Fishy tank

Tough times have befallen the Malawians. Those remaining in the tank are few. It’s been slow going, but most have dropped off, or floated up, unable to withstand the brutality shown toward them by fellow fish. Even now, with more caves than fish, the Malawian cichlids still fight. We were warned- Territoriality is in their nature. They are naturally aggressive fish. And, let me tell you, if there were an injury log it would read like a hospital registry in a war torn city.

Those still swimming have weathered their fair share of storms, from flesh wounds to badly mangled fins. They parade proudly, keeping gaurd of their caves like the bouncers at Burn. But they've earned this snobbery: of the four remaining, three were among the first inhabitants of this aquatic battle arena! They were around when we still made an effort to remember names:

Elongatus

Compressicep

And “Grey sharky”

Then Frontoasa, the fish we put a fair amount of work into procuring:
He was the last to be introduced to the tank of already grown cichlids and has survived almost miraculously well. Until just the other day. It seemed someone put a hit out on him. No cave was safe. No fish friend. With fins hurting he kept swimming and now, dare I say, he seems to have turned a corner. As of today he no longer cowers in Grey Sharky's cave getting pecked at.

Thankfully Rob and I won't have to erect the hospital tank again (as we did when the first fragile fish showed signs of fatality).

The 'hospital tank' was more like a tray blocking off a corner of the tank anyway and it didn't really work...

The way things once were: