Strange Cichlid behavior???

[Punkymom]

I brought a Firemouth Cichlid home from the pet store yesterday. He's by himself right now in my 55 gal with a small pleco type guy. The pleco is doing fine, but the Cichlid seems strangly lethargic. He's stayed hidden all day long, and today I was a bit worried so I tried to chase him out (gently) with the handle of a fish net. When I did he just seemed indifferent to the whole experience. He seemed to be "hugging" the gravel...does that make sense? Should I take this guy back and get another? Is he sick? Or just shy? He's so cute!!! I've been checking the levels in my tank every day and every thing is normal so I don't know what it could be. I've had the tank set up for a week now, and it contains live plants. I hate mysteries...

 

[Allivymar]

Is there any physical things you noticed besides behavior? Color, breathing, are his fins clamped? Whats the tank temp?

He may simply be adjusting to a new environment. Did you acclimate him slowly?

And a little hand slap here *grin* promise me, next time you go fish shoppin, you will buy a cheap 10g and filter and QT them! If he IS ill, you certainly don't want the others to catch it.

Btw, what are the numbers exactly? Ammonia/nitrites? If you just set up the tank a week ago, I doubt its cycled (unless you used a mature filter or Bio-Spira or something along those lines).

 

[Punkymom]

Yes I acclimated him slowly. LOL. Thanks for slapping me...I do have a 10 gal, but it isn't set up yet. His color is lovely, his breathing is fine. I think he's just shy...I hope. The numbers for ammonia/nitrites are like that number just above 0 and 0. I know the tank hasn't cycled yet. I'm using them to start the cycling process. I will be getting part of a mature filter on Saturday that I'm gonna plop in mine to help with the cycle. I guess the fish are just lucky I didn't buy them all at the same time!!! I hate cycling. But I've been keeping fish for like 8 years so I know how important it is. Temp is 77 or 78 degrees F. His fins are normal...I think. I've never kept Cichlids before so that's what I'm new to. I'm not used to Cichlid behavior I guess and I just want to make sure everything is *just* right. LOL

 

[Allivymar]

Coolio! I can never remember who's done what LOL Just call me Al Z. Heimer.

You realise you don't have to "set up" a QT tank generally? Mine is sitting completely empty atm. I keep a live filter in with the snails LOL and just pop it in when I need it for fish (NOT plants LOL). I don't use substrate, although I keep a small ugly ceramic log and some fake plants in case I get fish that need cover or need to hide (they are easily sterilised). A decent filter and a tank is really all you need, and you don't even have to keep it running. Plus, this way if you DO need to medicate, your not mucking up the main tanks bacterial colonies (which is my biggest bug-a-boo).

Theres a coupla cichlid forums out there: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/ and http://www.simplycichlids.com/forum/index.php for example; you might want to check them out too for firemouth specifics. Good luck!

 

[Punkymom]

Thanks for the sights! Are 2 fish going to be enough to start cycling this sucker, or should I add 1 or 2 more?

 

[missyintx]

One of the first cichlids I ever had was a firemouth. He was an extremely shy fish. I never saw him come out to eat and rarely saw him swimming around the tank at all. I think this is part of their nature. Unfortunately mine died about 6 weeks later. I guess he could never recover from the stress and developed ICH. I used the Rid-ICH stuff, but it didn't help. Mine had other tank mates, so I would suggest that if you haven't bought another cichlid to go in there, I would hold off. Give him some time to get used to his new home and once he starts coming out more, then perhaps get him a tank mate that is preferably smaller.
Good luck whatever you decide to do. Firemouths are beautiful fish!

 

[e-cat]

firemouths like too have caves and bog wood in there tanks, yours is probably just setaling into his new home, just give him time

 

[skiltrip]

My firemouth was very shy at first too. It took him a good week to become totally comfortable in the tank with the other fish. But now he is the king. No one messes with him!

 

[Punkymom]

Well, Mr. Firemouth went back to the fish store. He was acting really wierd, and I decided to go with a different stocking scheme. I liked him alright, but he wouldn't eat even after a week of being in my tank...so I knew there was something wrong. I tried to hand feed him also, but all he did was attack my hand...LOL. I'll probably try again with Firemouths if the fish I have now don't work out.

 

[e-cat]

to bad it didnt work for you, good luck on your new fish.
p.s. how are those 6 sharks working out for you?

 

[Punkymom]

LOL the 6 sharks are now down to 1. They didn't die, but I felt that whoever said it (probably you, LOL) about there not being enough room was right because one of the guys was getting beat up...so I returned 5 of them to the store, keeping the original one I bought. I was really hoping it would work, because they really are beautiful to watch full grown all together like that, but I felt it was too much stress for them. So now I'm keeping him (or her, LOL) by him self with a whole lotta tiger barbs. Well...it isn't a lot yet...but it will be.

 

[e-cat]

it was me lol, there probably better off, this one will be more happy now, i like tiger barbs there my favorite barb along with tinfoil barbs.

 

[Punkymom]

Yes, I like them, too. And with the warmer water, (80 degrees) their colors are showing up splendidly. I plan on keeping lots of them in there...basically almost a Tiger tank!!! <roar...blub...>