Ruby bullying Norman

[Andie]

Well I brought my convict pair home today Ruby, a pink female and Norman, standard zebra-stripe male, just a little smaller than Ruby (pics to be posted once my batteries charge).

I set the bags in the tank for twenty minutes, then started the transition, yada yada, and they were settled maybe five minutes before Ruby (who was tanked with Norman before I even got her) spies him and off she goes! "MY ceramic log! MY hidey hole under the filter! MY pretty heater! MINE, MINE, MINE!"

Poor Norman finally found a crack between the wall and the log but I'm worried about how much longer they can keep this up. Ruby wasn't nearly this aggressive when I watched her in her tank . . . could being pushed to the top of the tank hierarchy have gone to her head? Do you think a temporary divider in the tank might give them time to get used to the idea of sharing water, or am I only prolonging the inevitable?

Suggestions are appreciated!

 

[Dwarfs]

I wouldn't worry about territory problems now, the male will grow larger and take control of everything in the tank, including the female

 

[Andie]

I hope so, lol! She doesn't seem to want to LET him grow larger- I fed them just a bit today to see if they'd eat after the move, and Ruby ate it all, so I put more in for Norman, but when he started toward the surface she made a beeline for him and he zipped back behind the filter. She ate it all, so not only may I have a stunted male, I'm gonna have a fat female, rotfl

I'm considering temporary arrangements at least until I can get some meat on Norman- if I can't get some food into him in the next two days or so, I may borrow a ten gal and just put Ruby in there temporarily. That way when I put her back with Norman he might feel a bit more like he owns the place.

 

[digital_run]

When introducing new convicts in a tank...especially with the attempt at making a breeding pair its always best to have a 1male 4-5female ratio....this way you can watch a natural forming pair and remove the outcasts...If your seeing signs of aggression it probably wont subdue until one is dead or your forced to remove the weaker one.

Get another 3-4 females and reintroduce them all back into the tank....

Ðigital

p.s - A divider is a great idea to keep on ahnd with convicts.

 

[Andie]

Thanks- yes, I do have a divider. The only reason I've been slow to use it is that the filter/heater/etc are all on one side of the tank and I didn't want to crowd somebody out, lol. Things have settled a little - Norman seems to have found out how to alternate hiding places as she finds him - but I think I'll use the divider soon if I don't see any more of an improvement. She doesn't go out of her way to hunt him down, but when she sees him she takes advantage of the opportunity.

Edited to update: I put the divider in because I really wanted Norman to get something to eat. He's still not sure Ruby won't find a way to reach him, but at least he's come out from behind the filter!

 

[digital_run]

Do you plan on breeding them?...Or would you be happy keeping a divided tank...Once you see over-aggression it probably wont subside, unless you have them in a huge tank where territory isnt a problem. You might try again by removing them( i put mine in bags when i have to do this) and then shuffling around your tank ....then reintroduce them again. This makes it seem like new territory and you might get lucky and have them pair off. Although i wouldn't give this great odds against failure, it might work.

If you want a breeding pair, then the best solution is more females and let him pick. The one you got obviously thinks he isnt much of a man

Ðigital

p.s- what size tank are they in?

 

[Andie]

Well 20 gal, technically, but at the moment they're sitting in a (divided) 2.5 while I give my 20 gal a makeover. I thought the same thing you suggested- revamp it entirely and give it a shot. Maybe if I shuffle things, change the rocks, put in a new hidey hole . . . well, we'll see (to be fair he only had one real hidey hole before, plus the filter, so maybe with more they'd get along better).

I don't particularly want to breed them, though I do know it'll probably happen eventually- I went in there intending to get two females but I saw Norman and he was just so handsome I couldn't help myself. I bet he wishes I'd had more self control, though . . .

Ah well. I have work tonight but once tank renovations are complete we'll see if there's any improvement.

 

[digital_run]

A pair should be in no less than a 29gal but really 30+ is best....Convicts are extremely aggressive and with that, combined with a small tank your just bound for problems. Even a 20gal isnt going to support two full grown convicts especially your male..And they will either breed or one will die if they are not kept seperated...I'd return your male and you could keep your female in the 20..you wont be able to house to much with her

Sorry to be a bummer

Ðigital

Convicts

 

[Andie]

Sorry to be a bummer

lol don't worry, I'm not bummed. I certainly didn't expect them to live in the 20 gal forever, but seeing as they're both under an inch long right now, I'm fairly confident that I have at least a couple months' grace before I have to get a new one. The 20 gal is a loaner from my aunt and uncle until I can find the tank I'm after; I'd really rather not have to get them set up permanently until September, when I can get everything going in my dorm room and not have to move it till May!

I'm at work right now but when I get home I'll see if the reshuffle appeased Ruby at all, or whether I'll need to hunt down an extra tank for poor Norman. I really think he's just the cutest thing ever- if anybody goes back now, it'll probably be Ruby. She can look after herself, but I think Norman needs some help!

 

[digital_run]

Ahh dorm room tanks...miss those You 20gal will be ok for awhile, convicts arent especially fast growers but as they get bigger they get meaner...especially your male...he'll just be full of character....evil character...but its all good if you like little meanies.

Good luck....

Ðigital.

 

[Andie]

lol my lil Norman mean? Never

Hehe I'm sure he will be, but I'm not sure he'll ever stand up to Ruby. Not unless he really outstrips her growth-wise soon- he still gets nervous when they're near the divider at the same time. Backs up a bit and spikes at her but she just rushes the divider and he's off and running, poor guy.

She was really ticked off to find out she couldn't chase him anymore- I got a kick out of watching her bopping her nose against the divider until she finally realised it wasn't budging and went off to sulk in the log (nasty things, divorces- he got the heater and the thermometer to crowd him, but he got the bigger half of the tank. She got the ceramic log)

I'm looking forward to having them in the dorm. I can't take my dogs, of course, so I know I'll really enjoy them, even if I can't let them interact, per se. Hopefully by the time they need a bigger tank they'll have worked out who's on top at least enough to share space without needing the divider.