Looks Like It Was Never Meant To Be :(

[minxfishy]

So I tried to put them together again.

After yet another complete tank shift around, I had Vinny in the rio 400 with the 4 G.Surinamensis and Tigger (Oscar), now Vinny & Tigger are the exact same size, length wise, 7". Vinny, suprised the heck outta me and grew some serious backbone, he was going lip to lip with Tigger, wouldnt leave him alone and tigger was backing down!!! This continued for 24 hrs, so I figured, if he can do this with an Oscar, surely a Sev will be no problem.

Did a complete rescape of the tank, added so many plants, pretty much all the bogwood I own, created areas, caves, pathways etc to the tank. Added Harry.

Within seconds, Harry was on Vinny like a bat outta hell and Vinny ran and hid.

Everytime Vinny tried to come out of 'his' area, Harry was on him and when Harry couldnt get Vinny, he went for Tigger too

After most of the day like this, I gave in hoping it would settle down and moved Vinny to another tank Vinny btw is fine and dandy again.

So it appears these guys are not destined to get along, such a shame, the two of them together would have been lovely to see.

Then Harry continued to harrass Tigger, who did his best to ignore him, wasnt even liplocking with Harry like he did with Vinny. Then it was lights out time.

10 minutes after it went dark, I heard an almighty banging around, apparently Tigger had enough of Harry's games and retaliated. This morning, Harry has been taught some serious manners, not a mark on him, but Tigger is clearly the dominant fish now, its quite pleasing in a sense to see Harry be taught a lesson, he's swimming around looking a little sheepish.

I keep thinking, now he's been put in his place, should I try again, but I get the feeling he still wont accept Vinny.

 

[walkers101]

lesson learned never mess with an oscar lol

 

[Wills]

God my heat sank when I read the title... Glad a combo has worked out now There might be an other opportunity at some point to mix the two though

 

[minxfishy]

I just dont know what else to try Wills, I cant believe Vinny would go up against an Oscar, but is so scared of Harry, its an instant effect, as soon as he see's him, he goes into hiding, which to Harry is the green light to chase him, if he would turn round and stand his ground, Harry would back down.

 

[star4]

Please dont put a title like that again frit me to death!! lol

Such a shame the havnt got along, naughty Harry!

 

[Wills]

What about a divider? Just for a bit? See how they settle then remove and test? Have you tried all 3 big fish together? Im just wondering if you can spread them out with a pecking order?

The guy I got my severus from had a big group of severums in a tank of a similar size tank to yours maybe about 6 of differing adult size and the pecking order meant he had a dominant and a group that lived under that. I had not seen new worlds kept like this but he was basically using african techniques and he had breeding happening in the tank, but that said he has a fish house full of tanks so he can (and does) swap fish around quite a bit.

 

[minxfishy]

Yeah all three were in the tank all day yesterday, up til then, I just had Vinny & Tigger together and Vinny was most definately the boss, suprisingly

The I added Harry and all hell broke loose. I know if I left then long enough, they will likely sort it out between them, but that means putting Vinny thru several days of hell, although now, as Tigger has put Harry in his place, maybe Harry will think differently about Vinny, then again, he might not.

A divider isnt really an option unfortunatley.

 

[Glenbo1981]

This is just a normal process, it will even out, you can't just introduce adult fish to eachother and expect them just to get on, there is about 1% chance of that happening.

This does not just go for Cichlids either, i had a 10" Kissign Gourami nearly kill a 8" Gold Severum it never settled down.

that being said, if you introduce multiple adults at the same time, the aggression will be spread out.

 

[markandhisfish]

god my heart was jumping when i started to read this !! i think you should just give vinny his own tank hes been thru quite enough . its obviously not going to work . ( ps dont read that wrong hun i know it looks like im having a go but trust me im not )

 

[minxfishy]

I know your not mate, its ok.

I have come to that conclusion myself, thus alot of other fish are going tomorrow, little sev, rainbows, geophagus brasil etc etc, then V can be the king of his own little empire