Reducing Cichlid Aggression
Many cichlid species are known for their extreme aggression. The strongest male will become dominant and will constantly chase and fight his competition. Additionally, he will relentlessly chase the females in an attempt to mate. This aggression, however, is one of the more attractive aspects of cichlid keeping as it really brings out the cichlids’ personalities. The negative aspect of the aggression is that it can lead to an entire tank being decimated in a relatively short amount of time. While you will never be able to completely make these aggressive cichlids peaceful, there are steps you can take to reduce the aggression such that it does not result in fatalities.
Male to Female Ratio
One of the easiest ways to control aggression is to have the correct male to female ratio. Many of the more aggressive species have males that mate with multiple females. It is important in these cases to have at least a 3:1 ratio between females and males. This will keep the number of male competitors at a minimum and will force the males to chase multiple females instead of focusing on the same one every time. If you try to keep these fish in a 1:1 ratio, the poor female will be chased until she becomes exhausted and dies.
With some species, sexing the fish (telling the males and females apart) is very easy while with others, it is impossible unless you perform a procedure called venting. With these hard-to-tell species, you will need to keep an eye on them as they develop. When the fish start to reach sexual maturity, you will usually be able to tell whether they are a male or female from their behavior. If you end up with too many males or not enough females, return some to the store and buy some new ones.
Similar Temperament
While many cichlid species are aggressive, there are various degrees of aggressiveness. Some are only aggressive towards their own species while others will attack anything in the tank. Also some are fairly mild-mannered relative to other cichlid species (although it is still generally a good idea to not mix them with community fish). If you put a very aggressive species with a less aggressive species, the less aggressive fish will not be able to defend themselves. The best way to limit deaths in your aquarium is to pick species that have similar temperaments. There will still be fighting, but both species will be equals during the battles.
Conclusion
Cichlids have a wide variety of behavioral mechanisms. However, they did not get the aggressive stereotype attached to them for no reason. Many cichlids are indeed very aggressive and it is, therefore, very important that you do your research before starting a cichlid tank. By reading over the topics listed in this article, you can ensure that the damage in your tank is kept to a minimum and you can enjoy the aggressive behaviors because you know they will probably not end in death.
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