Keeping the peace between your Cichlids

Have you noticed that your African Cichlids are acting aggressive towards the other fish in your aquarium? Unfortunately most species of Cichlids are naturally aggressive. They can be quick to claim their own territory in the aquarium, and will not cease in chasing other fish, often driving them to exhaustion.

You may have noticed that some tropical fish in the aquarium are hiding in the top part of the tank, and might even be swimming sideways. Unfortunately this indicates that the fish has been forced out of the communal area by a more dominating and aggressive fish. They are out on on a limb with nowhere left to go. Usually this will mean that the fishes life will soon end.

How can you put an end to this aggressive behavior before it gets out of hand?

If you are serious about stopping this aggressive Cichlid behavior you must consider two aspects. The male to female ratio in the tank, and how many structured areas you have provided to the fish.

It is extremely important for Cichlds to have hiding spots and structures. If you have more areas of cover in the tank, there will be more opportunities for the Cichlids to claim their own territory. If there is too little wood and rocky areas in the aquarium, the other fish will become targeted by the dominant Cichlid males. But if you have too much cover your tank can become very difficult to clean and this can lead to disease or toxic levels of waste in the water.

The safest bet would be to closely observe the behavior of your fish while starting with just a few pieces of wood and rock in the aquarium. If you notice the fish competing for a space to dominate, you can then add more pieces of wood and rock to the aquarium.

It is also very important to gain an understanding of your female to male ratio. The females will often get chased by the males relentlessly, when it is time to breed, and if you have too many males in the tank, the female Cichlids will have no time to rest or recover. Your female fish will eventually become very stressed and surcome to an early death .

Male Cichlids will become aggressive towards each other due to the competition over the females. This is especially a problem when there are too many females per male, so aim to keep only one male for every three females.

With a medium sized Cichlid costing at least $25 you don’t want your fish dieing or it will become a very expensive hobby. With the right knowledge and dedication, a successful breeding problem would no doubt prove very profitable.

Whether you choose to breed your Cichlids or not, keeping a Cichlid aquarium can be a very rewarding and pleasurable experience.