this is what I get for trying to help

[cjhp]

So I had one completely overstocked 55gal. tank. (results from buying fish willy nilly) Although the group got along fine (healthy fins, almost no aggression) I removed and found homes for all the mbuna. Due to the fact I ID my Jack dempsey pair, which i love; and wanted a proper enviroment for them. All of the fish in question are juvenile >2" 1 pair of JD, 1 jewel (which I hear get along better with CA/SA) 1 Salvini and 1 green severum. Now that the 7 mbuna are gone the remaining are being nasty, constantly hiding and bickering when they are visible. My question is should I do something or let them establish a chain of command? Everybody has a little fin damage but nothing too ugly. Funny thing is being such young fish, my female JD is the biggest and of course runs the tank. The male is quite puny (being the most recent purchase) I really would appreciate your input. It seems like every cichlid website includes the same information- encylclopedia style info- Forums are the only place to go.

[Pam Chin]

Hi cjhp,

When you have a lot of fish in your tank and then remove some, it changes the whole dynamic of the tank. It was definitley a good move for you to remove the mbuna for their sake, but now you can see that they were dithers for the other members of the tank. Everyone will be looking to define a larger area as their own, with less fish, there is more land to claim! So it may take a few weeks before everyone settles in.

Keep your eye on the aggression, you have to let them sort it out, but as long as no one is missing scales or tails, and no one is up in the corners of the tank, then I wouldn't worry too much. However, you still have issues with the size of your tank and the fish you have chose to keep. Peace is not going to last long, once they are sexually mature more aggression will occur. If your JD's were to breed, there probably won't be any tankmates that will survive that.

Cichlid Power!
Pam