Question about dominance

[SteveScheuring]

I have a 90 gallon tank with Haps and Peacocks.  A few month ago, the dominant fish was an OB Peacock.  I added a Sunshine Peacock, which was quickly picked on and lost most of its fins.  I quickly moved it to a 30 gallon tank where it regrew its fins quickly and is now looking great!

About a month ago, I moved the Sunshine Peacock back into the 90 gallon tank and moved 3 of the female Peacocks out.  Almost immediately, a Red Flush Peacock took over dominance on half the tank and the Sunshine Peacock took over dominance over the other half.  The OB Peacock is being pushed up to the top corner of the tank and continues to get its fins damaged.

Is it normal for such quick changes in dominance?

I still have a few females in the tank, which I am trying to move out but they are very hard to catch.  Once I get them all out, will there be another change in dominance?  What should I expect?

[Michael Zebrowski]

A dominant fish expends most of it's energy maintaining it's position at the "top of the hill".  Hence, other fish just continue to eat and get out of the way.  Soon, another fish grows stronger and takes over, and this can occur fast.

[four_by_ken]

I have noticed that introducing new fish... whether it was for the first time in that tank, or reintroduced... can lead to all sorts of strange hierarchy issues going on.

When introducing new fish, I try to introduce more than one if possible.  (excuse to get more fish)
I also will try to rearrange the rocks in the tank so that new "homes" can be wrestled for.

[TrailerParkFishTanks]

ive had a few dominant roles change in my tanks and i think that rearranging rockwork and adding some more hiding places will help a lot. after you get the females out it'll probably calm your tank down since there is no one in there vying for breeding rights. it'll just be a bunch of dudes hanging out in a fish tank.  thats why all male show tanks usually work out but if you get females involved its more likely to have royal rumbles in there. there still may be aggresion between tank mates but it should calm down a bit. i dont know what your set up looks like but i rearrange my rocks and decor about once a month or when ever i get bored which helps keep the bad boy of the tank from claiming the whole tank and killing off everyone else.

or you could add a red terror and have one really good looking fish in the tank.

[SteveScheuring]

Thanks for the advise!  Now I just have to catch all the females.  Damn they're fast!

[TrailerParkFishTanks]

Clear out all the decor, grab a buddy and use four nets. If that doesn't work do a big water change and catch them when the water level is really low.

[lilscoots]

If I have to catch fish, I always do it with a 75%+ water change,  there's a lot fewer places to run when the water's only 4" deep.