Yellow Lab is acting strange?

[jameshilljr]

I have a 55g with 3 yellow labs(1 large one-4" and 2 about the same size-3"), 2 juvie FM's, 2 juvie cons, and 1 chinese algea eater-5" . The readings for tank are: ammonia-0 nitrites-0 nitrates-20 pH-7.2
The largest of the labs hangs out in the middle of the slate structure(she was mouth brooding about 2 weeks ago, but unfortunately the eggs didn't make it). One of the 2 smaller labs just hangs in one of the corners with the con pair, while the other psychotic lab in question continues to attack its own reflection in the glass. It continues to try to bite itself so often, that its mouth and area on its "nose" are discolored. The large female Lab harrassess this lab alot. What should I do? Should I remove it to another tank? Any help would be appreciated.

PS. I do know that it's not a good idea to mix African and SA/CA cichlids, but the labs leave the CA cichlids alone, and vice versa.

 

[Coler]

I presume you are testing with a good liquid drop test kit.

In that case it sounds to me like the 'psychotic' lab is just not coping with tankmates very well. The Chinese Algae Eater could be bothering it, and clearly the Female is stressing it out. What gender are they ?

I wouldn't particularly worry about one of them hanging out with the cons (darn wierd fish ).

Subject to gender, the solution would maybe be to add a couple of labs of the same size as the Female...but this would further complicate your mix.

Do you have somewhere to move the particularly stressed lab to ?

Is the large lab the dominant fish in the tank ? If so, the solution probably will have to involve adding more mbuna in general so as to spread her out a bit. Again, not ideal having regard to your stocking.

 

[jameshilljr]

I presume you are testing with a good liquid drop test kit.

Yes I am using API test kits.

The Chinese Algae Eater could be bothering it, and clearly the Female is stressing it out. What gender are they ?

The Algae eater actually likes to chase the large female lab. I can only guess that the large lab is female(it was mouth brooding a couple of weeks ago)-the 2 other small ones- i can't tell:silly:

Do you have somewhere to move the particularly stressed lab to ?

I am fishless cycling a 10g right now(it's been sitting for a week now)

Is the large lab the dominant fish in the tank ? If so, the solution probably will have to involve adding more mbuna in general so as to spread her out a bit.

Yes the large Lab is the dominant fish in the tank-even though the Chinese Algae eater would like to prove otherwise

 

[Coler]

Yeah the CAE have a nasty streak in them...I'm not going to be able to solve this one for you I don't think because the thing that keeps occurring to me is you need more mbuna in to spread out the dominant lab, but that isn't going to wash very will with your other cichlids...

...as a rule of thumb, if removing a fish, remove the problem fish. This would involve putting the dominant lab in the 10G when cycled for a couple of weeks or so, and hopefully your smaller labs would get some more confidence in the tank. Before you put her back in, re-arrange decor etc. so as to make her less sure of herself. That is probably what I would try.

If you had a grow out tank, like maybe 30G I'd probably put the two smaller labs in there and feed them up to a better size, then re-introduce, and if necessary remove and re-introduce the problem one, as above.

Maybe someone else will chime in with some suggestions who has kept your mix...but those are my thoughts

 

[jameshilljr]

thank you Coler for the help:grinyes: