Pet Fish keeps attacking the Filter Outlet

[PumpKineTick]

So... I have a filter outlet, and my large predatory cichlid [really strong] likes to attack it, and locks onto it with his mouth.
How do you stop a fish from doing something? How do you train a fish?
That's all I want to know. (If he does this again)

 

[Naughts]

He may be doing this if he is bored. Can you send more details of your tank, along with a photo if the tank, so we can suggest ways to stimulate him.

 

[PumpKineTick]

He has stopped since, but thanks for the answer.
He's usually stimulated by me or by watching drops of water forming on the glass cover falling down.
I kind of act on impulse if anything is out of the ordinary so that's why I posted this.
My tank is about 140 gallons (560 liters) with bare decorations.
(This photo is a bit old [my light hasn't turned on so I can't provide a new photo]. The only thing changed is I removed the air stone [it was broken].]

 

[Naughts]

Awesome fish!
So I would suggest large rocks in the tank and feeding live food for stimulation. I can't tell from the photo, do you have a powerful filter which moves the water- I think that would help too? You could also replace the airstone unless he chewed that too?
I'm not experienced with cichlids so I'll tag some people who may help advise you @SAChichlidLover, @itiwhetu, @Guyb93, @Colin_T .

 

[PumpKineTick]

Awesome fish!
So I would suggest large rocks in the tank and feeding live food for stimulation. I can't tell from the photo, do you have a powerful filter which moves the water- I think that would help too? You could also replace the airstone unless he chewed that too?
I'm not experienced with cichlids so I'll tag some people who may help advise you @SAChichlidLover, @itiwhetu, @Guyb93, @Colin_T,

My filter [sump] is 500 g/h (2000 l/h) and he likes to ride it. (probably that's why he bit the outlet last time)
I think I'm okay in the decorations department.
I usually hand feed him pellets, and he goes crazy on the food (i'm quite hesitant to feed him live).
[Also the airstone came with the aquarium and it was broken already I just didn't know until I saw other airstones working much better]

 

[SAChichlidLover]

Hiya! Awesome cichlid (is it a jag cichlid?) anyways cichlids are one of the most intelligent fish you can keep and we don't give them enough credit for it and they like alot of decorations to stimulate their minds or just something to do if you get me, some cichlids prefer to be housed with other fish aswell.. The behaviour you're fish seems to be showing is boredom and would thank you if you added some nice cave systems or some other larger fish than the jag which can either match its aggression or is too big to be threatened but I would keep in mind that may not work as jag cichlids are notorious for high aggression towards most other fish in general but yours could be docile. Best bet is adding things to keep it occupied

 

[PumpKineTick]

Hiya! Awesome cichlid (is it a jag cichlid?) anyways cichlids are one of the most intelligent fish you can keep and we don't give them enough credit for it and they like alot of decorations to stimulate their minds or just something to do if you get me, some cichlids prefer to be housed with other fish aswell.. The behaviour you're fish seems to be showing is boredom and would thank you if you added some nice cave systems or some other larger fish than the jag which can either match its aggression or is too big to be threatened but I would keep in mind that may not work as jag cichlids are notorious for high aggression towards most other fish in general but yours could be docile. Best bet is adding things to keep it occupied

Yeah, it's a jag . I can't really afford to add more fish in but I think I can manage to do something with my decorations. Cheers.

 

[itiwhetu]

More decorations, have you tried turning the filter down, it maybe the vibration from the filter that is annoying him.

 

[Guyb93]

Yeah more hardscape I’d say , also I would say it’s bored , sound silly but a boss of nothing isn’t a boss at all , it needs to be dominant over the tank to see it’s true character but tank mates are almost non existent lol