Is this unusual? Just this morning I fed them some brine shrimp and they all ate fine. This afternoon my Venustus was dead from being picked on. None of the fish are new additions. None appeared sick, and as I said before they all actively ate this morning. Is this normal? This is also not the first time this has happened...I lost another fish last week the same way.

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56 Gallon Column - 1 Bumblebee Cichlid, 1 Red Zebra Cichlid, 1 Jeweled Cichlid, 1 Acei Cichlid, 1 Blood Parrot Cichlid, 2 Assorted African Cichlids, and 1 African Featherfin Catfish

Do you have lots of hiding places? Surprising that the venustus was killed as they are usually pretty aggressive. With cichlids they need lots of hiding places and you need to make sure the species will get along with each other. Personally with the parrots I would put them in a different tank as they are more docile than most.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Yes there are LOTS of hiding places. I keep a good eye on the Parrot to make sure he doesn't get picked on. When he was added to the tank, I was uneducated about the difference between south american and african cichlids. I think he fairs ok because he is so much bigger than the other cichlids. They don't mess with him at all. Not sure what's going on with the others, though...

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56 Gallon Column - 1 Bumblebee Cichlid, 1 Red Zebra Cichlid, 1 Jeweled Cichlid, 1 Acei Cichlid, 1 Blood Parrot Cichlid, 2 Assorted African Cichlids, and 1 African Featherfin Catfish

The same thing happened to me when I started with Cichlids.

My Parrot and Green Sevrum were in a 55g with 4 Mbuna. There were minimal problems for about two months.

One day the Parrot did not show up for the evening feeding. I found him in the back corner caught in the plants. I'll save you the gruesome details. I pulled him out and placed him in my 20g. He was dead the next morning.

About two weeks later my Sevrum suffered the same fate.

Just like you said, they were fine just earlier in the day.

What is strange is that I have two Jewel Cichlids with the Mbuna since July 09 without a mark on them. Jewel's are also African but not from Lake Malawi like my Mbuna.

My parrot and sevrum were about the same size as my Mbuna, maybe since yours is much larger it will avoid getting attacked. I hope so anyway. My Jewels are half the size of the Mbuna.

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Do fish get thirsty?
How to fishless cycle your aquarium http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fis...cle-15036.html

Information on API FW test kit http://www.aquariumforum.com/f2/api-...ion-15347.html

That is exactly why I am confused...these fish have been co-existing fine for months in the same tank with lots of hiding places. Why they are all of a sudden killing each other baffles me!

Thanks for sharing your similar story!

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56 Gallon Column - 1 Bumblebee Cichlid, 1 Red Zebra Cichlid, 1 Jeweled Cichlid, 1 Acei Cichlid, 1 Blood Parrot Cichlid, 2 Assorted African Cichlids, and 1 African Featherfin Catfish

They are getting older and more territorial.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

It's not that unusual for fish to suddenly get aggressive. They may think it's breeding season or just have become sexually mature. Have you tested your water? Another thing that can happen is that a fish is weak for some reason and it gives the other fish more chance to pick on it.

Your Kenyi and Bumble will prob give you some more problems in the future as well. I have had the Bumble bees and they always seemed mellow to me until they hit maturity and started to get ready to mate. Once that hit it was like all bets were off. He thought he owned every inch of my 75 gal tank terrorized the heck out of the rest of fish. So as a fore warning be ready for it. Also have my fair share of problems with the Melanochromis Auratus, they just are some vicious fish as they age too. I always have been told to do TONS of research on the species your interested in and the compatibility of what your currently stocked with now. It can be a challenge but so rewarding at the same time!! Good luck

Yeah, sadly the Kenyi was dead when I got home last night. :( I was VERY shocked by that. He also, had been healthy and eating fine. I think someone attacked him.

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56 Gallon Column - 1 Bumblebee Cichlid, 1 Red Zebra Cichlid, 1 Jeweled Cichlid, 1 Acei Cichlid, 1 Blood Parrot Cichlid, 2 Assorted African Cichlids, and 1 African Featherfin Catfish