Nannacara Anomala - Dwarf Golden Eye Cichlid - Aggression

[SupersoNick95]

Two dead rummynose later I believe my Nannacara Anomala is the culprit. Each day I wake up to a tetra with a missing eye then the next day they are dead. Initially, I believed it to be some sort of disease but each tetra that has died has had an eye ripped out before death. I have seen the dwarf cichlid chasing them around, he gets extremely territorial in 20 long. This morning I found another with its eye completely gone. I later saw the cichlid doing a lot of chasing.  I had 2 die so far. Another one is swimming around with its eye hanging off but also looks lethargic. Only a matter of time before it dies. 

Should I rehome the cichlid? I have never had a dwarf cichlid this aggressive... they are usually very timid.

[mynameisnobody]

What size aquarium do they live in? What are you feeding and how often? 

[SupersoNick95]

On 2/2/2024 at 3:55 PM, mynameisnobody said:

What size aquarium do they live in? What are you feeding and how often? 

20 long, have about 15

[anewbie]

I've heard story that some cichild (any species) will discover they like tetra eyes; trap the tetra and eat them (i've read this is true for angles, discus, and various dwarf cichild); but never experienced it first hand. What i will say is the follow (as dwarf cicihild go) i've found nannacara amolae to be extremely clever and adaptive (mine never bothered the small rasboras i had with it but it did eat ton of baby pleco); i will also note that a 20 long is too small for rummy-nose but that doesn't help you. 

Beyond those two comments i can't really add anything else - oh if you have a pair (m/f) of nanncara amolae - they are not pair forming and the female will likely kill the male in a 20 long when she has frys unless you have extremely good scaping for him to hide (the females are very very aggressive when they have frys).