As with most fish species, cichlids can be very territorial and aggressives towards other fish in there aquarium. The aggressive behavior of cichlid fish can cause harm to other fishes within the same aquarium. While many aquarium owners may desire to keep different species of cichlids in the same tank, each of the different species of cichlids have different requirements regarding their territorial behaviors towards other cichlids of the same tank.
If you dont understand the behaviors of each of the different species of cichlids that will be kept in the aquarium, the aquarium may experience conflict among the fish, which can lead to stress for those fish, and even lead to those stressed fish developing disease that may lead to the death of those fish in the aquarium. Cichlid fish can range in their levels of aggression towards other fish in their tanks. Some species of cichlid may be gentle and like to shoal with other fish of their own species, while other species can be hyper-aggressive and seek out fights with other fish in their tanks.
How to Keep Cichlids from Fighting
It is essential for those who wish to maintain a community tank of cichlids to categorize each species of cichlid and its temperaments prior to add them to their aquarium to avoid creating a tank that becomes a violent environment for the fish. Furthermore, the geographic origin of each species of cichlid can also impact the aggressive behavior of those fish. For instance, cichlids from regions like North and Central America often have aggressive behaviors compared to cichlid species from South America, as their species are adapted to the hard water of those regions.
Finally, mixing these two type of cichlids may create issue for the fish; small species like Apistogramma fish may not be able to compete with the powerful species like Texas Cichlids, leading to stress for the weaker species. If aquarium keepers should wish to introduce the mix species of cichlids into their aquariums, bridge species like the Blue Acara fish may be used to balance the more aggressive species and the more peaceful species in the aquarium. The Blue Acara fish has enough restraint to coexist with other fish in the tank, yet has enough aggressiveness to defend itself against potential threat.
Additionally, you should provide physical breaks in the aquarium for the fish. These physical breaks in the tank can be created using rocks, driftwood, and plants in the aquarium. These physical spaces within the aquarium may be necessary to prevent the aggressive behavior of some of the species from leading to increase aggressiveness towards others of the same tank.
For instance, if the aggressive species can view the other species from across the tank, the species will begin to feel threatened by those other fish in its tank, leading to the development of threatened behavior. Beyond understanding the aggression of the species of cichlids that will be added to the aquarium, it is also important for aquarium keepers to understand that some young species of cichlids may become territorial and aggressive as they mature; this phenomenon is referred to as a juvenile trap. For instance, young cichlid fish may get along with other young cichlids in the aquarium; however, as those young cichlids mature, they may begin to develop territorial behaviors due to the hormonal change that take place in their bodies.
In these situations, it is best to avoid adding small fish to an aquarium that already contains adult cichlids. Instead, it is best to add other species of cichlids of similar size, or to rearrange the decor in the aquarium prior to adding the new fish. By rearranging the fish tank decor, you can reset the territorial behavior of the adult cichlids, forcing each species to begin establishing its own territory in the aquarium from the beginning.
Finally, you should also consider the breeding cycle of the cichlids prior to adding any species of cichlids to the aquarium. Even the most peaceful species of cichlid will develop more aggressive behaviors towards other fish in the aquarium once they begin to breed. For instance, the peaceful Firemouth cichlid may become aggressive toward other fish in the aquarium once the breeding cycle begins for those fish.
Thus, it may be a good idea to have a backup tank of cichlid in case any are bred in the aquarium. By creating a stable ecosystem for the cichlid species in the aquarium, such as by matching the water chemistry of the tank and respecting the aggression of each species of cichlid, the conflict between the individuals within the tank can be ensured to remain within a manageably range.
