Firemouth Getting Teratorial?

[Applecart]

My Firemouth has started to chase away the Pakistani (yoyo?) loach and my little three lined cory. Only these two though, the firemouth doesn't bother with any other fish. Sometimes firemouth seems to actively seek out one or both of the victims, to chase them away, anywhere in the tank. I could understand localized aggression if they where in firemouths cave area, but it can happen anywhere in the tank. What can I do?

 

[Fish Guy]

What else is in the tank. He may be targeting those fish as they are pretty active fish and therefore draw more attention to themeselves. In terms of fixing the problem you could try breaking up the firemouth's line of sight with broad leave plants, wood, rocks etc.. or depending on tank size get another firemouth or small new world cichlid that is tougher then the loach and cories to distract his aggression from them.

 

[CichlidLover1995]

What size tank ya got?

 

[Applecart]

What else is in the tank.

Tank is Juwel Rio 180 running with SunSun HW-302 external plus a mini Elite internal filter just for surface ripple instead of the airline and stone, and a 150w Delta-Therm Interpet heater ( piece of junk ).

As well as the Firemouth, Yoyo and 3 lined Cory there are ...
Urmmm..
2 Tiger Barb,
1 Albino Red Finned Shark,
2 Spotted Raphael Catfish,
2 Common Plecs,
6 Mollies,
2 Boesmans Rainbow,
1 Bloodfin Tetra,
1 Pygmy Leopard Catfish? ( see post #188 in "show off your fish" thread it's 2nd photo, bottom right )
1 Green Spotted Puffer that I really need to re-home ( it's about 2" end to end )

Rather full, perhaps too full, but my water stats are fine and I'll be re-homing many of these over the next couple of months.

 

[Tizer]

while you offload some, i hope you can add a few more yoyo's later on

Firemouths are funny things, my 3 have just managed to chomp their way through 60 neons in the last two weeks. oops.

 

[Fish Guy]

That is indeed a various mix. I would increase your school numbers ( rainbows, barbs,tetras ), I would also suggest getting Bn's instead of common plecos. But if this stock is working for you then thats the main thing. Well with all that in there I wouldn't go with my suggestion of adding another firemouth. What kind of layout do you have in your tank, any pics?

No surprise there Tizer,I've seen Gaint Danios try to eat neons. Even guppies will eat fish that can fit into their mouths.