats everyones cichlids most interesting behaviour? Does anyone own any new world cichlids they'd like to discuss? Please feel free to send pcitures as I absolutely love american cichlids hahaha

I keep SA cichlids also .great personalities lol never do what you expect but are very peaceful in respect once the balance has been found , a ram chasing a sev is funny but maybe end bad there’s no way the ram can keep any territory in there and quite often dwarfs don’t understand there dwarf and have little dog syndrome lol I think it helps having and established tabk boss from day one my pair of electric blue acara run my tank even tho I have a larger sev and geophagus they all grew up round an established tabk boss who is fairly calm

 

[Colin_T]

I've seen the bolivian rams try and chase off my gold severums and fail and also my heckelii and fail aswell its very brave of them to actually try and do that to big fish and unexpected aswell. As for my firemouths well this was going to happen sooner or later as they are quite fiesty but they never actually injure anyone which is good.

It has to be pretty stressful to the Bolivian rams having to deal with bigger cichlids in their tank. A full grown Acarichthys heckelii can eat an adult Bolivian ram. And having firemouths on the bottom next to the Bolivians, it's just more stress for the smallest fish in the tank.

I would personally move the Bolivians into a different tank so they don't have to compete with the bigger cichlids.

 

[SAChichlidLover]

It has to be pretty stressful to the Bolivian rams having to deal with bigger cichlids in their tank. A full grown Acarichthys heckelii can eat an adult Bolivian ram. And having firemouths on the bottom next to the Bolivians, it's just more stress for the smallest fish in the tank.

I would personally move the Bolivians into a different tank so they don't have to compete with the bigger cichlids.

I could move them into my smaller community? Theres two dwarf gouramis there who are the bosses of the tank but I dont know if It would upset them even more to move them to a smaller tank? I do have plans on moving the smaller community fish into a 250L when I can afford it do you reckon it would be a good idea to move my rams there too?

 

[SAChichlidLover]

I keep SA cichlids also .great personalities lol never do what you expect but are very peaceful in respect once the balance has been found , a ram chasing a sev is funny but maybe end bad there’s no way the ram can keep any territory in there and quite often dwarfs don’t understand there dwarf and have little dog syndrome lol I think it helps having and established tabk boss from day one my pair of electric blue acara run my tank even tho I have a larger sev and geophagus they all grew up round an established tabk boss who is fairly calm

I would love there to be a balance! My issue at the moment is I recently added firemouths so they're all trying to find a new boss again but the rams are genuinely the bosses your not wrong they must think they are huge! That tank sounds awesome I love all the cichlids you have, All mine are still mostly juvinile but I was hoping that if I grew them all up together then they wouldn't be as pesty which has worked out apart from my rams trying to get the big guys out which usually does the trick with the heckelii as both of them are really docile, the sevs dont really have boundaries and the other fish dont mind them. One firemouth is worse than the other but doesn't actually attack anything (flares up the gills and the other fish usually take the sign) I do think the rams believe they are a heckelii but as @Colin_T said I should definetely move them to be on the safe side. I love electric blue acaras! They look stunning have you got any pics?

 

[Guyb93]

I would love there to be a balance! My issue at the moment is I recently added firemouths so they're all trying to find a new boss again but the rams are genuinely the bosses your not wrong they must think they are huge! That tank sounds awesome I love all the cichlids you have, All mine are still mostly juvinile but I was hoping that if I grew them all up together then they wouldn't be as pesty which has worked out apart from my rams trying to get the big guys out which usually does the trick with the heckelii as both of them are really docile, the sevs dont really have boundaries and the other fish dont mind them. One firemouth is worse than the other but doesn't actually attack anything (flares up the gills and the other fish usually take the sign) I do think the rams believe they are a heckelii but as @Colin_T said I should definetely move them to be on the safe side. I love electric blue acaras! They look stunning have you got any pics?

The first photo is my female called Thor lol named before sexed ahaha and second is one of her babies , her male mate is a scrappy fish tbh but can’t split them now

 

[SAChichlidLover]

Wow they look stunning!!

The first photo is my female called Thor lol named before sexed ahaha and second is one of her babies , her male mate is a scrappy fish tbh but can’t split them now

 

[Guyb93]

Wow they look stunning!!

She is my favourite fish to be honest and my longest owned fish at the moment, i would recommend buying one or two they are great fish maybe swap one for your fire mouth a keep a South American tank , I had a south and central mixed tank but after advice from members on here and experienced the out come I don’t mix any more

 

[SAChichlidLover]

She is my favourite fish to be honest and my longest owned fish at the moment, i would recommend buying one or two they are great fish maybe swap one for your fire mouth a keep a South American tank , I had a south and central mixed tank but after advice from members on here and experienced the out come I don’t mix any more

Awww thats awesome! I have always had plans for blue acara however I impulse bought the firemouths as I kept them in the past and fell in love with them haha, if I could I would move the firemouths into the newer tank I'll hopefuly have soon but I think its probably best to keep them where they are as they would hate my dwarf gouramis haha. If I could I would get some blue acaras for my new tank but that just really depends on if they would get on with my current fish and go well with parameters etc.

 

[YewBush]

I haven't ever owned any cichlids, but I went to a fish store where they were selling blood parrot cichlids once, and one of the cichlids would try to lip wrestle with people who got their face close to the tank. He would charge at the person and press his lips against the glass. Somebody adopted him, though. I wish I had had enough space for him.

 

[SAChichlidLover]

I haven't ever owned any cichlids, but I went to a fish store where they were selling blood parrot cichlids once, and one of the cichlids would try to lip wrestle with people who got their face close to the tank. He would charge at the person and press his lips against the glass. Somebody adopted him, though. I wish I had had enough space for him.

That's Awesome hahaha! Another reason I love cichlids.

 

[Guyb93]

I haven't ever owned any cichlids, but I went to a fish store where they were selling blood parrot cichlids once, and one of the cichlids would try to lip wrestle with people who got their face close to the tank. He would charge at the person and press his lips against the glass. Somebody adopted him, though. I wish I had had enough space for him.

That sounds like my kind of fish ahahah

 

[SAChichlidLover]

That sounds like my kind of fish ahahah

Hahaha, if you ever get a fairly large tank I reccomend threadfin acara's as they constantly look like they're talking to me when I walk in because all they think about is feed me! feed me! Lol

 

[Guyb93]

Hahaha, if you ever get a fairly large tank I reccomend threadfin acara's as they constantly look like they're talking to me when I walk in because all they think about is feed me! feed me! Lol

Iv got a 5ft 500l and I’m going no bigger lol I don’t plan on having any cichlids atm I have 4 differnt types in there and pretty full funny enough I did plan on getting a few threadfin before I got my severum but I’m an impulse buyer and I saw the Sev’s ahahah

 

[SAChichlidLover]

Iv got a 5ft 500l and I’m going no bigger lol I don’t plan on having any cichlids atm I have 4 differnt types in there and pretty full funny enough I did plan on getting a few threadfin before I got my severum but I’m an impulse buyer and I saw the Sev’s ahahah

Hahaha I don't blame you lol! God I am so tired today I thought you said you didn't have any cichlids then I realised that it was someone else lol anyways we are the exact same I keep impulse buying and now I'm gonna end up with 5 tanks haha!