Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So I (now) have 8 Trout in an IBC FT, with one substantially bigger than the rest of them. He/she is constantly harassing the other fish, which has resulted in two trout jumping out of the tank. The rest seem too busy avoiding the bully to think about eating their food.

Am I not feeding the big one enough, or is my only option to pull him out and stick him on the bbq?

If he's big enough to eat... eat him...

Another option is to throw in more fish. When I had 10 trout in my IBC, some were harrassing others constantly. After adding 10 more, things got more friendly. Not all trout where of the same size.

Hmm, ok thanks.

Might be bbq time - I don't think there's enough cool weather ahead to bother putting more trout in...

cook up!!

doesn't pay to be a bully...

a good thumping usually sorts out the bullies

Run a Facebook and Twitter campaign with a catchy hashtag. Threaten to boycott advertisers.

That's what's working at the moment.

Bully = First on the barby
I think thats a quote from another well known AP dude, but its good

If the bully is big enough to eat then thats your answer, if not you can always add more fish to the system and see how this goes.

Introduce him to the Ike spike

This might seem a little controversial, but I applied normal practice human school yard psychology to my silver perch bully, and discovered that the reality really is that bullies are scared.

I put a very large colander into the fishtank upside down so the bully could protect his/her little area rather than staking a claim to the entire fish tank universe, and it worked. He/she left everyone else alone and stopped harrasing them. In fact, lately (perhaps 3 months later, the smaller victim (last surviving) fish seems to be getting more than it's fair share of the food, and is rapidly catching up to the bully's size. The now ex-bully is mostly seen to be cowering in his/her hide and doesn't come out until it's dark. Interestingly, when it's dark the bully is less of a bully.

So...

My totally rigorous study (is there a tongue in cheek emotion? ) suggests the best way to deal with a bully is to temporarily distract him (lets face it, it's probably a him) until everyone else can grow, and [regain dominance] by giving him an artificial compound to protect, and also hide in.



This study represents a rigorous scientific study including a sample of one. All conclusions should take that enormous sample size into account.

Turns out keeping them well fed appears to be doing the trick.

Quite amusing watching them feed - the bully seems to patrol around underneath the floating food, and the others leap up and grab food when his back is turned...

This is a common theme in nature and is often refereed to as "the sneaky f[ellow]". Basically while the "alpha" males are butting heads, the rest are busy mating while nobody is looking. The same applies to feeding and everything else in the life cycle.

here's only one dubious source to confirm the hypothesis ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/se ... anreview18

Id consider using what we like to call "the naughty corner".. just the simple first warning and option to behave or naughty corner is the result.

Ive found some surprising results with both my kids, pets and partner.

This is meant as a joke and Im sorry Mrs Charlie if you read this and I will deliver that promised back massage as soon as the forum activity slows down in a few hours..