Who Gives A Fish Forums

Yeah, the kenyi are for sure the trouble makers of this tank... and I can see why, they're already getting pretty big. The bigger of the two is about 2 inches now, and I'm a little worried about their growth. I've heard that even in a community tank, there's usually one fish that becomes the boss, and it can change over time. I'm guessing that's what's going on with my kenyi - they're just naturally more aggressive.

I'm starting to think that I'll need to upgrade to a bigger tank soon, maybe a 55 gallon or more. These fish are just too active and need more space to swim around. I'm also a bit concerned about their territorial behavior - they need more room to establish their own territories and reduce aggression.

Has anyone else had experience with keeping these fish in a smaller tank? I'm curious to know how you handled the situation.

I just wanted to clarify that "Fish Crazy" is just a title I've earned for spending way too much time on these forums. As for the convict, he was actually given to us along with a free tank, so rehoming him wasn't really an option. But don't worry, I've done my research and made sure he's acclimated to the water conditions just fine.

I've also staggered their feeding schedule to ensure everyone's needs are met. And, fun fact, I found out that it's actually okay to give Kenyi and other Malawi cichlids a bloodworm meal every now and then – once a week, to be exact. The rest of the time, they're on a diet of cichlid pellets and high-quality veggie flakes.

I'm hoping the occasional bloodworm treat is enough for the convict, and I judge their overall health by how vibrant and healthy they all look – which, might I add, is extremely healthy. The convict does show stress from time to time, but at 5 inches, he's the biggest fish in the tank, and the next largest cichlid is less than 2 inches, so he doesn't really get bothered much. Most of the time, his colors are super dark and defined, and he seems happy.

i actually did quite a bit of research and found that it is OK for kenyi and other malawi cichlids to enjoy a chopped finely prawn or mysis shrimp meal from time to time, once a week is the suggesteadsly. the rest of the time they eat cichlid pellets and high quality vegetable flake. i hope that chopping finely prawn or mysis shrimp feeding is enough for the convict and geneflakely judge mostly by the health of the fish, who are all extremely healthy, and vibrant.