Yellow Lab Question:

Okay, I have 5 Yellow Lab Fry, that are now at about 1 1/2". They are in a
20 Tall. The smallest has been ostracized. So, like all of my other
cichlids that I have had, the one to get shoved out or pushed around
summarily dies. So, I set up my old 10 to serve as a safety tank for her.
It may be too late, 2 days ago she was eating, but not from the top of the
tank with the others, I put the other small fry along her in the 10 in hopes
they'd keep eachother company.

The sick one is losing her bright yellow sheen, and seems to just hide at
the bottom of the tank.

The 3 remaining are bright and very, very happy. The other small one I put
in with her was equally as happy with the other 3 fishies. So, my question
is whether or not this is a good arrangement.

Is taking the happy lab away from her happy tank with her happy friends bad
for her? Is it doing the not so happy little girl any good? And last but
not least, are 3 happy fry okay in a big 20? Or will they start being more
territorial?

Thanks,
Muuurgh

--
"He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes
wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it."
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3 juvenile yellow labs will work in a 20-gal, but they will require a larger
tank eventually. How are they behaving with two less in the tank?

In fairly low numbers, it's easy for the weakest fish to receive a large
portion of aggression from the others (which can ultimately lead to its
demise). Once the broods of fry get larger (for example 15-20+ fry), the
weaker ones won't be harassed as much (I have a bunch of them and have never
witnessed aggression among my yellow lab fry & juveniles, although I've seen
in among the young of other mbuna species.

But getting to your question, mbuna are fairly social so your 'happy lab'
being with the other small one is probably
ok, but...

....not to say that it will happen anytime soon, but having a only a pair
occupying the tank, introduces the risk of one dominating the other fairly
easy, especially if weakness is sensed. I'd put them both back in the 20-gal
once the sick one fully recovers. Maybe at that time it will be able to
successfully cope with the group.

KB



"Muuurgh" <meatbag RemoveThis @porkfat.com> wrote in message
news:440e3289$0$76750$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net...
> Okay, I have 5 Yellow Lab Fry, that are now at about 1 1/2". They are in
> a 20 Tall. The smallest has been ostracized. So, like all of my other
> cichlids that I have had, the one to get shoved out or pushed around
> summarily dies. So, I set up my old 10 to serve as a safety tank for her.
> It may be too late, 2 days ago she was eating, but not from the top of the
> tank with the others, I put the other small fry along her in the 10 in
> hopes they'd keep eachother company.
>
> The sick one is losing her bright yellow sheen, and seems to just hide at
> the bottom of the tank.
>
> The 3 remaining are bright and very, very happy. The other small one I
> put in with her was equally as happy with the other 3 fishies. So, my
> question is whether or not this is a good arrangement.
>
> Is taking the happy lab away from her happy tank with her happy friends
> bad for her? Is it doing the not so happy little girl any good? And last
> but not least, are 3 happy fry okay in a big 20? Or will they start being
> more territorial?
>
> Thanks,
> Muuurgh
>
> --
> "He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes
> wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it."
> -Douglas Adams
>