Male & Female Kribensis Fighting

Hello all,

A week ago I bought a pair of kribensis - a male and a female. I am sure of their genders and they are a confirmed pair that has laid eggs before.
They're in my community tank (30 gallons) with 10 rosy tetras and a couple of amano shrimp. Everything was going well until today it seems.
The pair has been making their little cave, digging in the sand and preparing for the eggs. The female has shown a lot of interest in the male, her belly getting all pink/purple. Today when I looked in the tank the female's belly isn't very colourful at all (but she might look a little skinnier?), however the male is showing way more color than usual. They're not fully grown, so the male isn't very colourful yet, but today he is.
The problem is though that they're chasing each other like crazy. This combined with the changed colour makes me think that maybe the eggs has been laid?

They're very aggressive with each other and obviously it's the female who's doing the most of the chasing, but the male isn't completely innocent either. It looks... pretty violent and I know this can happen when the female has laid the eggs, but should I separate them? And if the eggs are in the cave, shouldn't one of them be guarding them?

Please help!

Edit: forgot to include that I have a video of this behaviour if anyone wants to see it in order to figure out what's going on.

Edit 2: just used a flashlight to look at the inside of the cave and there's a bunch of eggs. It seems the female is forcing the male to stay in the cave, he keeps trying to get out but then she comes by and he goes back in?

 

The fish are totally fine. They take turns turning and burying the eggs, as well as guarding the cave. They are monogamous and both take care of the eggs, so don't separate them at all. Good luck with the fry, love my Kribs.

 

My pair once fell out like this. In a small 2 ft tank the male was insisting on visiting the eggs but the female would not let him. I'm sure he wanted to help to care for them but she would not have it. But due to his size he overpowered her. So, in fishy spite perhaps, she ate the eggs!

With this pair I had to take the male out after spawning and let the female care for them herself. The male appeared fine in another tank.

However, in my 6 foot 110 gallon community tank both parents were needed and they worked amazingly as a team to protect the eggs and young. It almost made me cry it was so touching. The male spent half an hour moving all other fish from half of the tank. Then, the female entered the cave and stayed there. The male gathered up the fry a few at a time and spat the fry into the cave and stood guard outside.

 

The fish are totally fine. They take turns turning and burying the eggs, as well as guarding the cave. They are monogamous and both take care of the eggs, so don't separate them at all. Good luck with the fry, love my Kribs.

My pair once fell out like this. In a small 2 ft tank the male was insisting on visiting the eggs but the female would not let him. I'm sure he wanted to help to care for them but she would not have it. But due to his size he overpowered her. So, in fishy spite perhaps, she ate the eggs!

With this pair I had to take the male out after spawning and let the female care for them herself. The male appeared fine in another tank.

However, in my 6 foot 110 gallon community tank both parents were needed and they worked amazingly as a team to protect the eggs and young. It almost made me cry it was so touching. The male spent half an hour moving all other fish from half of the tank. Then, the female entered the cave and stayed there. The male gathered up the fry a few at a time and spat the fry into the cave and stood guard outside.

Thanks for replying!
This morning the male is hiding a lot and looks rather pale. The female is still chasing him around all the time, but sometimes lets him visit the cave. Other times when he tries to, she gets quite mad. The eggs are still in the cave, so no one has eaten anything yet it seems.

I feel pretty bad for the male though, that he's stuck in this tank with this angry female and I'm pretty scared he won't make it. Even if he does, supposedly there will be many times like this in the future so I imagine this can't be a very great life for him?

 

Thinking about keeping some kribs...
What other fish do you have in the community?
I've been talking to coral bandit about his kribs and he says they do best alone rather than forcing community fish away.
He also said it's not like it's super uncommon for these tiny angry trolls to kill each other during or after spawning.
I think he has had it happen even after a successful few batches of eggs...
Sometimes people and fish alike lose their temper and can't take it anymore.

It's clearly possible for the female to do all the work on their own, and in the wild with a larger habitat it's likely the male isn't constantly bothering her like he would be in a tank.
If you're very worried for his life and want to try to intervene, I'd say you can.
Especially if others have had success, and it could possibly mean more breeding in the future and survival.

 

Thinking about keeping some kribs...
What other fish do you have in the community?
I've been talking to coral bandit about his kribs and he says they do best alone rather than forcing community fish away.
He also said it's not like it's super uncommon for these tiny angry trolls to kill each other during or after spawning.
I think he has had it happen even after a successful few batches of eggs...
Sometimes people and fish alike lose their temper and can't take it anymore.

It's clearly possible for the female to do all the work on their own, and in the wild with a larger habitat it's likely the male isn't constantly bothering her like he would be in a tank.
If you're very worried for his life and want to try to intervene, I'd say you can.
Especially if others have had success, and it could possibly mean more breeding in the future and survival.

It's a 30 gallon long tank where I have the two kribs and a group of 10 rosy tetras and six amano shrimp. The tetras and amanos seem to keep to themselves pretty much, but it's possible that the kribs would do better without them.
I did read about them possibly killing each other after the eggs have been laid and fertilised, but when I bought them at the LFS he said they were nowhere near the most aggressive pair he has had, so I assumed they'd be somewhat fine. They were very happy with each other before the eggs, but now the female is chasing him around. Even if he's not even close to the eggs, being in a corner minding his own business she will come and find him and start biting him/chasing him. It seems like she just really wants him gone.

If I were to take one out, should it be the angry female or the poor male? And how long should I keep them separated? And is this a sustainable solution, if I end up having to do this every time they lay eggs?

Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it!

 

It's a 30 gallon long tank where I have the two kribs and a group of 10 rosy tetras and six amano shrimp. The tetras and amanos seem to keep to themselves pretty much, but it's possible that the kribs would do better without them.
I did read about them possibly killing each other after the eggs have been laid and fertilised, but when I bought them at the LFS he said they were nowhere near the most aggressive pair he has had, so I assumed they'd be somewhat fine. They were very happy with each other before the eggs, but now the female is chasing him around. Even if he's not even close to the eggs, being in a corner minding his own business she will come and find him and start biting him/chasing him. It seems like she just really wants him gone.

If I were to take one out, should it be the angry female or the poor male? And how long should I keep them separated? And is this a sustainable solution, if I end up having to do this every time they lay eggs?

Thanks for replying, I really appreciate it!

From what I've learned so far, they're relatively new as a tankbred species, so they're obviously not going to be the calmest or easiest to keep fish.
And It's quite possibly that having them become tankbred will actually only heighten aggression altogether similar to betta spledens.
But they could also become wonderful community fish too if the parents and fry have good tempers.
It's sort of hard to tell since they vary in levels of aggression so much.

Do you have a little pet carrier tub? The 10 dollar plastic ~3 gallon critter crate? XD
You may be able to just have him hang out floating in the tank in one of those for a bit to have a little stress relief.

I've been playing with the ideas in my head, I have no idea how it affects their bond to have them removed from each other, whether it can break their bond, or do a little therapy.
But I also don't think it's good to allow her to beat on him and possibly kill him.

And I'm not sure he's up to guarding the eggs on his own.
I was thinking "oh maybe it could be a split parent job, each could have their own small section of eggs to watch over" but it's also probably not a good idea to try to steal eggs, let alone separate the eggs.
And he may totally ignore them right now if he's really not feeling well.
Or maybe even eat them like mentioned above..

I was thinking maybe like a minimum of a day to a few days, but I probably wouldn't try to keep them apart right now longer than a week, since it could harm their bond..
But 1-2 days might be enough for her rage to calm (if it even does...) And for him to heal a little bit and regain some bravery and strength.
Though removing him could also cause her to be more aggressive towards the barbs.

I was suggestiing a critter cage because then she can still see him and be angry, but not actually hurt him.
He wouldnt like the cramped space but might like being safe..

 

From what I've learned so far, they're relatively new as a tankbred species, so they're obviously not going to be the calmest or easiest to keep fish.
And It's quite possibly that having them become tankbred will actually only heighten aggression altogether similar to betta spledens.
But they could also become wonderful community fish too if the parents and fry have good tempers.
It's sort of hard to tell since they vary in levels of aggression so much.

Do you have a little pet carrier tub? The 10 dollar plastic ~3 gallon critter crate? XD
You may be able to just have him hang out floating in the tank in one of those for a bit to have a little stress relief.

I've been playing with the ideas in my head, I have no idea how it affects their bond to have them removed from each other, whether it can break their bond, or do a little therapy.
But I also don't think it's good to allow her to beat on him and possibly kill him.

And I'm not sure he's up to guarding the eggs on his own.
I was thinking "oh maybe it could be a split parent job, each could have their own small section of eggs to watch over" but it's also probably not a good idea to try to steal eggs, let alone separate the eggs.
And he may totally ignore them right now if he's really not feeling well.
Or maybe even eat them like mentioned above..

I was thinking maybe like a minimum of a day to a few days, but I probably wouldn't try to keep them apart right now longer than a week, since it could harm their bond..
But 1-2 days might be enough for her rage to calm (if it even does...) And for him to heal a little bit and regain some bravery and strength.
Though removing him could also cause her to be more aggressive towards the barbs.

I was suggestiing a critter cage because then she can still see him and be angry, but not actually hurt him.
He wouldnt like the cramped space but might like being safe..

I don't really have such a tub, all I have is a very small plastic thingy that I bought a while ago. It's meant to put fry in so they're in the tank and everything but impossible for other fish to eat. I'm just not sure if it's too tiny or if she's gonna try to bite him through the bottom of it. It's made of mesh on all sides, but the structure is plastic. It might be around 4.5 x 4.5 inches.
Right now he's behind a piece of driftwood where she can't see him. He's just laying on the bottom, looking pale and tired... I feel really bad about this. I knew they were semi-aggressive before I bought them and everything, but I really didn't think she'd try to kill him considering I've provided so many plants and hiding spots and the LFS said they weren't too bad since they have had fry before with no issues. Sigh.

 

I am sort of considering bringing them back to the LFS and maybe swapping them for some other cichlid? I've just heard the kribs shouldn't be that aggressive and quite easy... And I agree they're easy, but they also do seem pretty aggressive.

Does anyone have any suggestions for more peaceful cichlids to go in a 30 gallon long with a group of tetras? Before getting the kribs I thought of getting rams or maybe shell dwellers.

 

Hello all,
It seems the female is forcing the male to stay in the cave, he keeps trying to get out but then she comes by and he goes back in?

I will not want to be married to that lady for sure lol

 

I will not want to be married to that lady for sure lol

No, she's not a very pleasant lady right now!

 

I kept a Kribensis once in a 30 gallon community tank, and he was one of the nicest fish in that tank.

 

I kept a Kribensis once in a 30 gallon community tank, and he was one of the nicest fish in that tank.

I believe that if I only had the male, he would indeed be very nice.

 

Did you know the shell dwellers they sell are only females?
I was watching a documentary about fish life, and when it came to showing the shell dwellers, it showed the tiny little females, and then the massive males who've got to be at leats a foot long..
They're huge! I couldn't imagine being that small of a lady!
I definitely am in love with shell dwellers though.

I've been recommended types apistos, told they're less aggressive and a bit easier.
I was thinking about buying from coralbandit but he said his apistos are pretty aggressive too.
So I guess you have to figure out slowly and maybe by trial and error.

 

Did you know the shell dwellers they sell are only females?
I was watching a documentary about fish life, and when it came to showing the shell dwellers, it showed the tiny little females, and then the massive males who've got to be at leats a foot long..
They're huge! I couldn't imagine being that small of a lady!
I definitely am in love with shell dwellers though.

I've been recommended types apistos, told they're less aggressive and a bit easier.
I was thinking about buying from coralbandit but he said his apistos are pretty aggressive too.
So I guess you have to figure out slowly and maybe by trial and error.

ive been wanting to get some shell dwellers for the longest!!! they have to be some of the coolest fish ive seen.

 

Did you know the shell dwellers they sell are only females?
I was watching a documentary about fish life, and when it came to showing the shell dwellers, it showed the tiny little females, and then the massive males who've got to be at leats a foot long..
They're huge! I couldn't imagine being that small of a lady!
I definitely am in love with shell dwellers though.

I've been recommended types apistos, told they're less aggressive and a bit easier.
I was thinking about buying from coralbandit but he said his apistos are pretty aggressive too.
So I guess you have to figure out slowly and maybe by trial and error.

That's odd, pretty sure I've been tanks with shell-dwellers where the females and males were breeding and seemed to be very much alike in colour and size... But I don't know much about it, so you might be right. In that case I had no idea.

I might just have to try out some stuff, yeah. I'm kind of disappointed though cause I did so much research and felt like I was doing everything right, so the fact that it has been like this is kind of off-putting.

 

Mine are very aggressive, I have to keep them in a divided tank. She at first danced for him, but he wasn't ready. She became very aggressive and terrified him. This unusual behavior is why I wanted to keep them, but I'm not so sure any more.

 

not an expert on shell dwellers but there are tons of different ones and I have also seen videos on youtube of people that have a tank full of them and breeding pairs. They seem to be very similar to each other in color and size

 

Mine are very aggressive, I have to keep them in a divided tank. She at first danced for him, but he wasn't ready. She became very aggressive and terrified him. This unusual behavior is why I wanted to keep them, but I'm not so sure any more.

The behaviour is what interested me about them as well... But obviously it's not interesting to have one fish trying to kill another. That's not very fun to have sitting in your living room. As far as I can see, shell dwellers are also quite aggressive and will cause problems for any living thing that lives/comes close to the bottom of the tank. So they might not be very suited for a community tank either. At this point I'm thinking that maybe there aren't any cichlids that really will work well in a community, even though my community is quite small and simple.

 

A single Bolivian Ram is wonderful in a peaceful community. More than one or breeding pairs however, has never worked for me.

 

not an expert on shell dwellers but there are tons of different ones and I have also seen videos on youtube of people that have a tank full of them and breeding pairs. They seem to be very similar to each other in color and size

Hmm maybe there's just a specific type where the males are massive.
If I remember correctly they may have not even been cichlids, as I think they may have been in saltwater not fresh...

I'll have to see if I can find the video/documentary and species to see...
But the male was definitely a brute compared to the tiny female I saw! She was probably like the size of his eye...
He could chomp her so easy!

Rams may be a good idea, I've heard great things about them.
Not sure about breeding wise, but as centerpiece fish in a community.

 

I believe my tank is slightly on the smaller side to house a bolivian ram. Especially since I have a lot of decor and plants and a 2.5 inch layer of sand.
I might just have to stick to peaceful community fish... At least I don't think I'm gonna do cichlids again for a while since this was a pretty horrible experience.

 

Why don't you just keep one of the pair?

I kept the largest male of my last Krib brood and he was a model citizen, although not having a female meant he didn't develop his colours.

 

Why don't you just keep one of the pair?

I kept the largest male of my last Krib brood and he was a model citizen, although not having a female meant he didn't develop his colours.

Because the female is the aggressive one, so her I do not intend to keep... And the male is all torn to pieces and honestly I don't think he'll make it. I have put him in a separate container, but I'm quite sure he'll be dead tomorrow. He's all pale and with no colours at all and his fins are torn up. Unfortunately I don't think keeping him is an option.

 

Because the female is the aggressive one, so her I do not intend to keep... And the male is all torn to pieces and honestly I don't think he'll make it. I have put him in a separate container, but I'm quite sure he'll be dead tomorrow. He's all pale and with no colours at all and his fins are torn up. Unfortunately I don't think keeping him is an option.

Well I'm crossing my fingers for the two of you...
I hope he makes it..
Poor guy..
I'd hate to be so beat up by a lady.
Really takes the man out of you

I'm sorry your kribs didn't work out! But I'm also glad I found this post.
I likely won't choose them this time even though I really want to...
Not until I have safer set ups for them...
It would just be an impulse now.

Good luck to you and your male!
Definitely let us know if he's okay in the morning.

 

Well I'm crossing my fingers for the two of you...
I hope he makes it..
Poor guy..
I'd hate to be so beat up by a lady.
Really takes the man out of you

I'm sorry your kribs didn't work out! But I'm also glad I found this post.
I likely won't choose them this time even though I really want to...
Not until I have safer set ups for them...
It would just be an impulse now.

Good luck to you and your male!
Definitely let us know if he's okay in the morning.

I will!
And even if he is, I think I'll bring them back to the store... This kind of ruined the fun for me and the thought of many more days like this makes me discouraged.

 

I have been keeping a large group (13) Kribs for 2 years with no real aggression in the shoal. Perhaps due to being in a community tank where all eggs are immediately consumed by other stock but more likely due to a good mix of Males and Females. You may consider getting a few more.

 

I have been keeping a large group (13) Kribs for 2 years with no real aggression in the shoal. Perhaps due to being in a community tank where all eggs are immediately consumed by other stock but more likely due to a good mix of Males and Females. You may consider getting a few more.

Dang! That's a lot of kribs! Holy cow!
You don't have any pairs that get super aggressive during spawning time?
Does anyone regularly get chased?
I was hopeful maybe larger numbers would sort of help like with barbs... But I wasn't sure.
I was semI advised against it.
Where did you get your kribs from?

 

I have been keeping a large group (13) Kribs for 2 years with no real aggression in the shoal. Perhaps due to being in a community tank where all eggs are immediately consumed by other stock but more likely due to a good mix of Males and Females. You may consider getting a few more.

What size tank are you keeping them in? Feel like mine would be too small to house even a small group like 4 - 5.

 

This morning I took them back to the LFS. The male was still alive, but in very rough condition.
I explained that it didn't work out and that I was afraid they were gonna kill each other and since I had no place to separate them, I wanted to give them back. The LFS took them and it's somewhat of a relief. I've never had any "hostile" fish before, so this experience has taken me aback quite a bit.
To start over with a clean slate I redecorated my tank and moved everything around. I'm very happy with the result and considering what to add to my little peaceful community.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, I really appreciate it!

 

What size tank are you keeping them in? Feel like mine would be too small to house even a small group like 4 - 5.

They are in a 75 gallon with an additional 11 Australian Rainbow fish. No true aggression, but yes an occasional chase for food.