Shy and Hiding Cichlids

equinom

equinom

Large Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
386
0
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The Blue Planet
#1
Yes - have the tank relocated, cycled and planted.  Have added 6 cichlids.  The LFS described them as

3 yellow "labs"      no bigger than 2 inches each
3 electric blue "bull heads"   no bigger than 3 inches each

I had 3 books with me, and could not find electric blue bull heads.  They look fairly normal - not head bumps, not strange markings or stripes - nice fins, a lyre type tail...

The labs are the basic labs - nice and bright yellow.  One has the black stripe across the top of his dorsal fin.

The question is - there are 6 fish in this 55 gal tank, and you never see them.  I created some great caves and rock ledges - plus some planted areas - and they fish must be quiet content amongst the rocks OR scared to death and hide 24/7   They are the only fish in this tank.   What is the best course of action?
1)  "dither" fish?  If so, what type?
     Tank is 55 gal,  pH around 8.0,  GH ~ 110
      temp around 76-77F
      NH3/NH4 negative,  NO2  negative,  NO3 less than 15
      planted - but in areas, not throught
      extensive rocks and caves  
2)    add more of the same/different cichlids
      what kind, how many

Would like to make these fishes happy - they are spectacular and the showpiece of the living area!
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
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#3
It took my electric labs a week or so before they'd come out.  I think dither fish will help a lot - I've used various danios to do it, and now I'm using dwarf rainbowfish, Melanotaenia maccullochi - they're fast colourful, like hard water and live in the top 1/2 of the tank.
 Planted tank - ! - my labs love to really get hold of plants and pull them up, plus they nibble them a bit anyway.  I have no idea electric blue bull heads are - I think your lfs made it up.  If you only have trios you might have problems if there's more than 1 male - the males will fight, and both will pester the single female continuously for sex.  But electric yellows, and most mbuna are pretty easy to sex.
 

equinom

equinom

Large Fish
#4
Oct 22, 2002
386
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The Blue Planet
#4
After several days of my husband and son standing in front of the tank, pointing at nothing, saying things like   "OOooo - I like the colors on that invisible fish..."    and   "Look Mommy - there's,    oh,     never mind."    I had to do something.  So I went to a different LFS and spoke with the owner.   He said pretty much what you guys are saying - that they were spooked.        I asked him about dither fish, and he said don't bother - just give them some time.
I decided to get a couple more while I was there (2 yellow and 2 blue).  These were a little smaller than the first bunch so I thought that might help with the fear factor.
Wow - I added those four fish and it was amazing.  The original fish came out into the open almost immediately, and guarded the entrances to the best caves - like bouncers at a night club.  It took a few hours, but everybody calmed down, everything is fine - and nobody hides anymore.
I can't begin to imagine what it would be like if there had been a breeding pair in there!

Not a one of these guys have as much as nipped at a plant... and there! now I have cursed it.  The blue ones sometimes will pick up a few pieces of gravel and then spit them out - but don't touch the plants.  

And as for fishless cycle:  I added 10 cichlids to an tank that had not seen fish - that had been cycled only with household ammonia.  Those cichlids have been in that tank for about 1 week, and couldn't ask for better water parameters.  

I will never doubt you again...
 

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