Jeweled Cichlid Eating other fish

[Jeffg]

We are in a bit of a pickle, the wife bought a very nice jeweled cichlid a few weeks back and put him into our 27g commuity tank. At the time we had five glow light tetras, one zebra danio, and five razboras.

Well now we are down to two tetras and four razboras, every two or three days he eats another fish.

So we do give up on the smaller fish and get something bigger in this tank, or do we just wait for all the fish to be eaten and see if his agression dies down after he is the only fish for a while?

We dont believe we can take the jeweled cichlid back to the LFS...

How about providing the jeweled cichlid feeder fish to see if he will leave the other alone?

 

[Betta Bob]

If it will fit into his mouth he will eat it, and if you buy feeders he will eat them too.
Community fish, and cichlids for the most part aren't a good mix. Your tank is kind of small so I wouldn't worry about tank mates for the Jewel until you get a larger tank since most compatible fish grow to at least eight inches. If you want to keep your tank a peaceful community tank which a 27 gallon would be better suited to then you could re home the Jewel on C.L. or maybe in the classifieds here.

 

[jpappy789]

Are you sure he is actually eating the fish while they are still alive?

 

[Jeffg]

Thanks for the advice, I'm sure he is eating them live because one of the razboras now has a missing tail piece. He is very pretty to look at and has a lot more personality then the smaller fish. However there are tears in the morning from my children when another fish is gone...

Good lesson in nature, big fish eat small fish... Now we need something to eat big fish... Just kidding...