What is this guy...he's a bully

[Devin Gibson]

He is the bully of my tank...I got him for 5 bucks from a guy keeping him with south American fish...he had know idea what he was....I have been told he's in the melanochromis family but I haven't seen anything like him....good pictures are hard to come by because he's to busy starting fights....

 

[Devin Gibson]

The purple guy is who I'm asking about

 

[xny89]

Looks like melonachromis, male. I've got one left from a group of 6 I got about a year ago, and he is the bully in my 55 gallon Malawi tank. Even thinking about moving him on to someone else.

 

[Devin Gibson]

Looks like melonachromis, male. I've got one left from a group of 6 I got about a year ago, and he is the bully in my 55 gallon Malawi tank. Even thinking about moving him on to someone else.

how big is he.....

 

[chriscoli]

Agreed....melanochromis type. Google images of Melanochromis auratus and see if he looks like one of those. The males turn black, but sometimes they look purplish-black to me.

If it is an auratus, you may need to find him a better home, or set up a proper auratus environment. They are nasty on a good day, and worse when in too few numbers.

 

[Devin Gibson]

Looks like melonachromis, male. I've got one left from a group of 6 I got about a year ago, and he is the bully in my 55 gallon Malawi tank. Even thinking about moving him on to someone else.

Agreed....melanochromis type. Google images of Melanochromis auratus and see if he looks like one of those. The males turn black, but sometimes they look purplish-black to me.

If it is an auratus, you may need to find him a better home, or set up a proper auratus environment. They are nasty on a good day, and worse when in too few numbers.

Yup he killed both my favorite fish..my pseudotropheus ....that was when there was only 10 fish in the 55....I'm up to 20...and way more hiding spots....he still worries me...

 

[xny89]

Devin, he is yours. The payment is to help me catch him (LOL) in my well-rocked 55. I'm retired so I don't have a busy schedule, and live in zip code 20904.