The Beast

[phillip83]

Sadly I have met the beast lieing within the beauty of my Tropheus moori Moliro colony of 15. I do need to increase my numbers especially as they are going in a 5*2*2.5 which will look empty. To date I have had no issue with these fish who are notorious for bullying and bloating. While taking sand out of the tank to move to a new tank in my new house I needed to move the rocks around. At the time they didn't seem to phased and just looked for food in the stirred up sand. In the morning I now have one tropheus body that looks like it has been rubber both sides against a cheese grater. Obviously this poor sole did not find a place in the new set up, rest in peace little tropheus . I turned the lights off after the rock moving but after that and a small feed are there any solutions or just one of lifes miracles?

Phillip

[lt2004]

Sorry to hear about the assassination. That is the thing with tropheus, each colony behaves in different ways. I have just recently had troubles with aggression, moved the decor around and it solved the problem (Bembas). Other suggestions I got from members on this and the Perth Forum is to put a piece of ag pipe just beneath the water at the top of the tank for bullied colony members ot hide. this might help.

Another was to lower the temp of the tank a bit to slow them down.

With only 14(?) left, you should if possible increase your numbers as this will help. If it were me, I would try and put your existing fish and any new ones into the bigger tank at the same time. You dont want to establish a new colony heirchy in your existing tank, only to throw it into disarrayagain not long after with another move. You might be lucky if they are small.

[paulibius]

I heard of a good way to stop aggression but it wont look that great in your tank. But if your trying to breed it is good. You get some pieces of that black tubing and put bigger bits on the bottom and then smaller and smaller. It will end up like a pyrimid shape. Whenn you put it in your tank the bottom will become the top because it floats. So it becomes an upside down floating pyramid. It is good for holding female because they can blend into the black tubing in most cases and not be harrased.

Anyway thats just something I heard. Try it if you like.

Cheers Paul.

[MoliroMan]

Sorry to hear about your loss! If u keep tropheus long enough u are bound to lose some of these little buggers.

If u change around the decor enough u will bound to get a new surge of aggression as they try to re-establish social hierarchy. What i don't understand from your post is how big is your current tank that u have them in? It sounds like u will be putting them in a 5 footer.

I wouldn't play around with the decor unless u absolutely have to. It will only stir up trouble. U may have a hyper-aggressive male that may need to be removed and traded in for a female if u can?

I find there is less agression if u have no rocks in the tank and keep the tank dark with a sheet around it. The use of the tubing just below water surface is a good alternative.

And obviously as mentioned by others, tropheus have safety in numbers. So in the new 5 foot have at least 30 tropheus in there. Maybe add some juveniles otherwise if u add adults u may have a lot of aggression as well.

Will u be adding more moliro or another variant?

hth

Dave

[phillip83]

They are currently in a 6*2*2.5 with some electric yellows and tropheops chilumba (were all babies I have grown up) they are around 6-8cm each now and will be moving them on their own to the 5*2*2.5 . Yes will be adding more moliros, anyone in Perth got some reasonably priced young moliros.

Phillip