Reducing Aggression Against New Tankmates?

[Conqueror]

Hi all,

I know it's generally recommended to rearrange the rocks/decorations in a cichlid tank when introducing a new cichlid to an established tank, in order to disrupt the established territories. However, my "tank decorations" consist of about 300lbs of african bone stone. Rearranging it would be a huge, onerous, and messy project - hardly worth it to add one or two fish. My cichlids have killed the last two additions (one a week ago and one today) within hours of putting them in the tank, and my fish aren't even big (they're still 2-3" juveniles). The new fish were of sufficient size to hold their own (or should have been), but I found them both dead on the bottom.

I keep the fish well-fed to reduce aggression, and I make sure to feed them a good meal right before adding new fish to ease aggression against the new guy. Are there any other ways that will help keep me from losing new fish in the future, without having to rearrange my massive rocks?

Thanks,

CQ

 

[Boids-n-more]

actually keeping the well fed makes them more aggresive , if there full all they have time to do then is dispute each others terratories. You don't have to rearrange all 300 lbs of your rock just change it up some . Also when you add new fish try to add like 4 at a time so 1 isn't getting picked on. This will spread out the aggreassion and give them a chance. but honestly if you don't rearrange your decorations or rock work then i wouldn't recommend adding any new fish to the tank.

 

[Josiah]

And make sure you turn the lights off before adding them, I learned that the hard way .

 

[Druchii]

i have never lost any fish in the addition stage...

all you need to do is make sure that some of the rocks are rearranged - or put something else inot the tank which breaks up existing terratories.... ie like a few nets etc etc that you can then take out again..

just out of interest - wht fish have you got in the tank and what have you tried to add?

 

[Cheffi]

I added more fish about a week ago. The day before they arrived I rearranged the rock work slightly. I didn't feed my fish that day or next morning. The new fish I got I bought 5 of. Added them to tank, fed fish, lights off and can honestly say no probs at all.

I think that if you are worried enough to post your question then you should take the time and effort to give the new fish a better chance of survival by at least moving 'some' of the rocks. Good luck.

 

[Conqueror]

Thanks for the quick replies, and sorry I didn't post a lot of info in the previous post.

They are all Malawis of various sorts; I only have one fish of each species/color variation to reduce aggression. There are nine of them coexisting pretty peacefully in there, they only pick on newbies.

I do acclimatize my fish in the normal fashion, by floating them in the bag and then transferring the fish only, and I do leave the lights off as well.

I suppose it's possible that the fish could have been weak, but I think it's unlikely. I don't buy fish in the mail; only at LFS and I choose fish with good coloration and activity (ie, signs of good health). I also purposefully buy new species and new colors with each fish, so the existing fish shouldn't feel too aggressive towards the addition.

Water conditions are fine; 0ppm NH3 and nitrite and I do a 40% change weekly or every other week depending on my weekend schedule.

I'm pretty sure the other fish are the deadly factor here. I could add larger fish, but I'd be scared of the reverse situation; since most of my fish are still 3" or less, adding a 4-5" fish could turn into a massacre! I don't have a spare tank or refugium to isolate aggressors, plus the killings usually take place behind the rocks, so I'm not even positive who the aggressor is (I have a few suspects though). Plus, it would be a nightmare to actually catch the aggressor in the tank - those rocks provide lots of hiding places where a net won't go.

I think maybe I will try your suggestion of adding several fish at once. The problem is finding several fish I want at the same time in the LFS - usually their selection is limited, with maybe one or two really nice examples. And I hate to keep returning dead fish to them after a day.

Any more thoughts?

CQ

 

[Conqueror]

PS, if anyone's interested, here's a link to a LARGE photo of the tank. The rocks are back to white now, thanks to an algae eater that they seem to be leaving alone.

http/www.cichlids.com/uploads/tx_usercic...01_IMGP1628.JPG

CQ

 

[Cheffi]

Another tip is to put a reasonable quantity in ie don't put in one's and two's they are easily picked on. Maybe put in a minimum of 4?