Wanwo Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I got 6 juvenile electric yellows and added them to a fully cycled tank. They seem to really take to their new home. I've got plenty of rocks and hidey-holes and they liked exploring and behaved pretty much like normal aquarium fish.Then this week I added 6 cobalt blues, about the same size. I noticed in the LFS that they were more skitish than the yellows but I still wanted them.First day and night seemed fine. They took to the tank well. They did a lot of investigating, would play in the current, were excited about feeding.Then on the second day for some reason they got freaked out. Darting around like crazy at small movements by me in the room. Even sometimes at seemingly nothing. This got the yellows freaked out too. Now everyone is hiding in the rocks most of the day.When I approach to feed the yellows know what's coming and they come out, and when the cobalts see the food they come out too and everyone is out happy and feeding. But 5 minutes later they're back in the rocks again.Do I just ride it out? Do I leave the light off for a few days? Do I need dither fish? Any advice welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanwo Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 I seriously think I need dither fish. My fish have become like a flock of sparrows. One jumps at a shadow and they all react. Some zebra danios I reckon.Or I return the cobalts. This wasn't a problem before I got them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joller Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 skittish fish are a serious downer! make sure the lids fit well so you don't get any jumpers, i don't know much about africans so hopefully someone else can help you out therewhat size are the fish and the tank, what colour substrate, what kind of lighting? might just be a change of scenery that got them freaked out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 A very tiny size venustus or two will do the trick.Venustus even when small are fearless.Rock dwelling fish (mbuna) naturally find comfort amongst rocks especially when young.The tiny venustus will be their indicators for safety.I use venustus for a lot of dither reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanwo Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 By tiny size venustus you mean young ones right? That would be good but I don't want fish that grow that big, 10-11 inches right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Of course, just temporary at 4cm. Should only take a month and the mbuna will be more confident.Eventually they'd become confident anyway.Take used venustus back to shop for reduction in food cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Your fish should settle down fairly quickly. The knowledge that people mean food will override their fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 What size tank are they in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanwo Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 It's small, only 60 cm. Fine for now but I might have to move them when they get to adult size.But I mean were you to take a glance at it, it looks like an empty tank now with all the fish crowded together into one rock cave. It's been quite interesting to see how they copy each other's behaviour. When I just had the yellows, they'd do things together too. When one started picking at bubbles under the rock surface, they'd all start doing it. When I got the blues they like picking up coral sand in their mouths and spitting it out again, and the yellows started doing this too, a behaviour I hadn't seen in them before the blues came. Likewise it's been the skittishness of the blues that has infected the yellows too. Previously they were as friendly to the presence of humans as mollies. Now they have these little fits of panic just like the cobalts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern1 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 In all my African tanks I have haps and mbuna the haps reduce this behavior since they are open swimming fish in general and encourage the mbuna to come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Do you have the tank in direct sunlight? What filtration do you have? How often are you doing water changes?Is your tank in a location where people walking past giving a sudden fright? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanwo Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Update: I went for a half dozen pearl danios to act as dithers. They love swimming in the current of my spray bar! The cichlids were really curious about them and are now spending a lot more time out of the rocks but will dart back if they see movement in the room. I'm trying to associate my coming up to the tank with them getting a bit of food. In time I hope they'll get used to my movement. It's an a bedroom, just me coming in and out and sitting at the computer.Ant, no direct sunlight. I have an oversized (for the tank size) external canister filter. I'm water changing once a week because I'm a bit concerned about nitrate levels building up. Ammonia and nitrites are zero or close to it. I did a fishless cycle previously, took 6 weeks.I have another issue. My water is a bit cloudier than I'd like it. I'm just using the medium that came with the cansister filter - those ceramics tubes, and a fairly coarse black sponge. Do I need a finer sponge or carbon even to clear things up a bit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Fish less cycle? Did you seed the tank with food, bacteria or things taken from another aquarium? Cloudy tank can mean a couple of things. Ammonia spike, nitrate or bacterial bloom all are caused due to either over stocking tank, excess food and/or organic matter, weak filtration or lack of water changes. Sudden high temperatures can also cause this. It could also be due to dirty media (filter or substrate).Have you tested for ammonia? I'd suspect that first of all!! Then get online and we can assist you from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 The main issue is that your tank is too small. You are over stocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanwo Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 I think I'll try a different sponge. The one have is really coarse, like one you'd wash your car with. How can that trap fine debris?Yeah I seeded it with food. I had the darnest trouble getting any ammonia reading with the fish food alone, had temp up to 32C. So I got a raw prawn and tied it up in a hanky and stuck it in there. That did the trick. After that it all happened as expected.Ant, what are symptoms of over stocking? Obviously dead or diseased fish, high ammonia and nitrites. So far so good anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 18 fish in a 60cm tank. If you can keep on top of it your doing well. Just my opinion sorry. My advice is to get a bigger tank now and your fish will be much much happier. If you can't, there are many smaller type cichlids out there that would be more suitable for a 60cm tank. Good luck (sincere! not sarcastic)Ant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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