Nicaraguan Cichlid Problem

[Aquastrategist]

A week or two ago I got a Nicaraguan Cichlid and blue acara. The Nicaraguan was dominant, but they got along fine with my other fish (non aggtessive). However, in the last few days he has been sitting in the top corner all the time except when there is food. Hes the dominant one so he's not getting bullied, the temp is fine, ph 7.5 hardness 150. Even a water change didnt help. Would rearranging help?

 

[Aquastrategist]

Here he is

 

[Freakgecko91]

Tank size, stock list, full tank shot?

 

[Aquastrategist]

50 Gallon
1 Nicaraguan cichlid
1 blue acara
1 angel
2 Bolivian rams
6 cory cats
Brass and skirt tetras ( I know they could get eaten in the future but once that starts to happen ill give them to my uncle)

 

[Aquastrategist]

Sorry for the upside down pic don't know what happened there

 

[Freakgecko91]

My advice would be to get some plants, real or fake, and put a few bunches of them in various spots, really helps some of the more shy species come out. There may be some other bullying occurring, I know I had trouble with my pulcher (blue acara) at times, but I've also had issues with my krobia xinguensis, which are not supposed to be aggressive. My aequidens metae on the other hand is a perfect angel and is another acara species, the yellow acara. They are a wildly variable group of fish

 

[Aquastrategist]

Don't chichlids eat and dig plants? So I should probably get fake ones and just more hiding spots in general

 

[Freakgecko91]

Don't chichlids eat and dig plants? So I should probably get fake ones and just more hiding spots in general

Depends on the species...your stock, no, they'd be fine. I have no problems with my metae, xinguensis, and had no problems with my pulcher ever