weird behavior

[lukepghpa]

about 3 weeks ago i fininshed setting up my new 72 gallon bow front african cichlid tank...everything was fine, then i noticed that they were always hiding behind their rocks...i thought nothing of it since cichlids like nice spots to hide in...then i noticed when i would go downstairs into the living room first thing in the morning to feed them, they would go from swimming all over the tank to hiding...anytime someone goes near the tank they hide, but if you leave the room for a few minutes, they come out and swim all over...has anyone heard of this or experienced it?

[Fishyfanatic]

Actually, the complete opposite. They aren't happy about something in that tank. Cichlids will come to the front of the tank when someone goes by it. It's in their nature. How many cichlids do you have in the tank? Was the tank cycled before you added fish? How long did you let it cycle? What are your water parameters? Do you have caves and places that they can go into? Substrate? Filtration unit?

I know this sounds like a lot of questions but it will help pinpoint what is wrong. Cichlids are funny fish in regards to behavior.

[sonoma2nv]

i would just give them more time.they are prob shy.

[Fishyfanatic]

Three weeks is long enough for them to adjust to their new environment.

[severum mama]

Not necessarily FF- I've had some REALLY shy fish before! My nannacara anomala has barely come out of hiding since I got it about a month ago, and the tank is planted, has caves, and is overfiltered. My rummynose tetras hid constantly for a month or so, and are still very skittish when people approach the tank. I think different fish just take a really long time to adjust, and they will become more sociable with time.

That said, is there a bully in the tank? What fish are in there?

[lukepghpa]

i have medium sized african cichlids nothing bigger than 6 inches or so, 7 cichlids and 2 plecos...the one pleco is the biggest in the tank...tons of rock formations and hiding spots...its 72 gallons so it's not overcrowded...i'm gonna do a partial change in the next few days and rearrange the rocks...i think they may have gotten used to thier territories...i have 1 peacock,2 electric yellows,1 hyena,1 johani mbuna, 1 kenyi, and one i can't remember

[Fishyfanatic]

Was the tank cycled before you added fish? How long did you let it cycle? What are your water parameters? Substrate? Filtration unit?

[glasstapper]

i have obsereved this similar behavior, some shy some not my port acara is mrs. shy have had her for several months, my nicaruguensis was shy at first, now at the glass every time anyone walks in. my lfs guy gave me a hint. he said sometimes it makes a difference between wild caught or tank raised, i have noticed this to be accurate in my instances anyway

[lukepghpa]

the tank was cycled for about 48 hours before i put any fish in it...i did clean it the other day, so i may have upset something...i ran out of my testing stuff,so i dont know the numbers for the water conditions...but a trip to elmers aquarium tomorrow will fix that...i think my alkaline levels may be too low

You added all those fish after running the tank only 2 days? Was it a brand new tank?

[Fishyfanatic]

When you say it was cycled for 48 hours, do you mean that you put the water in the tank, let it run for 48 hours and put in the fish? Did you add all 7 at one time? When you say you cleaned it, did you gravel vac, change cartridges, and scrape off the algae?

I ask so many questions because it will help us better understand your tank situation. Plus, in future posts, we will know more about the history of the tank. This way you don't have to keep posting the same info every time. It would be good to know the water parameters, but as soon as you can get those, that would be great.

Also, are you using test strips? If so, get a Master Test Kit. Not the strips. The strips aren't as accurate and are WAY more expensive in the long run. I did the math one day and it was a HUGE difference in price, by about $500 I believe.

[Fishyfanatic]

Tony- I think that we are both on the same train of thought on this.

BTW- The fish that you guys were referring to are S.A. Cichlids and Tetra's. African's are generally more outgoing unless there is something in the tank that they don't like. IME, The africans have always been out and swimming around, especially when people are around. They love to show off. A couple months ago I went to a lfs that specializes in Lake Malawi Cichlids (they only sell Lake Malawi Cichlids) and the guy told me that if they don't come out when people are around, it means somethings wrong. And after I thought about it, it seemed to ring true. I mean, the only time that ours ever went into hiding mode was when the water parameters were out of wack or there was a fish in the tank that was severely bullying them. It just doesn't seem right that after 3 weeks the fish would still be hiding. Especially since they are the only ones in the tank.

[DARK Jak]

this mite seem realy different but when i first got my jack dempsie it hid for about the first month heheh

[Fishyfanatic]

Dark, but the JD is a S.A. Cichlid. That's what I was getting at. I don't know from experience about S.A.'s hiding habits. I'm just referring to African's because that seems to be the issue, specie wise.

[lukepghpa]

i let it run for 48 hours with nothing in it but the decorations...then i transfered the 3 fish i had in my 30 gallon into the 72...let it run for a few days then added the rest...when i cleaned it, i vacuumed the bottom and cleaned the filter...they are starting to come around...they'll approach the tank when i walk up to it (i guess they are used to getting fed when i walk up to it) and are hanging out in the middle of te tank more often...the only one that is still hiding a little is the big kenyi i have...but she is coming out more often now

[Fishyfanatic]

Here's the issue.

i let it run for 48 hours with nothing in it but the decorations

This is not cycling. There are some good articles on cycling in the Article section. But the run down is this: Fish produce Ammonia. When you start a new tank it doesn't have ammonia in it. By adding the fish, you are adding ammonia. The ammonia will then convert to Nitrites. The Nitrites then convert to Nitrates. The cycling process can take about 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the ammonia (or Bio-load) that is in the tank. If you are cycling with fish, you need to test your water on a daily basis and do water changes every day or every other day, depending on the bio-load. Your ammonia should not be over 1. If it is, you need to do an immediate water change. A level of 1 seems to produce a quicker cycle. Having Ammonia levels too high will kill your fish. Having Nitrites too high will also kill your fish in an instant. In a completly cycled tank your levels will read: Ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 0, Nitrates <40. 40 is a high number, realistically it should be around 20 to 30. This is why it is important to get a Master Test Kit.

when i cleaned it, i vacuumed the bottom and cleaned the filter

This is a no no. At this stage in the cycle, do not clean the filter or vac the gravel. Bacterial colonies are forming in the gravel, on the glass, decor, and in the filter. By cleaning them, you are throwing away the bacteria. Do not change your filter cartridges. They don't need to be changed unless your filter starts to back up or run slowly. Even then, just rinse them in used tank water. Do not ever rinse them in tap water. By rinsing in tap water you are killing the bacteria that has formed. When you clean the gravel, only do about 50% at a time. This way you aren't taking up too much bacteria. The gunky nasty stuff that is in the filter is normal, and it's what you want. Your tank will never be spotlessly clean. If it is, it is too clean. The filter instructions and the people at the lfs will tell you that you need to change your filter cartridges every 2 to 4 weeks. Don't believe them. Everytime you change them, you are giving them more money. But to your tank, you are tossing out benificial bacteria. I am still using the original filter pad on the 29 gal and we've had it set up for about 7 months.

This is most likely the reason why they hide. The African's can tolerate questionable water quality, but not alot. They shouldn't really be used to cycle a tank. But, since they are already there and you are cycling with fish, do water changes every day or every other day. African's are VERY messy fish. The Ammonia level can spike drastically in a short period of time. A test kit is VERY important. When doing the water changes, only suck out water, do not clean any of the gravel or filter. You need to build up that bacteria in the tank.

This sounds like a lot of information right now I'm sure. But right now (before adding any more fish) you need to get that tank cycled. This is why I asked so many questions, I had a feeling that the tank wasn't cycled. African's going into hiding can be trigered by bad water conditions or an uncycled tank. Just keep up with the water changes and if you can get the readings on your water, post them. If you don't have a test kit (I don't remember if you said you did or not) take water to the lfs and have them test it. Those numbers are VERY important at this stage.

Well said! I hope they all make it.

[Fishyfanatic]

I do too. African's are beautiful fish and are very entertaining. They attach themselves to their owners and follow as you walk by. I've found them to be the easiest to hand feed. Very fun fish to have. Do you have any pics that you can post of the Unknown fish? Or at least describe it?

Tony- Looks like your tank is rolling right along. Any pics?

[lukepghpa]

WOW!!! thanks to everyone for all the advice...i'm still learning alot about keeping fish and one of the reasons i joined this site was to learn as much as i can...i'm getting some new test kits tomorrow on my way home from work and will post the results as soon as i can...i've been reading about the natural bacteria and am getting a better understanding of it...one question tho, there is a slight milky cloudyness to the water,normal??as far as pics go...i'll post some as soon as my usb port on my pc is fixed...the one i can't remember is really dark blue with some black around the head and some slight orange coloring running form the dorsal fin down to the bottom fins

[Fishyfanatic]

The cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom. Completly normal. Most newbies would tear down the tank and start over when they have a bloom because they don't realize that it's just part of the process. It's a great thing that you are here and asking questions. And it's even better that you want to learn. Kudo's to you!

Hmmm, I'm trying to think of what that fish could be. Alot of African's are blue or have a variation of blue in their color. Does the facial features and body structure remind you of the peacock or does it more look like the Electric Yellows and Johanni? If it more resembles the Johanni, check out this link. Scroll down to the Pseudotrophus grouping and see if you find the fish in that section. Also, check out the Melanochromis section.

http://www.malawimayhem.com/profiles.php?filter=OP

There are so many different types of African cichlids. Maybe someone else could try and pinpoint which one it could be if you can't find the fish on that link.