unknown aggressor

[1 fish 2 fish]

In a 55gal:
A pleco 1.5"
2 rosy barbs and 2 black tetras schooling together
a pictus cat 2"
2 Blue acaras 1.5"
2 gold severums 1"

I bought 2 angels yesterday, about 1.5 inches. When I looked at the tank this morning the dorsals on the angels were ripped up. wait... I just thought of something are the rosy barbs fin nippers? I haven't had a problem with them in the past, could they be the culprits?

[Bantam]

it could be your rosy barbs. some barbs are well known fin nippers but i'm not sure about rosy barbs in particular.

i would say that the more likely culprit would be the severums. although they vary from individual to individual they can be very aggressive especially when a pair forms.

i'd take the angels out as when everything is fully grown you'll be overstocked anyway. if you really want to keep them make sure you watch them closely.

[ChilDawg]

I believe that it's the Rosies. You really need to keep larger schools of barbs so that their aggression is spread amongst their species rather than those individuals from other species. Angels are just good targets for barb aggression, anyway.

Your pictus will eventually make a meal out of the barbs and tetras, so now might be the time to find them a home in another tank, anyway.

[VoodooChild]

I'm going to go against the flow here and say I don't think the rosies did it. I've only had/seen/heard of problems with the tigers. Usually, in my experience, the rosies are much more placid. I'd bet on the sevs.

[GEV83]

No its the pleco he called me up and told me the whole story. LOL they made fun of his mom. Nah I would guess the severums as well. I have not read or rosy barbs being fin nippers there relatives the barbs do but I dont think the rosies do.

[1 fish 2 fish]

Even though the severums are so small?

[ScottoMacD]

I'll throw in my 2 cents after reading the other posts.

I too don't think that it is the rosies. They are a very doscile fish. They won't bother with anything. Tiger barbs are the famous fin nippers.

Having and breeding severums for years. IMO I don't think (although anything is possible) that it was them either. I have seen young severums get fiesty, but that would have been the exception not the rule.

I'm surprised that nobody else has pegged the acaras.

Acaras can be very nice peaceful fish. BUT! they also can be nasty little buggers that can cause allot of problems in a tank.

There is a reason that years ago they were confused with the green terror. Although they aren't quite as nasty they certainly do have a nasty mean streak in them.

[Bantam]

the acaras crossed my mind too but i thought that on balance it was more likely the sevs. but then again the acaras are a bit bigger and as you say its not unheard of for them to be aggressive......****, now i can't make my mind up :D

it could just be 'teething' problems with the new arrivals but i'd have another home on standby for the angels if poss.

[dbcb314]

i bet it was the acura too. i kept my angels with a severum and he did nothing. they always picked on themselves. my guess is that it is the rosy barb or the acura.

[1 fish 2 fish]

I have a 75gal when thing get cramped, but I can always move the fish now.

another question, are gold, green and turquoise severums the same?

[ScottoMacD]

All the severums pretty much fall under the name Heros Severus.

They are found all over south america.

Color variants will cross breed. I have a female gold and a male green giving me a brood every three weeks.

Apperently there is even a aquarium developed albino severum around now.

There is a rare exception called the Heros Appendiculatus which according to my Lexicon is very rare and very very seldom seen. It looks like a nicely colored green severum with blue on the head.

[VoodooChild]

Say...not to hijack this thread, but how do you like the Lexicon? I was thinking about picking up a copy.

[ScottoMacD]

Originally posted by VoodooChild
Say...not to hijack this thread, but how do you like the Lexicon? I was thinking about picking up a copy.

Great book. Not the best interms of info, but it is quite detailed.

Very pricey.

[1 fish 2 fish]

I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but the barbs I refered to in the original post are ruby barbs not rosy. They looked very similar to the tiger barbs so I thought they coud be fin-nippers. Anyway I moved the sevs to the larger tank and the angels are still doing fairly well.

[GEV83]

I have a Lexicon of cichlids in full color I think its the second edition not sure. I liked it not alot of info about the fish though alot of great pics though.