Got new cichlids, not sure if they're happy

[russrimm]

I got an Auratus and a Jewel the other day and put them in a 65 gallon tank with a small pleco and 2 CAEs. The Auratus is swimming around like there's no tomorrow, and the Jewel is hiding BIGTIME. It is hiding behind a rock and laying on the bottom. Is it freaked out by the Auratus? Also, the Auratus and the CAEs keep swimming after each other like they're playing tag, but i'm not sure if they're playing or being aggressive towards each other. The CAEs are only an inch or inch and a half (small). The Auratus and Jewel are very small too, maybe 1.5". The Jewel isnt even coming out to eat. Should I take the Auratus back? It's swimming around like it's on speed and i'm not sure whats up with the CAEs chasing him around and the Jewel hiding.

 

[TankGirl]

The Auratus has the potential to cause some big trouble in that tank. I don't know if something is wrong with the jewel, but my money is on the Auratus - they are lovely and fascinating fish, but tough customers.

 

[Menagerie]

My husband had an auratus a few years ago. That fish ruled an entire tank of zebras to the point of destruction and then the auratus had to go. If you want to keep this fish, you need to do more research and find the right tank mates.

 

[spence0416]

My experience with Jewels is that they hide most of the time no matter who their tankmates are. They are good looking fish but only if they decide to come out and swim.

 

[Menagerie]

I had a jewel that was a show off in the zebra tank. She was a fun fish--didn't belong with zebras, but she did fine for awhile. I don't know what would have happened if she had a chance to fully mature (she didn't make it through an ich treatment due to a contaminated flower pot in the QT tank--we didn't know ).

 

[poppab02]

Yeah, the Auratus is going to rule that tank. Auratus are probably the most aggressive african cichlids I've ever dealt with. I have Jewels right now with some Zebras and some others that are basically similiar to Zebras and they are doing great. However, they are by far the most antisocial of all the africans I've ever dealt with. They just don't come up to the glass and swim around constantly as the other types of cichlids. IMO I would take the Auratus back and get some zebras, I think you'll be much happier.

By the way those CAE are going to become snacks in an African Cichlid tank.

 

[sicklidkid]

I have kept jewels before, even bread them once. They can get absolutely insane when breeding! I swear these fish went crazy. They tried to attack every fish in the tank no matter where they were. One thing about jewels though is that they are a west african riverine cichlid. They are alot different than the mbuna from malawi. For now i would agree that the auratus will rule, but if you ever get that jewel a mate all bets are off!

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

The auratus will more than likely kill everything else in the tank as he grows to sexual maturity. They get seriously territorial and aggressive! He's an African Rift Lake fish and the jewel is an African riverine species: the problem with combining the two is vastly differing water parameter/dietary needs, in addition to quite differing behaviour patterns. The jewel, plec, and CAEs will be much better off without the auratus in the mix.

 

[sicklidkid]

Agreed.