oh noo!!

[fish lover 561]

im adding this thread as a follow up on my last one,

I finally decided to go along with the convict cichlids in my 30g tank,

I bought 3 of them, they are about 2 inches big and the smallest one is about 1 inch and a half but there is a problem here.

iv noticed that eversince i bought them about 2 days ago, the two bigger ones are constantly chasing the smaller one all over the tank and other times the 2 bigger ones fight each other like everytime they see each other around the tank,

my convicts look very healthy having red orange spot on its side stomach and green blue and yellow around the tail and fins and my water conditions are up to date and good, i thought it could be stress but now i see that they just keep chasing, except for when i feed them because they seem to pay more attention to the flakes then the other convicts.

can someone give me some advice on why these little fellas are so aggresive thowards each other? they were at the pet store in the same tank and seemed to be doing awesome and looked healthy too

please help!!

[snoopy65]

It is more than likely pecking order. Deciding who is the boss. Do all 3 have orange on their sides? With cons, only females have orange. Males do not.

[bluekrissyspike]

because they are cichlids and that's what cichlids do

[fish lover 561]

2 oh them have orange spots there is one that doesnt though his all grey and black strips,

what does this mean then ??

[snoopy65]

The one without orange is a male. Is it the larger or smaller?

[fish lover 561]

his one of the bigger ones, i guess the other 2 inch one is a female and the 1 and a half inch is a female too what should i do ?
they dont seem to be pairing up more like fighting =[
they turn their gils fat and start turning going in circles kinda making a wavy motion with their bodies what do i doo??

[SubRosa]

It's hard to tell sometimes if Cichlids are pairing off or sizing each other up for the kill. The behaviours are very similar. One word of advice. If they do pair up get the odd girl out outta there as fast as you can.

[fish lover 561]

hmmm i hope they are pairing off, but why would a male try to kill a female :x

[jpappy789]

Because either way it's a threat.

[fish lover 561]

so your saying they will fight to death and then try to pair off... ? or just kill the female and not pair up?

[snoopy65]

The odds are that the larger female and the male are trying to pair up and see the odd female as a threat.

[SubRosa]

hmmm i hope they are pairing off, but why would a male try to kill a female :x
You haven't met my wife! JK!

[jpappy789]

The odds are that the larger female and the male are trying to pair up and see the odd female as a threat.
YEP!

You haven't met my wife! JK!

:duh:

[livebearerfreak]

if a pair forms out of the 3 get the 3rd con out of there as she will be beaten to death and just leave the tank to the pair or get some danios so that they have somthin to focus on well raiseing there babys