New Shelldweller Has Became Outcast

[jambo1238]

Hello everyone,

I cuurently have 5 Multies in a 125 litre tank with sand and 40 shells. Unfortunately i think they might all be male.

I recently bought a small multie thinking it would be a female when it matured.

But as soon as i put it in the tank, it has been atacked by all the other multies.

It has been reduced to swimming at the top of the tank.

What can i do to reduce the agggression of the Multies? and why are they so aggressive?

Someone told me Multies were not very aggressive and could live in colonies.

All my fish look like their complete enemies.

Please help.

 

[fishwatcher]

They are cichlids, so they will be territorial no matter what the sex is, just bc it's a new fish. Try taking all of them out, rearrange the tank and then add them all back in at the same time. That should give them a level playing field. If that doesn't work, I'd take all but the most male looking one back and try again with another group.
Hope this helps!