What To Do

[bluedollars]

alright...this all happened about 2 weeks ago...one of my male zebras got into a really bad fight with another male zebra...the smaller one who i guess just reached maturity and that is why they started fighting has had all of his tail fin taken off along with the anal fin...i discovered this because i couldnt find him so i found him sitting on a rock barely moving...so i caught him and put him in a large plastic fry hangover i have...they still show hostility towards each other and the smaller fishes fins have grown back...the odd thing is is when the bigger guy shows up the smaller shakes as if to breed....i know they are both males...whats the deal with that...and should i bring one of the two back to the fish ship because of the hostility?

 

[Ferris]

Typical Mbuna behaviour i'm afraid - it's difficult keeping multiple males of the same species in the same tank. Given what's already happened it's unlikely to calm down and if you release the smaller male into the main tank again - the same thing will probably happen.

The safest thing would be to return one of the males in this case.

 

[bluedollars]

they have never had a problem until recently...im guessing the smaller male reached maturity and is out looking for the girls and the bigger guy sees him as a threat?

 

[Ferris]

they have never had a problem until recently...im guessing the smaller male reached maturity and is out looking for the girls and the bigger guy sees him as a threat?

Exactly

 

[bluedollars]

thanks ferris...im going to see if i can trade him in for a female