Agressive Tri Mac!

[Suicidal_AZN]

hello all!
i have 2 tri macs one male and one female.
i just intoduce them to eachother and the male keeps attcking the female!!!!
Is the suppose to happend? Will he stop eventually?? Should i just let them slug it out? Is this common when introducing female to male tri macs?
i know the big one is a male becuse he has no black blotch on his dorsal fin and the female has it!!
he gives her rest for like couple of minutes.
right now the attacking has stop as of now but dont know if he will start again.

 

[shroob]

Thats what trimacs do, they are one of the most aggressive cichlids out there.

A divider will be handy, probably a necessity if the male wants to breed and the female doesnt. Also just because you got a m/f (or think you have) doesnt mean they will be a pair.

What size tank are they in?

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

they are in a 65 gal. right now because they are still small male is a little smaller than 4 inch and the female 3 inch.
both breeding tube is visable.
the male is missing half is tail due to his siblings at the fish store. hes healed quite nicely now.
when i got him he was one 2 inchs.

 

[shroob]

If both breeding tubes are visible then I would say its a good sign, though I would monitor them as much as you possibly can, there may be a point when you have to separate them due to aggression.

Are you planning to upgrade when they get bigger? 65 gallons may just be enough for a female trimac, possibly not depending on dimensions but I wouldnt put a male in there.

 

[severum boy]

A 125 gal would probably be best for a breeding adult pair.
I think you should just wait and see,but use your judgement to seperate them if you think enough damage has been done.

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

i did seperate them for the night.
it got to the point where he was taking scales off of her!!!
i got the female for 15 bucks and the male for 10 due to part of his tail missing.
i will put them in a smaller tank just for pics and put them back into the 65 gal.
not sure when i will post pics but i think soon..

 

[Gatorbait]

i did seperate them for the night.
it got to the point where he was taking scales off of her!!!
i got the female for 15 bucks and the male for 10 due to part of his tail missing.
i will put them in a smaller tank just for pics and put them back into the 65 gal.
not sure when i will post pics but i think soon..

As you've found out, breeding agressive cichlids isn't easy sometimes.

Just be careful because what you are seing seems to be the beginning of the male trying to breed (obviously) and the female not wanting to. He will kill her if she won't breed with him...because she won't leave his territory so he can mate with another female that may pass by. Being in an aquarium, she has nowhere else to go. Once you see her in the top corners, get her out asap because she won't have much longer to live in most cases. Personally, it sounds like a no-go as it is especially in such a small aquarium.

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

ok i just reintroduce the female and now shes starting to flare back at him and showing signs of defending her self is this good?

 

[shroob]

It might be, however things may change over the day, I still say a divider is the way to go, the fish can see each other through it and you can monitor their behaviour towards one another and judge if you think its safe to let them meet.

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

ok it all looks good right now.
they both are starting to move gravel around and shaking there heads at eachother once in a while.
some time they like meeting in a flowerpot!!!
both colors of the fish got darker. the male is now some what of a goldish red looking color and the female greenish looking like the green trimac.
no fight anymore so far he lets her eat at the surface now which i think its a plus.
i remove some decore just a flowerpot and some broken ceramic and they seem to like it better without alot of hiding place they like the tank to be open.

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

the female is starting to shake her head alot in the flowerpot.
the male give her agression out bursts once in a while and is starting to get more frequent.

 

[chicklette]

A 125 gal would probably be best for a breeding adult pair.

I agree. Trimacks are super aggressive. One of the most aggressive cichlids out there. You may need to seperate and you may need to seperate for good if they keep fighting.

Good Luck and I hope it works oit of you.

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

as i said they are still small.
good news left them together over night and no damage has been done yet!!!
the news for me is getting better and better!!!
im soooo happy!!!

 

[severum boy]

A 125 gal would probably be best for a breeding adult pair.

I agree. Trimacks are super aggressive. One of the most aggressive cichlids out there. You may need to seperate and you may need to seperate for good if they keep fighting.

As Chicklette and I said, when they are adult they will need that size tank.

Can you see the ovipositor of the female yet?

 

[Suicidal_AZN]

yes they are both sticking outta the male and female.
i think there growth has been stunted at my lfs.
they were kept in small sections of water.
my lfs owner thinks anyfish that has spots on it is a flowerhorn lol