Hi everyone,
I bought my first tank around 4 months ago now, it's 60l (15.8 gallons according to Google!). I gradually built up the community and it now contains 2 keyhole cichlids, 5 neon tetra, 5 phantom tetra and 2 gold widow tetra. I was a complete novice when I started with the tank, and every step has been with advice from a shop near by.
My community has done very well so far, with all the fish getting along, eating well, staying lively. Last week I did a water change (10 litres) and removed the 3 plants I had, intending to replace them. My tank also contains a big rock feature with holes in it.
A couple of days ago my cichlids began becoming very aggressive which they never have been previously, they were chasing away any fish that swam past them and they stayed in the same area all the time, at the bottom behind the rock feature. Their colours were much more contrasting than usual, the keyhole really stood out. Last night the largest cichlid attacked one of the neon tetras and killed it, taking a small chunk out of it. I didn't know what to do and just removed the dead fish. Then shortly after the same cichlid attacked one of the phantom tetra in the same way and it died too.
I panicked after losing 2 fish and with great difficulty caught the cichlid and placed him in a large bag that I left in the tank. He went very dark almost black and seemed to hyper ventilate. I hated keeping him in there, but I didn't know what else to do as it was late at night. First thing this morning I went to my local shop and bought some new plants and a lava rock with a big hole in for a hiding place, I hoped that this would help the situation by giving them their own territory and the other fish places to hide.
I came home and set the plants and lava rock up, and released the large cichlid. Ever since he has been a much less contrasting colour, like a dull brown/gray, his keyhole hardly visible. He's been a different fish, back to his old ways swimming around a bit, eating a bit, not aggressive at all. The really weird bit (to me anyway) is that the other smaller cichlid is now the aggressive one, chasing off all the fish including the larger cichlid!
Sorry to write such a large first post, thanks to anyone who reads it. I'm really worried about what's going to happen now, as the smaller cichlid is going the same way as the large one did, and I'm sure if it continues he/she will kill one of the smaller fish. I don't have another tank so can't transfer the cichlids. If it was the only option available I would buy another setup in order to save my fish but this obviously isn't ideal, and I'd worry the same thing would happen again.
If anyone can offer advice, explanations, or anything at all I would be very grateful!
Thanks!
I bought my first tank around 4 months ago now, it's 60l (15.8 gallons according to Google!). I gradually built up the community and it now contains 2 keyhole cichlids, 5 neon tetra, 5 phantom tetra and 2 gold widow tetra. I was a complete novice when I started with the tank, and every step has been with advice from a shop near by.
My community has done very well so far, with all the fish getting along, eating well, staying lively. Last week I did a water change (10 litres) and removed the 3 plants I had, intending to replace them. My tank also contains a big rock feature with holes in it.
A couple of days ago my cichlids began becoming very aggressive which they never have been previously, they were chasing away any fish that swam past them and they stayed in the same area all the time, at the bottom behind the rock feature. Their colours were much more contrasting than usual, the keyhole really stood out. Last night the largest cichlid attacked one of the neon tetras and killed it, taking a small chunk out of it. I didn't know what to do and just removed the dead fish. Then shortly after the same cichlid attacked one of the phantom tetra in the same way and it died too.
I panicked after losing 2 fish and with great difficulty caught the cichlid and placed him in a large bag that I left in the tank. He went very dark almost black and seemed to hyper ventilate. I hated keeping him in there, but I didn't know what else to do as it was late at night. First thing this morning I went to my local shop and bought some new plants and a lava rock with a big hole in for a hiding place, I hoped that this would help the situation by giving them their own territory and the other fish places to hide.
I came home and set the plants and lava rock up, and released the large cichlid. Ever since he has been a much less contrasting colour, like a dull brown/gray, his keyhole hardly visible. He's been a different fish, back to his old ways swimming around a bit, eating a bit, not aggressive at all. The really weird bit (to me anyway) is that the other smaller cichlid is now the aggressive one, chasing off all the fish including the larger cichlid!
Sorry to write such a large first post, thanks to anyone who reads it. I'm really worried about what's going to happen now, as the smaller cichlid is going the same way as the large one did, and I'm sure if it continues he/she will kill one of the smaller fish. I don't have another tank so can't transfer the cichlids. If it was the only option available I would buy another setup in order to save my fish but this obviously isn't ideal, and I'd worry the same thing would happen again.
If anyone can offer advice, explanations, or anything at all I would be very grateful!
Thanks!
