Sudden aggression by A. ortegai male due to lack of medium sized dither fish?

[TacocaT]

I currently have a pair of WC A. ortegai in a 20 long community tank. For the most part the pair has been amicable, with only a bit of aggression to cories during feeding or if they get too close. The other day I sold off my school of 6 Diamond tetras and replaced them with 4 Sphaerichthys selatanensis, given that the most boisterous top water fish were gone. Last night and this morning the male seems to have become extremely aggravated, chasing the female on sight and frequently bullying any fish that makes the mistake of being with 3 inches of him.

There are still dither fish, just none anywhere near the size of the diamond tetras, so I fear that their disappearance may have changed something.

Thanks for your advice!

Edit: the picture shows the tank just before I sold the tetras and added the gouramis, but everything else is the same.

 

[MacZ]

How much of a struggle was catchuing the tetras? It is entirely possible, that while going for the tetras you might have herded the apistos in each others' territories. That might have broken up the truce and now things have to be rearranged.

The really mean thing is: Your layout is exemplary for a good scape division for territories. Shame to tear it down, but: If the aggression keeps steady for longer than a week I would consider catching the apistos, rearranging the hardscape and reintroducing them.

 

[TacocaT]

How much of a struggle was catchuing the tetras? It is entirely possible, that while going for the tetras you might have herded the apistos in each others' territories. That might have broken up the truce and now things have to be rearranged.

The really mean thing is: Your layout is exemplary for a good scape division for territories. Shame to tear it down, but: If the aggression keeps steady for longer than a week I would consider catching the apistos, rearranging the hardscape and reintroducing them.

It was quite a struggle but I only had to remove one small branch on the left, so not too much destruction. I did notice that the apistos kind of disappeared midway through the chaos, so I assume they might have hid in the cave inside the log, which is normally the female's territory. This makes sense now, as this morning the female was skirting about on the outside while the male occasionally checked the cave.

I really hope I don't have to, as I quite like this. If it comes down I might get a coconut cave to give them more hides.