tail bite

Question
QUESTION: Hi there I just set up a tank with a green sevrum and a blue malawi. The malawi is about 2 inches long and the sevrum one inch.  After the first night I noticed that the sverum was missing part of his tail fin.  Will it grow back as he grows?  And will he survive until he is big enough to defend himself or is it a murder waiting to happen?  Please help!! Thank you, Liz

ANSWER: Hi Liz,
 You are attempting to mix two very different fish.  The blue fish comes from Lake Malawi in East Africa and the severum comes from South America. I would not put those two together in a tank.  

  The tail MIGHT grow back. If it was jsut the frilly part that was bitten, it will grow back. If the damage goes down to the bone and basal tissue, that part cannot grow back.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ron, not sure if you remember but I asked last week about my green sevrum's tail bite by a blue malawi.  You were right, but we took action too late and lost the sevrum.  We had tried adding a yellow african cichlid from malawi's old tank at the pet store to our tank to try some balance but that didn't save the sevrum.  So now we just have the two and the malawi continues to be a bully.  I've started making rock structures for hiding spots and added more plants, but we were thinking about getting another fish that may compliment the tank.  Do you have any suggustions; maybe a green terror or a convict?  Please help I feel like a murderer and if you think we should take the malawi back be honest, I want a beautiful yet harmonious tank.  Let me know ron I appreciate your advice, Thanks, Liz

Answer
Hi Liz,
  I would not put any Central or South American cichlids in there (e.g., green terror or convict).  I would stick with East African cichlids.

  Adding structure is the key.  The fish need hiding places to get out of the way.  With cichlids, they will never just "get along".  They learn to avoid each other (that's what they do in the wild as well).

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>