[APD] Off Topic Tanganyikan behavior reference

["Horton, Joy" <HortonJo at missouri_edu>]

Hi Erin,

I have a 20 long species tank with way too many Multifaciatus in it (at
least 6 distinct communities) and see this behavior from time to time. 

Most of the time the ousted male will set up his own community in
another part of the tank if there is another shell or two you can put in
you can help him out.  Eventually he will manage to attract a female
away from the next generation if you have babies.  

I also have a 10 gallon tank with some overflow and they seem to be fine
started with 2 males and an accidental female about a year ago and now
have 3 communities in that tank and they get along pretty well.

The main thing is to get more shells and move them apart. I've had mine
for 3 or 4 years and never had a death from this yet. You can build
upward with lace or holy rock and artfully insert shells into the holes
if you don't have enough floor space.  Sort of like a shelldweller
condo. This may not be the way your fishies will act but it has been my
experience with them. I love these little guys and yes I do plan on
parting with some soon. Or I will have to get more tanks :-)  Have fun
and I hope you have good luck with yours.

Joy

----------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 10:22:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: Erin Poythress <anang3 at yahoo_com>
Subject: [APD] Off-topic: Tanganyikan behavior reference
To: aquaticplants <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>

Hi--

Sorry for the off-topic post, but I figured at least one of you guys
might know a good forum or reference book I could check out so I can
learn a little bit more about the social behavior of my N.
multifasciatus. Or maybe one of you is an aquifer of knowledge just
waiting to be welled.

If you're not interested in the specifics of the problem, now's a good
time to scroll on by.

I have 4 multis in a tank with a few other small Tanganyikans, and they
are, without doubt, the bosses.
Usually no one really gets hurt after the first day or two in the tank,
but all of a sudden, one of the multis has been ousted from the group.
His/her fins are pretty frayed and he/she is now just hiding out in a
back corner. I'm going to rearrange all the rocks when I get back home,
but I'm wondering if this fish will always be an "extra." Any ideas?
Feel free to write me off-list or on it with feedback.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Erin

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