need help with 2 problems

[Scorp1on]

ok I got home from work this morning and while feeding the kids I noticed to chiclids shaking something in their mouths. Turned out to be, yup you guessed it, a tankmate. First question is could this be from having placed a divider in the tank to seperate 2 breeding jewels from everyone else? Is this territorial?
2nd speaking of those same jewls the male has been chasing the fmale non-stop this morning if she even moves an inch from her "hiding spot". Could not find her for 10 mins. and as I started thinking maybe she got passed the divider somehow and was the now deceased fish I noticed her at the tp of the tank. She is staying on top of the powerhead and looks a little frazzled. Male to eager to spawn or something else? Tank occupants are:

55 Gallon Cichlid Tank
2 blue striped kenyi
2 jewel (1 male and 1 female)
3 Bumblebee
2 Melanochromis auratus
1 Female Copadichromis borleyi "Kadango Red Fin"
1 Synodontis Ocellifer Catfish
1 Common Pleco
1 Ice Blue Zebras *1 RIP* found this morning
2 copadichromis chrysonatus

 

[muzscman]

i was told with jewels (along with most other cichlids) you should have at least 2 females to 1 male....possibly even 3 to break up the aggression toward any single female..

and yes, jewels are supposed to be very territorial..

 

[vantgE]

First off you have a bad mix of fish

You have chosen rather agresive species and failed to create a 3 to one male female ratio for them which is a huge problem, It is always best not to mix rift lake cichlids with riverine species as their water requirements differ drastically and the agression of the mbuna often can't be handled by jewels. Another reason is that the kenyi, bumble and zebra are all from the same genus, so it's likely that cross-breeding could ocur
Also Synos should be kept in schools
Unless they are all females, then I don't know have only heard of all male tanks
And to assume the barrier disrupted their territories resulting in the death does seem logical to me, another idea is if the other blue zebra was male it could have killed the female, also maybe as they are from the same genus a bumblebee male could have done it. but I am of no help with the jewel sorry

HTH