Kribensis being Aggressive

Hi everyone,

I just purchased a new Kribensis Cichlid and put him in my 29g community tank.

In the store he seemed a little timid and not too aggressive at all but once he got in my tank that changed a little. He's keeps taking little pokes at my cories and he's not really chasing them but whenever they're near him, he will bother them. Anytime a platy comes close to him he'll do the same but he really mostly bothers the cories.

I thought Kribs were supposed to be a little nicer (but I know it varies from individual to individual). I've had a Bolivian Ram with cories and he was very chill.

It's been about 20-25 mins since I've put him in
Should I wait it out and let him get adjusted to my cories and other fish or should I return him. If this persists (even if it's just a little poke/peck) I'll return him for sure.

Edit: I'm currently watching him and he's really being a jerk and it doesn't look like the cories are a big fan and it seems like he is now going up to them

 

The Krib is going to be claiming the entire small tank as its territory. There is not much space for the other fish to get away.

Try moving rocks and plants and stuff around to form a cave for the Krib where it can't see the other fish. Kribs are capable of rearranging a tank themselves to build a cave for themselves too. They like secret caves sort of hidden out of sight of the other fish. If you give him something like that he may feel like he doesn't need to push the other fish away from the whole tank.

 

I already made a cave rock area for him and he did establish that as his own.

I just fed them live bloodworms and he was pretty chill at first but then he got aggressive and was pecking at every fish near him.

Is this defensive behavior or outward aggression?

Luckily it doesn't look to bad when he pokes/pecks but it is concerning

I think I'll keep him for the night and evaluate him for the rest of the day and tomorrow and go from there. I really don't want to risk it with my cories and other fish and it just feels like he's disrupting the ecological balance of my tank.

I already made a cave rock area for him and he did establish that as his own.

I just fed them live bloodworms and he was pretty chill at first but then he got aggressive and was pecking at every fish near him.

Is this defensive behavior or outward aggression?

Luckily it doesn't look to bad when he pokes/pecks but it is concerning

I think I'll keep him for the night and evaluate him for the rest of the day and tomorrow and go from there. I really don't want to risk it with my cories and other fish and it just feels like he's disrupting the ecological balance of my tank.

As I say this he is getting increasingly aggressive towards all of the fish now. He's now pecking different fish left and right. My tank is very lively and there's a lot of unassuming silly fish in the tank who are not as serious personality wise (maybe im anthropomorphizing too much). Since I just fed them it makes sense but my lfs closes at 9 so I'll be on standby

 

It's territorial behavior.

Try to orient his cave so when he is in there he can't see most of the tank. You could make the cave point towards a rear corner for example. Also make sure the tank walls are not mirrors that allow him to see the fish reflections. You can put on some patterned background to break up the reflections. Watch how he goes after the other fish visually.

Or get another 29 Krib tank and get him some Krib friends to hang with. He would love that.

Remember the most important rule in fish keeping: Always get more tanks!!

 

Ok I'll make some adjustments.

His little cave area seems to be the one he is protecting and hanging out in the most but he comes out every once in a while to poke others.
I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's just scared and feels he needs to assert dominance.

I'll give him some more time, but I really don't want to make this harder for me or the fish if it really doesn't need to be. My Bolivian was very nice and chill and not territorial AT ALL so if all else fails I'll likely just get another Bolivian (I heard apistos can be jerks towards Corys too)

 

Cichlids are territorial. If you put territorial fish with other fish in a confined space they will constantly be trying to chase the other fish out of the territory. If that doesn't work the levels of aggression may increase. The fish is only doing what it is supposed to do.

 

Kribs are definitely on the aggressive side of the dwarf cichlid spectrum. I actually found they were worse on their own as when I had some kribs that spawned and raised fry the 4 grown up fry that survived would bicker amongst themselves rather than the other fish. When I had one left on his own I had to remove him because he kept nipping at my angels and doing what yours is doing. Kribensis are great little fish but they’re more territorial than your average ram and they do get more aggressive with breeding, that being said cories are tough little guys but the best thing you can do is provide a cave for him to claim as his own.