Advice Please

[Napolean]

Currently have 1 x Neochromis Omnicaruleaus Makobe Island male with 2 WB females and 2 OB females.

1 x Paralabidochromis Chilotes male with 1 WB female and 1 plain female.

1 x Lipochromis Melanopterus male and 2 WB females.

All are mature fish.

The male neochromis has become extremely temperamental chasing hell out of everything and even causing some damage to my male l.melanopterus. Got to the point where I have had to isolate the male neo.

Is this normal, will it settle down or should I permanently seperate them.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[OwassoFish]

Tank size?

[Napolean]

300 Litres.

[blakrain]

hmm... that would be 80 gallons? I didn't know one could get a tank that size

[Napolean]

Its this size for a reason, custom built by my own fair hands

[Glaive]

Not to mention I saw an 80 gallon at petsmart the other day. ;)

I would wonder about it being understocked perhaps?

[Matt V]

Vics are moody little fish. My alpha male Paralabidochromis chromogynos (which looks an awful lot like a female Neochromis omnicaeruleus) went on a terror spree a few weeks ago and then just stopped.

have you been doing anything different lately? more or less frequent water changes? have summer temperatures (assuming you're in the same hemisphere) caused the temperature to rise in the tank? IME, if the tank temp rises and you do a water change like normal, that cooler water can set them off.

it might settle back down or it might just become an evil fish. i've got some strange tank arrangements because of evil fish.

is the Neo still separated?

[Matt V]

BTW - you have a pic of this male? i think they're neat and there aren't many examples to look at online (or in the real world for that matter).

[Napolean]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am in the UK, and to be honest it has been unseasonably hot this month but I dont think it has anything to do with temperature.

The omni male is still isolated, moving him to another vic tank shortly (my dads) to see how he fairs in that one (want to see if he will spawn with one of his four females).

I would like to put him back in my tank but dont want to risk any futher damage or death to either my melanopterus or chilotes.

I will try and sort out a photo. I have to agree beautiful fish, as are the ruti island males.

[spencer]

maybe hes being an omni and defending his females he feals treten by the other males doesnt want to lose his mate put him back in the tank watch to see wich female he hangs around then put them both maybe even a nother female into a nother tank i bet she lays soon all hail cichlids

[SGypsyMermaid]

Originally posted by spencer
maybe hes being an omni and defending his females he feals treten by the other males doesnt want to lose his mate put him back in the tank watch to see wich female he hangs around then put them both maybe even a nother female into a nother tank i bet she lays soon all hail cichlids

since vics are harem spawners and do not form pair bonds, it would be better to keep the male with multiple females.