"Indiana Jones" wrote in
. ca:

Preamble:
77 gallons, lots filtration, water conditions all great. Crushed coral
substrate with lots of caves/rockwork.

1 Frontosa - 4-5"
1 Frontosa - 1.5"
2 Blue Dolphins - 5.5"
3 Blue Dolphins - 1.5"
1 Tetracanthus - 5"
1 Male Fuelleborni - 3"
2 Haplichromis species 44 - 3"
1 Aulnocara "red shoulder" - 3.5"
1 Lemon Yellow Hybrid (bought before i knew any better) - 3.5"
1 Tiger Tilapia - 3"
2 Julidochromis reganni - 2.5"
1 telmatochromis vittatus - 2.5"

2 Syndontis cats
1 bushynose pleco

Whats happening:

One problem I have been finding as my fish have been growing from
juveniles to adults, their tolerance for eachother, but more
importantly rearraging of tank decoration has been greatly reduced. In
the past 3 months I have lost a Flameback, the female tetracanthus (i
was going to get more females, but couldnt find any), female
fuelleborni. Last night one of the juvy blue dolphins jumped out of
the tank, but luckily i noticed in time and saved it.

2 days ago I rearranged the tank decorations for the first time in
about 3 months (i find the decorations have to be moved every few
months in order to do a proper gravel vacuum). Ever since, the
hierarchy of the tank has shifted, and the tetracanthus is getting
down half of the tank, including my prize front, which used to be the
tank head. now the front is banished to the top corner of the tank
with his mouth keeping slightly above water.

I turned lights off that day, and fed before and after to try and
minimize agression.

I always heard people accounts of how difficult keeping africans can
be, and now (despite relative success over the past 1.5 years)am am
finding out for myself.

A few issues

1. i expect the tiger tilapia to get banished when he is bigger and
more of a jackass.. but my wife is in love with him
2. i also expected tetracanthus might become a jackass too.... he is
so gorgeous though.

So what do i do? Should i wait a few days and see if the front can
find his way back in?
If i have to get rid of one (i would think the front or the
tetracanthus), the decision will be tough. IS there anything i might
try to avoid this eventuality. As well.. i am worried that when i get
rid of one, a new one becomes the tank jackass... how can i end the
cycle? Or should i just let them be, and let the front learn to fend
for himself?

Maybe try overstocking my tank with some new fish to take the heat off
the others?

I am at a loss for how to solve my problems... and advice would be
appreciated.

Thanks

Jeremy

When you mix fish from different habitats and different geographic
regions, you increase the chances of compatibility problems. Here, you
are mixing deepwater Tanganyikan fish (frontosa) with rock dwelling
Tanganyikans (Julidichromis, Telmatochromis, tetracanthus), open water
Malawi cichlids (blue Dolphins) with rock dwelling Malawi cichlids
(fuelleborni), together with various other fish, including non-rift lake
African cichlids. If I were fish, I would probably get confused and
aggressive in such a mix. I would recommend concentrating on one
category of fish and either get additional tanks for the rest or return
them, if possible.

Meph