Geophagus

[Charliehorse]

Hi I've got a geophagus and my husband put three silver dollars in today and now my geophagus has got black stripes like a zebra on his body, I've noticed them before at night when the light is off but they aren't going away now. Is he stressed out? Does anyone know what this means? he is my favourite fish so I don't want him to get stressed and die! Thanks xx

 

[mikem691]

What kind is he and what else is in the tank. Most geos like to be in a group of at least 3. But some do fine as a single. What size tank?

 

[HN1]

Yes. Those are stress markings. Silver dollars are (IMO) too active to be housed with a Geo. What size tank are they all in? Any other fish?

 

[Charliehorse]

He is a geophagus altifron(2inchs) It's a 200litre tank there are also
3silver dollars (1 1/2inch)
4platys
4zebra danios
3 bleeding heart tetras
2dwarf gouramis
12 penguin tetra
Another little orange ciclid
A goby
And a plec


Usually everyone gets on ok Ernie (the geo) is the boss and he isn't aggressive towards anyone apart from the occasional chase with the little orange ciclid. The man in the shop said that the dollars would be fine in a group as the geo wouldn't bother them but he seems quite stressed by them. Will he settle down when he realises that they are not at all interested in him?

 

[mikem691]

Hmm Im going to let some one else advise you on this. I have no experience with a mixed stock like yours.

 

[Charliehorse]

Ok thanks anyway. I realise now that the ego will probably eat most of the small fish in about a year.

 

[Charliehorse]

Ego? Geo lol stupid corrective text.

 

[mikem691]

Can you post up a picture of the orange cichlid? It may be a future problem also?

 

[Charliehorse]

I'm not by my tank but just looked on google I think it is a pseudotropheous microstoma.

 

[mikem691]

I'm not an African cichlid guy except for my Neolamprologus multifasciatus
someone will jump in here and help out. As far as the geo my go to member for them isn't a member here anymore. If you are on facebook join THE GEO LIFE group. There are a lot of good people with a lot of knowledge on them.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I'm not by my tank but just looked on google I think it is a pseudotropheous microstoma.

Your geo is stressed out. Try to see if he's being bullied. Your certain that's the right African? They are pretty rare in the aquarium trade and wouldn't be seen at a lfs. Either way the African has no business in your tank. I'd expect either the silver dollars are too crazy for the geo, or the mbuna is handing it to him from time to time.

 

[Charliehorse]

No one is bullying the geo he just got a strop on as soon as the dollars went in if anything they are scared of him. My little cichlid could be any thing to be honest I have no idea it just looked like that on google images I'll take a photo if him in a min.

 

[Charliehorse]

Sorry I'm new to this hopefully this is a pict of my fish

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

That's not microstoma, but I have no idea what it is. It really doesn't look like an African Cichlid to me.

 

[HN1]

That's not microstoma, but I have no idea what it is. It really doesn't look like an African Cichlid to me.

I agree. Not sure exactly, but it looks like a possible apisto. Definitely SA.

 

[bettaowner]

It does look like apistogramma viejita

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

It does look like an apistogramma, macmasteri?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

It does look like apistogramma viejita

Good answer too, same complex as macmasteri

 

[Charliehorse]

Someone said that he might be trouble in my tank later on. The good news is that that my geo has no longer got black stripes and is back to being the boss of the tank so order is restored. Yay!

 

[mikem691]

Someone said that he might be trouble in my tank later on. The good news is that that my geo has no longer got black stripes and is back to being the boss of the tank so order is restored. Yay!

That was me when i thought you had an african in the tank