Whats the best way to introduce new cichlids into an agressive community?

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sg1

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Dec 23, 2007
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It just seems like I loose a lot of new fish in the 1st 48hrs, its almost a crapshoot. Recently added 2 mbuna and a good sized convict to my tank. A few hours later, the con looks to be fitting in the best of the 3, one of the mbuna is still kinda hiding and keeping a low profile as most fish do when they are new. The other mbuna well, I found half of him floating at the top of the tank a few minutes ago. I guess Im just wondering, is there any way to have a better idea what fish will be accepted and what fish wont in a new community. For me it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to it, some fish seem to blend well, others of the same species get riped apart?
 

grannylvsfish

have you been bad this year ??
Dec 6, 2006
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I hear if you move things around then they all establish a new territory. I was also told to add all the fish I am going to right away, so they grow up together.
 

sg1

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Dec 23, 2007
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Yeah Ive tried the moveing things around idea, still a crapshoot lol
 

ibr3ak

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Dec 15, 2007
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What is your stock right now? Any reason why you're mixing fish from different regions?

If your mbuna are adult sized, add new juvenile (not adult, this will prevent alot of the aggression) mbuna into the tank, provided you have plenty of rockwork and smaller caves into which your adult mbuna won't fit, this will give the juvies time to establish and adults to get used to them.
 

nano cichlids

Over ran with EBJD fry
Feb 10, 2008
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take all the decor out as the new cichlid are floating around in there baggy then change very thing add new things or remove old decor.... after you've got the tank the way you want it let the cichlids go
 

sg1

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Dec 23, 2007
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What is your stock right now? Any reason why you're mixing fish from different regions?

If your mbuna are adult sized, add new juvenile (not adult, this will prevent alot of the aggression) mbuna into the tank, provided you have plenty of rockwork and smaller caves into which your adult mbuna won't fit, this will give the juvies time to establish and adults to get used to them.
Well its a delacate balence for me, If I go too small my Central americans will have a snack, so these new africans were mid size africans. I have lots of caves for hiding, I believe the new african is hanging out in one of them right now. I know alot of people are against mixing, im not one of those. I didnt actually see the kill on the new fish but if it was one of my central americans, there wouldnt anything left of the fish to find, it had to be one of the other mbuna as ripping new guys up is their MO.
 

kay-bee

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Sep 14, 2005
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...Im just wondering, is there any way to have a better idea what fish will be accepted and what fish wont in a new community. For me it seems like there is no rhyme or reason to it, some fish seem to blend well, others of the same species get riped apart?
While appearing to occur without "rhyme or reason", there are factors in the tank which are determining what is occuring (primarily the types of fish already in the tank).

Can you provide a list of all the fish in your tank?

Mbuna's, for example, are highly territorial and many will consider new comers as intruders to their territories (especially if the new ones are mbunas, and particularly if they're of the same species). To counteract this add smaller fish (which won't be perceived as primary threats) and add them in groups of 4 or more (to minimize specific targeting). Rearranging territories may help as well. Certain types of species may require different introduction methods.

...I know alot of people are against mixing, im not one of those...
Recommendations to not mix CA/SA cichlids with african cichlids are typically based on behavior incompatibilities between the groups (which may manifest immediately or months later), rather than personal preferences of the hobbyist.
 

sg1

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Dec 23, 2007
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While appearing to occur without "rhyme or reason", there are factors in the tank which are determining what is occuring (primarily the types of fish already in the tank).

Can you provide a list of all the fish in your tank?

Mbuna's, for example, are highly territorial and many will consider new comers as intruders to their territories (especially if the new ones are mbunas, and particularly if they're of the same species). To counteract this add smaller fish (which won't be perceived as primary threats) and add them in groups of 4 or more (to minimize specific targeting). Rearranging territories may help as well. Certain types of species may require different introduction methods.



Recommendations to not mix CA/SA cichlids with african cichlids are typically based on behavior incompatibilities between the groups (which may manifest immediately or months later), rather than personal preferences of the hobbyist.

Sure I can give you a list:
Red Devil
Jag
Green Terror
Convict
Dempsey

Jewel
Acei
Electric yellow
Cobalt Blue
Red Zebra
Albino Red zebra
New one marble cichlid? Cant remember what they called it.

Black Shark
Red Tail Black Shark
Leperinus

The 2 new africans were mid sized africans, I really cant go any smaller as they would become snacks for the central americans. I believe it was the other africans that offed one of the new ones today. Ive tried rearranging the decore, still a crapshoot when introducing new fish. Today I added 3 fish(1 con, 2 africans) and so far 2 are still alive, maybe I should have added 1 more to make an even 4? Like I said, the Con is doing really well, net even hiding, the other african is still hiding but doing well so far.
 
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