What to do with an overly aggressive Peacock Cichlid?

So one of the very first peacock cichlids I got for my 125G tank has been very aggressive since the day we got him.

We realized we needed to add more cichlids to our tank so we did over time and time again.

We are now at 30+ Peacock Cichlid's we do have some Mbunas, a parrot cichlid, and rubber nose pleco along with our dragon goby we do feed the pleco and dragon goby specially since they are not fast swimmers im aware.

But the problem still remains the one Peacock that was in from the start is still acting out, not as much it has gone down but he still chases others around, and we did have another dominant in the mix of getting more but he has calmed down a lot still not as bad as the original Peacock.

Now I'm wondering if I should separate the most aggressive cichlid in a breeeder container along with the other dominant guy and in hopes they calm down? Whats your thoughts and ideas?

 

You put them in together they might kill each other. You take them out for a while and put them back ends up where you started and stresses the fish. Either rehoming to even bigger fish or restructuring the tank's hardscape and/or stocking where the only things that ever at least somewhat worked. There is not much to do about it in my experience.

 

Is the dominant peacock (We shall call tank boss) being aggressive to only other peacocks, or to the smaller fish as well?
To what extent is the aggression being displayed as? Is he damaging the other male or just chasing him away.

In captive cichlid hierarchies, there will always be the top tank boss who will enforce their place in the hierarchy. In aquariums ideally we'd only want to see chasing. The other male should have a space in the tank they can claim as their own that isn't way up in one of the top corners.

Depending on the extent of the aggression, you can add more horizontal and vertical breaks (objects in the way of line of sight across the tank) to try to keep them in the same tank. If Tank boss is locking lips and trying to attack the other fish, its time to try a time out.

Time Out:
- Do a large water change and tank the tank boss out and put him in a decent sized quarantine tank by himself. You can attempt to rescape at this time but you do run the risk of prematurely creating a new, overly aggressive tank boss without a place to put him.
- Keep the tank boss in the quarantine tank for a few weeks or even months. Ideally, he should dull in color as he has nothing to shine for. Don't rush this.
- Once you decide to put him back in, do a large water change again on the main tank and add him back in. You can choose to rescape at this time.

I got lucky in that the one time I had to do this, it worked. He eventually became the tank boss again but he was much, much more mild. It doesn't always work, and if it doesn't, you may have to rehome him.

 

As long as no injuries have resulted from the dominant Peacocks territorial aggression, no worries. That's what African Cichlids do.
Chances are that if the offending Peacock is removed another strong Peacock will step up & take his place in the hierarchy.
Time outs sometimes temporarily work, but sooner or later things usually return back to the original situation.

 

Is the dominant peacock (We shall call tank boss) being aggressive to only other peacocks, or to the smaller fish as well?
To what extent is the aggression being displayed as? Is he damaging the other male or just chasing him away.

In captive cichlid hierarchies, there will always be the top tank boss who will enforce their place in the hierarchy. In aquariums ideally we'd only want to see chasing. The other male should have a space in the tank they can claim as their own that isn't way up in one of the top corners.

Depending on the extent of the aggression, you can add more horizontal and vertical breaks (objects in the way of line of sight across the tank) to try to keep them in the same tank. If Tank boss is locking lips and trying to attack the other fish, its time to try a time out.

Time Out:
- Do a large water change and tank the tank boss out and put him in a decent sized quarantine tank by himself. You can attempt to rescape at this time but you do run the risk of prematurely creating a new, overly aggressive tank boss without a place to put him.
- Keep the tank boss in the quarantine tank for a few weeks or even months. Ideally, he should dull in color as he has nothing to shine for. Don't rush this.
- Once you decide to put him back in, do a large water change again on the main tank and add him back in. You can choose to rescape at this time.

I got lucky in that the one time I had to do this, it worked. He eventually became the tank boss again but he was much, much more mild. It doesn't always work, and if it doesn't, you may have to rehome him.

The most dominant peacock use to lock lips but not anymore after getting more cichlids, he kind of just chases some around tries to go after everyone like he use yo but seems to give up and kinda hide in the plants at times but that's it. No more fin bites either which he use to do. And the other dominant Peacock thats not so dominant anymore barely chases at all not like he use to.

I just get worried about one of my peacocks that loses color every now and again because I feel like it's him chasing. But the color changes very fast.

 

Hemikyle
Good Question. Great Info has been shared. Thanks!
I am about to embark on my own African Cichlid journey. Planning on an all "Male" tank eventually. It will be tough at first, since I am leaning towards stocking juveniles (which are difficult to sex). I am sure the aggression will likely arise. I do have some additional tanks 29 and 33 which I am prepping for time-out tanks. not sure I'll need them or even if it will work.
Just for reference.
I have kept Discus and had an Alpha male, he was a terror, in the tank. He even chased a fish out of the tank. I did try a time-out with him a few times. He would chill out but would eventually start-up his terrorizing. Ended up keeping him in a tank by himself except for some EBAs. "Beautiful" fish. Since been sold.
As mentioned, depends on the fish but Cichlids will be cichlids.

Good Luck!

 

Hemikyle
Good Question. Great Info has been shared. Thanks!
I am about to embark on my own African Cichlid journey. Planning on an all "Male" tank eventually. It will be tough at first, since I am leaning towards stocking juveniles (which are difficult to sex). I am sure the aggression will likely arise. I do have some additional tanks 29 and 33 which I am prepping for time-out tanks. not sure I'll need them or even if it will work.
Just for reference.
I have kept Discus and had an Alpha male, he was a terror, in the tank. He even chased a fish out of the tank. I did try a time-out with him a few times. He would chill out but would eventually start-up his terrorizing. Ended up keeping him in a tank by himself except for some EBAs. "Beautiful" fish. Since been sold.
As mentioned, depends on the fish but Cichlids will be cichlids.

Good Luck!

Should I worry about my cichlid fading in colors time to time?

 

hould I worry about my cichlid fading in colors time to time?

Good Question for the "Veterans"
A201 MacZ BigBeardDaHuZi

 

You can get a breeder basket and keep him in there for a few days

 

Should I worry about my cichlid fading in colors time to time?

No, that is something they naturally do. They color down to deflect attention. (Or if your water quality has dropped, in which case you do need to do something.)

If your tank boss is just chasing, but no nipping or domestic abuse, you are in a pretty good place. That is how African tanks run.

 

+1 ^

 

Should I worry about my cichlid fading in colors time to time?

Almost all cichlids can fade and change back in seconds. Nothing to worry. Depending on the stress level it can take some hours or days, but usually less than an hour after removing the stress factor they are back to full colouration.

Time Out:
- Do a large water change and tank the tank boss out and put him in a decent sized quarantine tank by himself. You can attempt to rescape at this time but you do run the risk of prematurely creating a new, overly aggressive tank boss without a place to put him.
- Keep the tank boss in the quarantine tank for a few weeks or even months. Ideally, he should dull in color as he has nothing to shine for. Don't rush this.
- Once you decide to put him back in, do a large water change again on the main tank and add him back in. You can choose to rescape at this time.

I got lucky in that the one time I had to do this, it worked. He eventually became the tank boss again but he was much, much more mild. It doesn't always work, and if it doesn't, you may have to rehome him.

Good you say rehoming is an option at the end, because I'd like to take this moment to say something important about the whole time-out-thing (not only you but others bring that up time and again):

Why giving the animal the stress of being captured, put in an often much too small tank without any social interaction, little enrichment and NO (have to stress this) real effect except it being out of the tank for a while?

One can do the rescape while the fish is still in, there is no difference. Well, besides it not being netted and moved. I really like to make clear that I find the time-out-method (if one wants to call it that) is just unnecessarily stressfull to the animal.

Giving this advice has its downside in endangering fish, as it also anthropomorphizes the fish in that people think it's like a time-out for humans, which ended up quite a lot of really great cichlids dead because people took them out again and again, until they died from disease made possible in the wake of high stress levels. People with less knowledge and experience read of it, think it sounds reasonable (it would if fish were humans) and... fish die. Not worth it.

I've seen my dad make that mistake once with a wildcaught Maylandia two decades ago and I know a lot of cases (some I read here, some I was told of by breeders and importers), that went exactly the same way.

 

I'm not a "time out" fan either. I once separated two male Red Zebras. The most dominant was placed in another tank. A month later the dominant Red Zebra was transferred back. Surprisingly the subordinate Red Zebra violently thrashed the once dominant male so badly, he had to be euthanized.

 

Almost all cichlids can fade and change back in seconds. Nothing to worry. Depending on the stress level it can take some hours or days, but usually less than an hour after removing the stress factor they are back to full colouration.



Good you say rehoming is an option at the end, because I'd like to take this moment to say something important about the whole time-out-thing (not only you but others bring that up time and again):

Why giving the animal the stress of being captured, put in an often much too small tank without any social interaction, little enrichment and NO (have to stress this) real effect except it being out of the tank for a while?

One can do the rescape while the fish is still in, there is no difference. Well, besides it not being netted and moved. I really like to make clear that I find the time-out-method (if one wants to call it that) is just unnecessarily stressfull to the animal.

Giving this advice has its downside in endangering fish, as it also anthropomorphizes the fish in that people think it's like a time-out for humans, which ended up quite a lot of really great cichlids dead because people took them out again and again, until they died from disease made possible in the wake of high stress levels. People with less knowledge and experience read of it, think it sounds reasonable (it would if fish were humans) and... fish die. Not worth it.

I've seen my dad make that mistake once with a wildcaught Maylandia two decades ago and I know a lot of cases (some I read here, some I was told of by breeders and importers), that went exactly the same way.

Hello! So I have a lab in A breeder net right now (and she has been in there a few days) BUT it’s bc she’s healing after being attacked by a Duboisi who overnight became a monster. I have two options. I love the lab by the way the troph is ehhhh. So 1.) move the small and extremely mellow lab (her name is mellow yellow) to my 40 breeder with some kribs. She’s not much larger than them. All the same age. 2.) set up a 20 long for the lab alone for life. Not adding any other fish.
Whichever will be better for her? I was all set to set up the 20 today and now I read your post and am worried she won’t have social interactions. She shouldn’t be punished bc troph is a monster. It’s weird bc the troph is a boy I believe and lab a girl so I’m shocked at overnight aggressions. Also the yellow was COMPLETELY the tank boss. Not meanly but he would chase the troph away from his domain and as soon as the troph started changing his colors (like His permanent change) boom he became a monster who doesn’t just nip but who SEVERELY injured my poor mellow. I wish the troph would pick up some bloat and kick the bucket or something (JUST JOKING).

 

Hello! So I have a lab in A breeder net right now and it’s been a few days BUT it’s bc she’s healing after being attacked by a Duboisi who overnight became a monster. I have two options. I love the lab by the way the troph is ehhhh. So 1.) move the small and extremely mellow lab (her name is mellow yellow) to my 40 breeder with some kribs. She’s not much larger than them. All the same age. 2.) set up a 20 long for the lab alone for life. Not adding any other fish.
Whichever will be better for her? It’s weird bc the troph is a boy I believe and lab a girl so I’m shocked at overnight aggressions. Also the yellow was COMPLETELY the tank boss. Not meanly but he would chase the troph away from his domain and as soon as the troph started changing his colors (like His permanent change) boom he became a monster who doesn’t just nip but who SEVERELY injured my poor mellow. I wish the troph would pick up some bloat or something (JUST JOKING).

No offence, but this situation is one of the reasons one shouldn't mix Malawis, Tanganyikans and West African cichlids. Also, I would be very wary of your sexing, the Tropheus is still a subadult and Yellow Labs are notoriously hard to sex without venting. In situations where there is only one of each species the aggression level can be even higher. Also: Rift Lake cichlids don't care for the other fishes sex. When they pick on them, they pick on them.

Best in this case - again, no offence to you - rehome both, the Tropheus and the Yellow Lab. The options you already name are not good for the fish, who's wellbeing should be first concern. Rather give them away to a better home, than do less-than-optimal makeshift solutions.

 

No offence, but this situation is one of the reasons one shouldn't mix Malawis, Tanganyikans and West African cichlids. Also, I would be very wary of your sexing, the Tropheus is still a subadult and Yellow Labs are notoriously hard to sex without venting. In situations where there is only one of each species the aggression level can be even higher. Also: Rift Lake cichlids don't care for the other fishes sex. When they pick on them, they pick on them.

Best in this case - again, no offence to you - rehome both, the Tropheus and the Yellow Lab. The options you already name are not good for the fish, who's wellbeing should be first concern. Rather give them away to a better home, than do less-than-optimal makeshift solutions.

Okay thank you! I know you’re right. I didn’t get a chance to rehome at the beginning of Covid but now it’s actually viable to do so.

 

Good you say rehoming is an option at the end, because I'd like to take this moment to say something important about the whole time-out-thing (not only you but others bring that up time and again):

Why giving the animal the stress of being captured, put in an often much too small tank without any social interaction, little enrichment and NO (have to stress this) real effect except it being out of the tank for a while?

One can do the rescape while the fish is still in, there is no difference. Well, besides it not being netted and moved. I really like to make clear that I find the time-out-method (if one wants to call it that) is just unnecessarily stressful to the animal.

Giving this advice has its downside in endangering fish, as it also anthropomorphizes the fish in that people think it's like a time-out for humans, which ended up quite a lot of really great cichlids dead because people took them out again and again, until they died from disease made possible in the wake of high stress levels. People with less knowledge and experience read of it, think it sounds reasonable (it would if fish were humans) and... fish die. Not worth it.

I've seen my dad make that mistake once with a wild caught Maylandia two decades ago and I know a lot of cases (some I read here, some I was told of by breeders and importers), that went exactly the same way.

It isn't a first line to go to and I should have made that very, very clear as well. It was try that, and if that failed, attempt to rehome the animal. Rehoming (especially in COVID times) is very stressful for the fish as well, results in similar amount of separation if a person or a store quarantines a fish upon arrival as they should. At least with a separation, if that verbiage better suites you, I can still ensure the health and well being of the fish whereas in a rehoming I cannot guarantee that.

Otherwise, I agree with you. It's not something that should be done willy nilly.

 

It isn't a first line to go to and I should have made that very, very clear as well. It was try that, and if that failed, attempt to rehome the animal. Rehoming (especially in COVID times) is very stressful for the fish as well, results in similar amount of separation if a person or a store quarantines a fish upon arrival as they should. At least with a separation, if that verbiage better suites you, I can still ensure the health and well being of the fish whereas in a rehoming I cannot guarantee that.

Otherwise, I agree with you. It's not something that should be done willy nilly.

Yes, rehoming means stress, too. For sure. Still I'd always prefer a long term solution that completely avoids the separation, as it only pauses the problem, but doesn't remove it. That is my main point.