MousePotato

First, let me say I know I'm a little paranoid right now. My big tank is ill and in a mini-cycle as well, so every tiny thing gets me worked up.

Well, I did another big water change today. About fifteen minutes after I finished filling it, I went to check on everyone. They all came straight to the top, begging, as usual, and I noticed several of the fish were gasping a bit. The yellow labs looked the worst - gills flaring and mouths gaping. I started freaking out! "Could I have forgotten to use Prime? Is the columnaris taking its final toll on my babies?" I went running for my "junior chemist set" even though I tested everything before I did the water change.

As I approached the tank to get a water sample, I saw my "dizzy blondes" were at it again! Round and round they chased each other, then one would break off and go chase the third one. In the process, every other occupant of the aquarium was getting bumped, shoved, buzzed, chased and generally annoyed.

I put away the test kit. If that kind of activity doesn't get your heart pumping and your breathing up a bit, I don't know what will!

MousePotato

Oh, come ON! Didn't anyone have a laugh at my expense?!?

Butterfly

Mouse it is 4:21 am and I am sitting here really chuckling you would think they were human children playing pranks on Mom or hyped on sugar.
Don't know how I missed this one because it was definitely cute Don't we love them !!
Carol

MousePotato

Thanks, Butterfly. I swear if I got as much cardio as those cichlids do, I'd weigh about 90 pounds and have a resting pulse of 30 bpm!

Allie

Cobalt zebra males in a fight
Wait until they start doing this
When new to Malawi cichlids it can be quite a shock to see how aggressive and active they truly are.

Butterfly

You and me both!
Carol

MousePotato

That is EXACTLY what they do and the reason I call them my "dizzy blondes!" I am starting to suspect my trio is at least two males, possibly one female, but I'm not about to subject them to my amateur attempts at venting. After the fight, one of them went totally gray in his fins (sign of submission?).

When the tank is healthy again I will have to rehome a male or two or trade out some other fish for more females. The aggression didn't really shock me since I've been keeping mbuna for about a year and a half now. I just got nervous because I didn't see what was happening before I noticed the labored breathing. Ever since the Maracyn killed my cycle and I got ammonia readings, I have been watching them anxiously for signs of distress.

I think the funniest part about these fights is when some of the other fish try to break it up. Seriously! I have seen both the johannii and the clown loach get in the middle of the circle at times. The johannii just looks annoyed, but the clown loach seems to be saying "come on, guys, let's all try to get along until Mom can do something about this ridiculous stocking arrangement!"

Allie

The labs & all females do it too but not as aggressive like as our cobalt zebra do. With labs it's not as scary as say with two larger aggressive types. Yikes!
Oh i know my blue hap female is alone now and she keeps interrupting the yellow labs and cobue afra here. She is going to a friend who has some blue haps when I make sure she is 100% healthy...still nervous about that parasite and not 100% sure if it ws what killed my make hap in the end. Some died without showing the worms.

MousePotato

I think the scariest thing I've seen so far (aside from the beating my elongatus gave my demasoni) was one of the yellow labs going up against the large frontosa. The front is about 8 inches long and he had the lab's entire head in his mouth! I leapt into action and shouted "Hey!" from about 15 feet away. Isn't it funny how we all think we can influence their behavior that way?

I understand your desire to hold on to the hap for now. I'm not going to insult you by claiming to know how you feel, because I've read your threads and my situation is nothing compared to that, but I, too, am afraid to rehome any of my fish, even if they don't appear affected by this fungus/columnaris/mystery disease. I desperately need to get rid of a few fish and get the tank more "appropriately" stocked, but I won't change anything until I know they are healthy.

cichlidlover

Sounds like my tank only I have different fish!! I had to put a temperary tank separator in the tank and they still fight. they both go up to the plastic barrior and start pretending to liplock through the plastic!! honestly!!!!!

MousePotato

That's what Henry and Eleanor do! After sharing a divided tank for over a year now, they still "fight" through the screen. It's terribly amusing to watch sometimes.

cichlidlover

I know!! My acei goes up to the screen were the lombardoi is on the other side. My acei starts to really shake and then BOOM!!! they start fighting through the wall!! I can watch it for hours.lol