If lip locking turns to straight up fighting that never seems to end, you might have to separate. If you "let them work it out" it might not be the outcome you want, so just continue to monitor.
They recently just stopped lip locking and seem to be exploring the tank the red terror hasn't been constantly going out of its way to attack the green terror but idk if I should leave them unseperated over night
This is VERY common behavior among fish when they are introduced into a tank. Regardless of breed, aggression level, etc, a pecking order will always be established. Just depends on how many submissive fish you have when pecking time comes, sounds like both are fighting for top dog slot. While it is hard to judge from this side of the computer. If you aren't comfortable leaving them together overnight, then go with your gut and do something to diffuse the situation. It is also frequent that pecking order be "challenged", this is just something you deal with when you have certain types of fish together. It is truly hit and miss though, they may establish pecking order and never have another problem or it could be a constant, fight-to-the-death match every time you turn around.
Thankyou, just to play it safe I ended up dividing them. Does lip locking do a lot of damage to the fish?
Yeah that's what I thought and considering they were doing it for over an hour I had to divide them
I might try that what other cichlids could I add that won't overcrowd the tank? Salvinis can be nasty and tear up their fins so probabaly not one of them and convicts do the same.
