My cichlids are killing each other!

From the looks of it your main problem is that you got no caves. These guys are cave dwellers and will fight to the death for a cave, and protect that cave, also to the death.

Also, this is the only time people will recomend overstocking a tank, when it comes to cichlids.

You want to have a large number in the tank so the agression level is spread out, not one pick on one, or two pick on the weaker, then end up each other. Blah blah blah ect ect.

Agree... This is good advice. *If you have the filtration to hande the bio-load* you need to add more fish and add cover in the form of rock caves. You need to break up the line of site. A picked on fish needs a place to retreat to, so they can get out of site long enough for the bully to find someone else who is a threat to his territory. There will always be an established pecking order in your tank and, actually, that is what keeps your tank stable. however, if you don't have enough cover for your fish, the bully will just constantly chase the weakest of the fish until they are dead. Then he will start on the next weakest and so on.

Flat rock works well to build caves with. Use small pieces for the vertical and large pieces for the horizontal and build them up several layers like apartment buildings. Be careful, take your time and make them very stable so as not to risk them falling into your tank walls.

Best of luck...
 
Too late to landscape. I lost my yellow lab yesterday to those savages...they even ate his eye. I am gonna clos up shop and rather get goldfish...
 
They are cichlids....What did you expect?
Rearranging the tank usually works for me, however they are cichlids and are prone to rearranging theirselves. Lots of hiding places, and an almost over crowded tank also help. Maybe a lower wattage light as well. Darker tanks seem to soothe my little beasties.........
 
had you done some research BEFORE you bought your 'cichlids' you'd have avoided this whole episode.
 
Cichlids can be mean little boogers especially the africans. You need lots of rockwork to keep these fish sucessfully and I mean heavy rockwork like to the surface of the water all along the back wall. This will help so all can feel secure and get out of the line of fire from the other cichlids. This is the only time I would recommend overstocking a tank as is the case with africans. If the tank is overstocked with africans then the fish are too busy watching thier own butt to worry about someone else and a lot of the aggression is reduced.

Marinemom
 
The truth

had you done some research BEFORE you bought your 'cichlids' you'd have avoided this whole episode.[/quot

Aren't you the ever helpful one...my my so nice
Sometime's the truth hurt's, but it's still the truth:( As keeper's of ANY animal we assume & bare by choice the ultimate responsibility to our domesticated friends. There's no reason especially in the tech age we live in (prior to this we had to get info thru good old publication's, see Dr. Brichard's & Ad Konning's numerous publication's) to not be able to inform ourselves. It's unfortunate that you would have to learn this lesson this way, but I bet/hope you won't make a mistake like this again. I really hope you don't give in, give up & move to something less challaging, because the true reward's are found in the face of adversity. Don't mean to kick anyone when their dwn, but it stands as a lesson learned the hard way for all new comer's looking to educate themselve's. Good luck w/ the goldfish:)
 
I have a peacock, mbuna, and hap tank and there's no fighting or bullying except for one hap towards his female. You got to know what you're doing.
 
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