Peacock cichlid help - early days tho

[Robder]

Blimey my cichlids (beautiful though they are) are giving me a headache.

I had a nice vibe going on in the tank until today when I introduced two more large peacocks (bigger than the four others already in there).

I introduced them earlier today and they immediately hid. Quite normal I suspect.

However, I have a really nice aqua decor backdrop - which is likely creating the perfect storm for territorial behaviour (uh-oh).

They're now all leaping behind the backdrop at regular intervals and the newbies are being held hostage by a dragon blood half their size.

It's only a few hours after introducing them - so I wondering if I should let them settle in for a few days or act now?

Rather than take the backdrop out (it looks nice and was expensive), surely there's a way to use some kind of material to block the entrances? I can see where they're entering (top left and through a small hole top right).

What should I do? I'm a bit concerned as I'm going away for a week on Thurs and have someone coming in to feed them that won't want to bother with aquascaping and the like.

Thanks!

 

[Robder]

Hiya- to add, I like to have a go at adding some gauze over the problem areas if possible.

I can't silicone the background in because I'd have to empty the tank...it also can't go on the outside as it's a made to measure item designed to incorporate the filter housing.

If I get some gauze, how do I fasten it in place? Are there aquarium friendly clips or something? Pretty clueless here and would love some practical suggestions that don't involve the above. Cheers!

 

[Wills]

I think the problem you have is that you are not adding enough fish at a time, you need to add Malawi (and pretty much and Rift Cichlid) in groups of 4-6 (or more) at a time. Otherwise you have 4 fish that can challenge 2, so each one will always be getting negative attention from 1 or more other cichlid.

What kinds are the new Peacocks? Did you get specifics or are they from a 'mixed' tank?

What is the negative of them going behind the background? If they know how to get in they will likely be able to get out when they want to and it gives them a good amount of space to get away from the other ones and potentially survive. If you want to put mesh over it from the back you could get some silicone - the fish safe type you can use underwater (99% sure I'm not making that up) and just smear it on to where you want to add the mesh.

Going away in this situation is a tough one, you might just have to ask your friend to do a head count every time and leave a net out? An other option could be to try and get a tank divider so you can put one group on one side and and one on the other, but thats not guaranteed as you could end up with a bully on either side.

The other tricky bit is that if you remove fish now you risk upsetting the hierarchy of the remaining fish and it might not just go back to the same as before - even in shop and breeder tanks sometimes if they take out fish to sell the remainders can start fighting and they lose fish before they are even sold.

Post some pics if you get chance though would love to see your background!

 

[Robder]

I think the problem you have is that you are not adding enough fish at a time, you need to add Malawi (and pretty much and Rift Cichlid) in groups of 4-6 (or more) at a time. Otherwise you have 4 fish that can challenge 2, so each one will always be getting negative attention from 1 or more other cichlid.

What kinds are the new Peacocks? Did you get specifics or are they from a 'mixed' tank?

What is the negative of them going behind the background? If they know how to get in they will likely be able to get out when they want to and it gives them a good amount of space to get away from the other ones and potentially survive. If you want to put mesh over it from the back you could get some silicone - the fish safe type you can use underwater (99% sure I'm not making that up) and just smear it on to where you want to add the mesh.

Going away in this situation is a tough one, you might just have to ask your friend to do a head count every time and leave a net out? An other option could be to try and get a tank divider so you can put one group on one side and and one on the other, but thats not guaranteed as you could end up with a bully on either side.

The other tricky bit is that if you remove fish now you risk upsetting the hierarchy of the remaining fish and it might not just go back to the same as before - even in shop and breeder tanks sometimes if they take out fish to sell the remainders can start fighting and they lose fish before they are even sold.

Post some pics if you get chance though would love to see your background!

Thanks!

They're from a mixed tank so I think they may be hybrids, but will post on here soon to see if they can be identified.

I hear you on the 4-6 thing. I was intending to get a larger number in soon - but the last one settled in really well so I thought I'd chance it.

I don't actually have an issue with the fish going behind the background - all fine by me. It's just the territorial behaviour that's stressful, especially when I'm going away next week. Plus I think if I've got fish that are colonising these enclosed spaces as they seem to be, then it tends to get ugly quite quickly.

I introduced them at lunch time today and every time I look back there, two of them are being aggressively herded around. They've not even emerged into the main tank yet.

I'm wondering what to do to mitigate disaster. I'm told that new fish need settling time so it's not really the time to do massive water changes and aquascaping...

Is it sensible to get up in the morning and take the aggressor back to a fish shop?

Then monitor for a few days and temporarily remove the backdrop on Weds if the problem persists?

 

[Colin_T]

If you have to introduce new fish into an established cichlid tank, feed the fish first, then rearrange the tank just before releasing the new fish so they have a chance to get a territory.

By adding the new fish to an established tank, you screwed up the balance and now everyone is stressed because of the new neighbours moving in.

 

[Wills]

I don't think you should take them back just yet as removing them wont guarantee you will get the same peace as before as the hierarchy has been reset so all of the older fish will be reassessing where they sit.

Do you know if you have any females in there? When you say a few of them are clearing an area out near the gap in the background that could cause real problems if some start breeding without better gender numbers - I'm assuming your trying to achieve an all male tank?

If they've come from a mixed tank they will likely be a hybrid but we might be able to spot what the dominant species is - eg Aulonacara or Haplichromis etc.

Wills

 

[Robder]

Chat GPT says this (lol - quite incredible)...

Decided not to take the fish back (yet) and the below seems like sound advice. Reckon they'll emerge soon or are they destined to be hounded into a corner by that nasty beast forever? Any experience on this anyone?

...

"Based on the information provided, it seems reasonable to observe the tank and the behavior of the fish today to get a better understanding of their situation. If the fish are still consistently hiding behind the backdrop and not showing any signs of emerging, it may be beneficial to proceed with removing half of the backdrop to provide them with more accessible hiding options.

Choosing to remove half of the backdrop tomorrow or Monday will give the fish a bit more time to acclimate to their new environment, while still allowing you to take action before your holiday. This way, you can provide them with additional hiding spots while minimizing disruptions and stress to the fish.

Make sure to have a plan in place for removing the backdrop effectively and safely without causing harm to the fish or the tank setup. Also, be prepared for any adjustments or fine-tuning that may be necessary after removing the backdrop to ensure a balanced and comfortable environment for the fish.

Remember, observe the behavior and well-being of the fish closely during this process. If you notice any signs of severe aggression or distress, consider taking immediate action to ensure the safety of the fish."

Don't mind me - chatting away to a bot.

 

[Wills]

It will settle down over time so you can give it time and as you add more fish you will see the hierarchy change anyway.

Chat GPT is interesting... it is pretty good advice to be fair... but isnt it nice to know you're talking to a real person haha. Can you remove part of the background?

Wills

 

[Robder]

It will settle down over time so you can give it time and as you add more fish you will see the hierarchy change anyway.

Chat GPT is interesting... it is pretty good advice to be fair... but isnt it nice to know you're talking to a real person haha. Can you remove part of the background?

Wills

Yes - I think I prefer you over a bot ...although the advancement of this tech changes every time you blink these days. It's crazy!

Yes I can remove half of it - but the newbies are in the other half so I've no clue if it'll make a difference.

It's all a learning I guess!

 

[Robder]

Update: had to take the 3d backdrop out in the end and things have immediately calmed down. I think I might re-introduce when I've got a full quota of fish and the hierarchy has settled - does this sound sensible?

In the meantime, does anyone know where I can get a decent black backdrop for my 450L tank? Plain matte black if possible but some simple, geometric designs could be cool too. I've no clue where to start on this.

Thanks for your help all!