Divorce Court or Counseling?

[PaulineMi]

My year and a half old pair of wild cross angels are suddenly bickering all the time.  They're siblings who have spawned approximately every two weeks since they've been in the same 75 gallon planted tank...about six months now. The eggs harden by the third day and then they get eaten. I have no plans for raising youngsters so I just let this cycle continue.

From what I've observed it's the male who is the aggressor. They both have white mouths from the lip locking squabbles. This morning the female has been banished to the top back corner of the tank. Will this situation get worse or is it temporary?  (Probably depends on the individual fish) Should I put an egg crate divider in the tank? They are the only angels in the tank. Other inhabitants are a dozen little Pristella tetras, four cories and a BN pleco.

I'm in the "no weight bearing" phase of recovery from foot surgery. Bad timing.....   I would like to know what plan of action is best before I ask for help from hubby.   

[Mugwump]

Sometimes these spats can be resolved by a 'time out' in a 5 gal pail for an hour or so....or rearranging the tank....he's obviously either on a hormone rage, or simply has had enough of no fry from the eggs....if that doesn't work...I separate the female to nicer 'digs' so she doesn't start to fade, and drop her immune system from the stress....I've seen them resolved and I've seen them turn fatal.....divorce is occasionally the only option to keep from losing one or the other....

.........

on a lark, you can just move him and give her a kinder/gentler male....??

[BallAquatics]

....he's obviously either on a hormone rage, or simply has had enough of no fry from the eggs....

I've seen them, (cichlids in general), do the same thing after having fry or eggs taken away from them repeatedly.  One blames the other for the continued losses and trouble starts brewing.

Dennis

[Mugwump]

....he's obviously either on a hormone rage, or simply has had enough of no fry from the eggs....

I've seen them, (cichlids in general), do the same thing after having fry or eggs taken away from them repeatedly.  One blames the other for the continued losses and trouble starts brewing.

Dennis

Yep, nothing starts the bickering faster than pulling a slate of eggs....I try to feed em bloodworms or something to change their focus....some pairs ok...some, really not buying into the psuedo diversion.....LOL

[PaulineMi]

Good point Jon and Dennis regarding the failure to succesfully raise fry.

Now to decide what to do.....    .  These guys aren't cooperating with my tank set up plans. Lol.

I tried bloodworms this morning. I apparently have a male that isn't buying into my diversion tactics.  He ignored the bloodworms and chased the female back into the corner.   The tetras and cories had a feast though.

[Mugwump]

Good point Jon and Dennis regarding the failure to succesfully raise fry.

Now to decide what to do.....    .  These guys aren't cooperating with my tank set up plans. Lol.

Take em out and spank em.....LOL......they do have minds of their own, don't they...

[BallAquatics]

He ignored the bloodworms and chased the female back into the corner.

Got another tank you can put her in for awhile?  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

Dennis

[PaulineMi]

He ignored the bloodworms and chased the female back into the corner.

Got another tank you can put her in for awhile?  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

Dennis

Yes I can move her. I'm thinking about whether I want to put her in a tank with other fish or a tank on her own.  In the meantime I've put more driftwood and big plastic plants in the 75 they're currently in. I keep the plastic plant species around for these types of situations.

Later that day..

  He was being the bully so moved him. She has the 75 to herself for awhile.

[BallAquatics]

He was being the bully so moved him. She has the 75 to herself for awhile.

Ha Ha, that's even better!

Dennis

[P4Angels2]

We had a pair like that and the wife was the abuser..  well I took her mate put in a bigger "Man" and she has since remarried this one and is happy content and making plenty of babies and raising them...