Tetrastigma cichlid male- female ratio

[GermanDude]

Hi you all!
I' ve ordered four Otopharynx, one male and three females, but I am quite sure I do have two males.
The bigger one is chasing the smaller one a lot.
No torn fins or missing scales yet, but they are still young, 3 inches maybe.
So am I thinking about selling one male.
Are two females capable of withstanding male mating pressure long term?
I don't want any more than four or five fish, so stocking much more of them to spread aggression is not what I wish to do.
Ordering just one or two females I don't like either.
Considering two female yellow labs instead, because they are pretty mellow and readily available, where I am living currently.

 

[james99]

I would want at least 4 females. With only 2, if one manages to hide while holding, that will leave one to deal with the males aggression. While tetrastigma aren't super aggressive, they are still cichlids.

 

[DJRansome]

What are the dimensions of your tank? Not having any more than 4-5 fish in a tank even with the correct ratio could create an aggression problem. Definitely 4 or more females.

 

[GermanDude]

It is a 64 x 24 x 24 tank, so spacious for these fish. Lots of caves and jungle val, some rocks to break line of sight too.
It' s a pity I got two males instead of one.

 

[DJRansome]

My point is that in a 64" tank (inches, not cm?) you need a lot more than five-six Africans to manage aggression, even if the ratio is correct. And if it is 64cm it is too small for Otopharynx and any other Malawi for that matter.

 

[GermanDude]

64 inches, not centimetres-
I am no animal abuser
I know overstocking african cichlid tanks is very common and works fine, when done correctly.
But species only tanks housing just a few fish can work too- especially with " less agressive" ones.
Two males never work though.
One or at least three.
Since I am a lot on vacation, there won't be waterchanges when I am gone.
That' s why I wanted to give the Otopharynx a try.