They've started fighting again!

[CS_sg]

5 days ago, when I was doing my water change, I noticed that there was a dark colored looking cichlid with its belly on the crush coral substrate in my cichlids tank.

I thought to myself, 'who' the hell is that? The first thought was that it must be my Pseudotropheus saulosi beaten by the Metriaclima estherae. I thought 'yeah, finally your turn getting beaten today, bully'.

My 2 larger (3.5-3.75")Pseudotropheus saulosi & Metriaclima estherae (Blue) have been the tyrants in that tank since day one.

Then I realised that something was really wrong. Geez, they are all there... then who the hell is that dark looking fish!
Oh no..not my yellow labs (my favourite 'lambs' in that tank) phew!

OMG! Its the sole Melanochromis auratus in that tank!
I quickly took a net and effortlessly scooped up that poor guy from the tank and put it in my 2footer (only 3 Hockeysticks in there). Its turned so dark it looks like the Pic in this site from Marc Elieson.

It had a bright yellow/white with solid black stripe body. It has never been bitten so badly (don't remember it being beaten by its tankmates at all) since that tank was setup around May 2004.

Its been 5 days, and it still remain the same coloration as when I found him. Its eating normal but just look very dark.

What would be best for him? Melafix & salt?

STOCKING ISSUE:
This also makes me to wonder if my current tank is overstocked or just having the wrong mixture of cichlids!

I may have misidentified the fishes here but thats as close pics as I can find from cichlid-forum, and now that these guys have grown much, I supposed they should be classified 'adult male/female' according to the profile there.

Tank size: 38 USGallon (90x40x40)

Labidochromis caeruleus x 4 (3.25")

Pseudotropheus saulosi x3 (average 3.5")

Metriaclima estherae x 3 (1 blue(male?), 2 orange (female?) Average 3.75"-4")

Cyrtocara borleyi x1 (All tankmates leaves him/her alone)

Should I also rearrange the decor/rocks/shells in the current setup?

I'll try post a current pic of the tank but its similar to the one posted on my site.
Tank setup

Any suggestions?

 

[Purple]

pecking order reversal is not uncommon - but what you're left with can often be fatal

sounds like you have established who the looser is going to be - and whilst moving the tank decor around will stall the process - it's likely to happen again, and to the same fish

get him out of there - one way or another

unfortunately - removing the looser is going to start the proccess all over again, and a new "looser" will probably be chosen

the trick is stability without death - unfortunately the fish will decide who's who

it can be done - but it's always trial and error (with a few clues from the books etc) and a stable tank should never be underappreciated (or messed with)

 

[CS_sg]

So is this winner-loser process inevitable?

I noticed that this pecking about started again after I fed them earthworms more often ( 3 times a week). They used to be alot calmer (no major fights) when they were on Tetra-cichlids pellets & Spirulina Flakes & bloodworm(Only once a week).

Could it be the diet change as well?

Who do you suggest that I remove from the tank?

 

[Purple]

it's not inevitable that another fish will become the looser - but every time you add or remove a fish the pecking order needs to be re-established

some additions will have no effect - while others will turn the tank crazy - and although we can try to predict the outcome through research, often the fish haven't been reading the same text and will act quite out of predicted character - thus supposedly aggresive fish are complete pussy-cats - and sometimes the most timid fish will give endless trouble

the fish you have that are not in groups are most likely to be singled out - though some single fish will not have any trouble - depends on size and temperament

hard to do more than generalise - frustrating - but the only way to apply any knowledge to your tank is to research before you buy - and then watch closely until you're sure things have settled down

typical pecking order behaviour is for one fish to "ram" another fish as a show of strength - once the weaker fish withdraws the point is made and the attack is not followed through with a bite - there's no need - the point has been made

if they are biting, then the weaker fishes presence is simply unacceptable - and so it goes beyond pecking order and becomes intollerance - that's when you have to remove either one fish or the other

in your case it's simpler to re-locate the one single fish rather than a whole group - so the attacked fish should be the one to go

all a bit confusing to predict - especially with the fish you have - africans - total head-bangers at the best of times

it's tempting to suggest you are overstocked, or pretty close to it - but again that's also a recognised way of easing aggresion in an african tank - all you can realistically do is to keep removing any fish that are getting bitten until things settle down

ps - to sex a lab....if it has black on its face it's a male

 

[CS_sg]

Thank you so much, Purple.

I have exchanged the Melanochromis auratus for a yellow lab at my LFS yesterday. The Melanochromis auratus has regained its color but I don't have another cichlid tank to hold it for the long term and don't want him to be alone.

This new yellow lab is the biggest (4") I've seen at the stores. The LFS has kept it for over 1.5yrs and was in the 'not for sale' tank. The poor thing had a 7"inch Green Terror as tankmate in that tank
I'm glad the owner let me have 'her' (no marking on face) instead.