African Cichlid Aggression: How to Manage and Prevent Fights

African cichlids are known for their stunning colors, lively personalities — and their notorious aggression. African cichlid aggression is real! If you’ve ever watched your cichlids square off like tiny underwater gladiators, you’re not alone. While aggression is a natural part of cichlid behavior, there are plenty of ways to keep the peace in your tank. 

Why Are African Cichlids So Aggressive?

African cichlids come from highly competitive environments, mainly the lakes of Malawi, Tanganyika, and Victoria. In the wild, they fight over territory, mates, and food. When confined to an aquarium, these instincts don’t just vanish — they escalate. 

Unlike in the wild — where they can escape — the boundaries of an aquarium force more frequent and direct confrontations. Then there’s also other factors like tank size, inadequate hiding spots, and overstocking that can further amplify their aggressive tendencies.

What to Do When Things Get Heated

Okay, so tensions are high right now — what do you do? First, let’s stay calm and… try the following. 

1. Rearrange the Tank

Rearranging the tank breaks up established territories, which disrupts dominant fish from maintaining control over specific areas. When the layout changes, all cichlids must reestablish their territories, leveling the playing field and reducing persistent aggression. 

It also creates new hiding spots and breaks the line of sight between aggressive fish and their targets, giving weaker fish a chance to escape and recover.

2. Remove the Bully (Temporarily!)

If one fish is relentless, put it in “time-out” by isolating it in a breeding box or separate tank for a few days.Isolating the aggressive fish disrupts its dominance and shakes up the pecking order. When reintroduced, it’s less likely to reclaim its throne immediately. 

This trick works best when paired with rearranging the tank to further confuse territorial instincts and keep the peace.

3. Feed Strategically

Food competition triggers aggression. By offering food in different spots around the tank, you keep one fish from claiming everything for itself. This way, everyone gets a fair share and there’s less reason for your cichlids to fight over food. 

It’s an easy fix that helps keep things peaceful without much effort on your part!

4. Add More Females

Adding more females helps balance things out, especially in male-heavy groups where the guys are constantly competing for attention. With more females, the males don’t feel the need to fight over dominance as much. It spreads out the focus, so they’re less likely to be aggressive toward each other. 

Basically, it’s a way to reduce competition and keep the peace in your tank!

How to Prevent African Cichlid Aggression Before It Starts

Afraid that things might get too heated? Try the following strategies to prevent African cichlid aggression before it even starts. 

1. Tank Size Matters

Overcrowding fuels aggression, but oddly enough, so does too much space. What a conundrum! You see, a cramped tank leads to stress and territorial fights, while a super spacious one gives fish too much room to claim as their own. A well-sized tank — at least 55 gallons — helps spread out the aggression, giving each cichlid space to carve out its own territory without constantly clashing with others. Balance is key!

2. The Right Rockwork and Hiding Spots

Cichlids love caves and crevices! This is great because it breaks their line of sight and gives weaker fish places to escape — and to claim a few places as their own. Use rock formations, PVC pipes, or stacked slate to create territories and hiding spaces. When they feel safe, they’re less likely to get into fights. It’s like creating little safe zones in your tank. 

3. Overstocking (Yes, Really!)

Overstocking might sound counterintuitive, but it can actually help reduce aggression. When you add more cichlids, no single fish becomes the target for bullying. With more fish in the tank, the aggression is spread out, and everyone has to share the spotlight. Just make sure your tank is well-filtered and you stay on top of water changes, so the extra fish don’t overwhelm the system!

4. Choosing Compatible Tank Mates

Not all cichlids play well together. Avoid mixing overly aggressive species like Mbunas with more peaceful types like Peacocks or Haps unless you have experience balancing aggression levels. Also, try to keep a male-heavy or balanced ratio, as too many males of the same species will fight over dominance. It’s all about finding the right balance for everyone to get along!

Which African Cichlid Species Are Compatible With Others?

Want to reduce African cichlid aggression? Add compatible species together! Don’t know which are compatible and not compatible? We got you!

African Cichlid Species	Compatible With	Not Compatible With
Peacock Cichlids (Aulonocara)	Haps, Rainbow Cichlids, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids
Haplochromis (Haps)	Peacocks, Frontosas, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Victorian Cichlids
Frontosas (Cyrtocara)	Haps, Peacocks, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Cobalt Blue Cichlids
Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Haps, Frontosas, Rainbow Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids
Rainbow Cichlids	Peacocks, Haps, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Kenyi Cichlid
Cyrtocara	Haps, Frontosas, Rainbow Cichlids, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids	Mbuna Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids
Mbuna Cichlids	None (generally prefer to be kept with similar species)	Peacocks, Haps, Frontosas, Rainbow Cichlids, Jewel Cichlids
Jewel Cichlids (Hemichromis)	None (aggressive species, usually best as a solo or species-only tank)	Peacocks, Haps, Frontosas, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids

Here are some key points to note though:

• Peacocks and Haps are more peaceful and can generally coexist with other calm species.
• Mbuna and Jewel Cichlids are highly territorial and aggressive, often requiring species-only tanks or very carefully planned tank setups.
• Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, like Frontosas, are often peaceful and can mix well with other non-aggressive species.

Build a Thriving Tank With Aquabuildr!

African cichlids will always have a bit of attitude — that’s part of their charm! But with the right tank setup, stocking strategy, and intervention techniques, you can keep their aggression in check and enjoy a thriving, colorful aquarium. 

Speaking of… Are you ready to build the aquarium of your dreams? Say hello to our free Aquabuildr app — and your new best friend! With our smart algorithm, we take the guesswork out of tank building, helping you pick compatible fish, balance water conditions, and keep everything in tip-top shape. 

Download Aquabuildr on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store!